Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms and Bacon
Armed with only a sheet pan, a hot oven, and a few accompaniments, you can transform a pound of green beans into a savory delight. Think weeknight easy with weekend flair. Plate them alongside seared scallops, grilled wild salmon, or a grass-fed steak, and voila! Dinner is served.
I have to pause and give credit to my husband here – he’s the one responsible for this recipe, and that usually means bacon is involved and BIG flavor is guaranteed.
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Are Green Beans Paleo or AIP Compliant?
Green beans are considered fair game by many Paleo dieters, who otherwise avoid beans. Medical biophysicist and Paleo researcher Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, Ph.D., did an exposé on green beans and peas, entitled, “The Green Bean Controversy and Pea Gate.”
Her conclusion was that compared to dried beans, the level of anti-nutrients in green beans are comparatively very, very low, and further diminished via cooking. Green beans also differ from dried beans in that we eat the whole pod, which comprises their bulk, and does not contain significant amounts of the "anti-nutrients" (like phytates) which are found in more significant amounts in other types of beans. Therefore, she recommends enjoying green beans if you are on Paleo.
Those on a strict elimination diet like AIP may wish to avoid any amount of exposure to legumes, even green beans. Once you've reached the reintroduction phase of AIP, green beans are fair game for reintroduction phase 1.
If it works with your current dietary goals, the goodness coming off of this well-caramelized sheet pan is pretty easy to swallow. Happy cooking, and by all means, enjoy the beans!
Thyroid-healthy Recipe Highlights:
- A 1 cup serving of green beans contains key thyroid-supporting nutrients like Iron (5% DV), Magnesium (6% DV), Vitamin C (20% DV), and Vitamin A (17% DV), as well as 4 grams of dietary fiber.
- Just 1 cremini mushroom provides 7% DV of selenium, a nutrient important for the production and regulation of thyroid hormones.
- Sea salt is a natural source of iodine as well as numerous other bioavailable trace minerals.
- Duck Fat isn’t a health food, but as a chef, I can tell you it is one of the best tasting animal fats there is. Although health claims once made in regards to duck fat have been contested, it is true that the composition of duck fat is 62% unsaturated fat and 33% saturated fat. Butter, in comparison, has 51% saturated fat.
Before…
...and After
Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms and Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon duck fat (or sub. ghee or leaf lard)
- 1 lb. green beans, washed and trimmed
- 1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, quartered if small, sliced if large
- 3 oz bacon, chopped (about 3 slices)(see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- freshly ground pepper, to taste (omit for AIP)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Melt duck fat on sheet pan, and toss with remaining ingredients. Spread evenly and roast 20 - 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven when bacon has begun to crisp, and mushrooms and green beans have caramelized a bit. Serve warm.
Notes:
For Paleo compliance bacon should be uncured and sugar-free, and for AIP it should additionally be nightshade-free (beware of "spices" on ingredient list).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
181.35Fat (grams)
11.05Sat. Fat (grams)
3.69Carbs (grams)
12.10Fiber (grams)
4.11Net carbs
7.99Sugar (grams)
5.09Protein (grams)
10.83Sodium (milligrams)
627.08Cholesterol (grams)
24.25
