Green Bean and Quinoa Casserole Recipe

It’s a great time of year to make easy (emphasis on easy!) baked and one pot dishes that are nourishing, healthy and packed with nutrients like minerals and protein, such as my new Green Bean and Quinoa Casserole Recipe. This casserole will bring all the comforts of times past, but without all the burden that your typical casserole dishes can have on your vitality.

Let’s be kind to our bodies and see why this dish is a great one to rotate in!

Beauty Vegetable: Green Beans

It’s hard not to love these delicious and crunchy beans that are a vibrant green color. They are naturally low in calories and fat and contain no cholesterol. They are also high in fiber and good for managing blood sugar levels.

Help digest larger amounts of plant fiber with THESE!

Did you know there is a ‘hunger hormone’ called ghrelin, that causes your brain to want to eat? [1].

Well, by adding these beans to your Beauty Detox Solution routines, you can help your body lose weight by reducing your blood glucose levels. The result? Making your body feel full and slowing the secretion of the hunger hormone.

Green beans have the presence of various immune system-boosting antioxidants. These antioxidants (beneficial compounds in our body), seek out dangerous free radicals and eliminate them from our system before they can cause illness or tissue damage (something I discuss often on my blog).

Green beans are an easy source for loading up on the following:

• Vitamins like: A, C, K, B6, and folic acid
• Minerals, calcium, iron, manganese, potassium, and copper
• Provides some of your daily protein requirements
•  Flavonoids and carotenoids
• Phytonutrients that function both as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents inside of our body’s metabolism
• In comparison to other foods, green beans have a high amount of chlorophyll- which carries supportive nutrients

Where and How to Purchase

Try to purchase your green beans at a store or farmer’s market that sells them loose- this will allow you to sort through them- choosing the best quality. Look for beans that have a smooth feel and a vibrant green color, with no brown spots or bruises. They should have a firm texture and “snap” when you brake them.

And remember to check out EWG’s Dirty Dozen Full List to see which produce items should be on your certified organically grown foods shopping list (green beans are #21). All 48 foods are listed from worst to best – lower numbers indicate more pesticides.

Why be concerned? Because the reality is that big profits rule, and that maximum crop output is boosted by spraying massive amounts of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and weed killers on the produce that we buy- and then ingest. So be mindful Beauties- it means your health!

*You can read more about my experience with the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG), on my blog, EWG Shopper’s Guide: The Smartest Way to Use Your $ to Buy Your Food!, to learn ways in which you can shop smarter.

Beauty Protein: Quinoa

High in protein, gluten-free, and one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids, quinoa is an amazing ingredient to use in creating a variety of dishes—gaining all the benefits.

When it comes to protein, quinoa contains greater amounts of lysine and isoleucine, which allows the protein in quinoa to serve as a complete protein source. Your body will mix and match, so you don’t have to get complete protein in every meal—given you eat a wide variety of whole plant foods [2].

Quinoa’s overall nutrient richness includes:

• Magnesium
• B-vitamins
• Iron
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Vitamin E and various other beneficial antioxidants
• High fiber

Daily intake of quinoa has the ability to lower levels of inflammation, with its wide range of anti-inflammatory nutrients present.

Key Beauty Rule: It is very important to soak grains (even though quinoa is technically a seed we treat it as a grain) at least eight hours (preferably overnight), to help deactivate the enzyme inhibitors that coat all grains (and beans), and will make them easier to digest.

Once you get in the habit of soaking your grains, it will be a breeze. Just plan ahead and throw some quinoa in a bowl with water the night before making this recipe. I love making enough quinoa to last you a couple of days so I can use it for leftovers!

See this simple and tasty recipe below…

Ingredients:

• 1 pound green beans
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water

Baked Carrot Toppings 

• 4 large carrots peeled
• 1 Tbs. coconut oil
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Boil green beans in large pot for about 5 minutes, then drain and cool in ice water for crispness.
2. Cook 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water.
3. Peel carrots and massage with 1 Tbs. coconut oil, toss with salt and pepper and bake on baking sheet for about 10 minutes at 375 F or until brown.
4. Combine cooked quinoa and green beans in oven safe dish with vegetable broth, top with cooked carrots, and bake an additional 10 minutes at 375 F, or until cooked to desire tenderness. Adjust seasonings and enjoy!

Don’t forget to add this recipe to your Dinner Recipes Pinterest Board!

With great love,
Kimberly