Keto Vegan Green Beans with Cashews and Coconut

Green beans are one of my favorite green veggies. I’ve been eating them a lot since I started my anti-cancer diet, which is heavy on veggies.. I would lightly steam and put them in salads, soups, Asian stir fries, or serve them on their own tossed in fruity olive oil and pink Himalayan sea salt. But I grew weary of the repetition. (OMG not another green bean. Help!!!)

I started shuffling through my recipe notebooks and cookbooks for more ideas. I found a nice variety of recipes to share, many of them with enough protein to serve as a vegan main dish. Also, most are keto-friendly. This one is based on a NY Times recipe, with my own twist.

My recipe for Keto Vegan Green Beans with Coconut and Cashew is a great example. It’s based on a South Indian recipe and is bright and flavorful, with a nice crunch. It is not spicy; and the fresh garlic, ginger and turmeric contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients, so important in an anti-cancer diet. Food is tasty medicine!

I start with fresh grated organic coconut, bought in bulk at my favorite natural foods market. I toast it in a dry wok pot then set aside. Sometimes I add extra coconut so I can sprinkle the toasted coconut over rice on the side. Use the same pan to lightly dry toast the raw cashews. (I used cashew pieces below but prefer whole cashews if they’re available.)

Next, I stir fry the garlic, ginger and dried spices, then add the green beans & salt and toss to coat. By adding a little liquid and partially covering the pan, the green beans can cook through and stay a little crispy if you like. At the end I add a little fresh basil, cashews and lots of toasted coconut.

In my final photo you can see I added some extra coconut, just because I had it. But you don’t need to use that much — tailor it to your own taste. The dish holds up surprisingly well in the refrigerator too so leftovers are good for the next few days.

Here’s the recipe: