A classic combo…

What you need: 

• Half Pound of Beans, Trimmed
• Half a lemon, juiced
• 3 Tablespoons Oil, Olive or Sunflower
• 2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• Salt & Pepper
• Optional: red pepper flakes and almonds 

First, you need to blanch the beans. What is blanching? It’s when you briefly cook something and then very quickly cool it down. This technique helps green beans keep a vibrant green color and a snappy texture. (This is also a great technique to peel peaches if you are making a pie.)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously. Toss in the green beans and cook for about 2 minutes, they should be intense green and tender-crisp. Quickly submerge them in a bowl of cold ice water, or run cold water over them in a colander. Drain. 

Whisk lemon juice, oil, and garlic. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Toss the beans in the vinaigrette to coat. Top with cheese, pepper flakes, and almonds!