January 13, 2012: Slow Cooker Low Cal Sesame Green Beans Recipe

Looking for a diet-friendly side dish to go with an Asian-style main dish? These green beans fit the bill nicely. Not only are they flavorful, they are low in fat and can cook away in your Crock pot throughout the day or afternoon.

Slow Cooker Low Cal Sesame Green Beans

1 pound fresh green beans

½ t. sesame oil

½ t. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced on the diagonal

1 shallot, chopped (about ¼ cup)

½ t. garlic salt

2/3 t. sesame seeds, toasted*
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Remove the ends of the green beans and snap each into two or three bite-size pieces.

Place the oils in a slow cooker set on low. Add the garlic and shallots, topped by the green beans. Sprinkle all with garlic salt and sesame seeds. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours (or high for 2 hours), until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste just before serving.

Serves 2 large servings with 71.4 calories in each serving.

*To easily toast sesame seeds, heat a small, heavy pan to medium heat on the stove; add sesame seeds and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Note: The longer you cook these green beans, the softer they will become. If you want them semi-crisp, don't cook longer than 2 hours.