Do you ever look for ways to dress up your veggies to make them more appealing? Maybe for your kids, other picky eaters in your household, or even just yourself?
When I was a kid, the only vegetable I would eat was green beans. But there was a caveat to this. I would only eat my green beans if they were covered in ketchup.
I have a vivid memory of being about three or four in my grandparents’ kitchen in Springfield, Missouri. Grandpa Robert, who grew lots of produce out in his yard, was trying to get me to eat fresh green beans. When I told him I wanted ketchup on them, he was just appalled. Rightfully so. He eventually relented, just to get me to eat the darn things.
But don’t worry. This recipe contains no ketchup.
These green beans are cooked in bacon grease. You read that right. Bacon grease, and yes, it’s still a Weight Watchers recipe.
Bursting with bacony, garlicky, Parmesany flavor, the green beans are only 1 whopping Freestyle Point per serving.
It’s quickly earned its way into regular dinner rotation in our household. I like to serve this delicious, low-point vegetable side with salmon or chicken. But whatever you choose to serve it with, it sure beats ketchup.
To start, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lay 6 slices of bacon flat onto a large baking sheet. (Note: in my pictures below, I made a half batch of the recipe, but directions and point totals are for 6 servings.)
Bake for 10 minutes. While bacon is cooking, steam green beans (or microwave covered with 1 tbsp of water) for 2-3 minutes. Drain and lay out beans to dry on a paper towel.
Once the 10 minutes on the bacon is up, use a spatula to push bacon off to one side of the pan. Add green beans to pan. Mix and roll green beans around in the bacon grease until fully coated. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and roll beans once again. Bake for 3 minutes.
Add Parmesan, and roll and coat green beans until evenly coated in Parmesan. Bake for 3 more minutes. Once bacon is cool enough, crumble over top the green beans. Serve warm.
Bacon Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
Weight Watchers = 1 Freestyle Point
Ingredients
- 1 lb of green beans, trimmed
- 6 slices center cut bacon
- 2 tbsp Parmesan, grated
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- Ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lay 6 slices of bacon flat on a large baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile steam green beans (or microwave covered with 1 tbsp of water) for 2-3 minutes. Drain and lay out beans to dry on a paper towel.
- When bacon cook time is up, use a spatula to push bacon off to one side. Mix and roll around green beans in bacon grease until fully coated. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and roll beans around again. Bake for 3 minutes.
- Add Parmesan. Roll and coat green beans until evenly coated with Parmesan. Bake for 3 minutes.
- Once bacon is cool enough, crumble over top of green beans. Serve warm.