Recipe: Green beans and avocado sauce – Check out this great side dish

Try as you might, it’s a challenge to keep everything you serve for Thanksgiving dinner piping hot. There are just too many dishes. One strategy, however, is to embrace some room temperature sides. This eases the pressure and allows you to explore some different eats.

Brussels sprouts are fantastic shredded raw and tossed in honey-lemon vinaigrette. Sweet potatoes are phenomenal served as a warm salad with maple drizzle and roasted cinnamon pecans. Blanched green beans draped in citrusy avocado sauce make a stellar alternative to green bean casserole — both for its room temperature virtues and its healthy profile.

Imagine: “green beans” and “healthy” in the same sentence around Thanksgiving. It’s true. This creamy, tangy sauce is great for both raw and blanched veggies. And it’s easy. Here’s what you do:

In a food processor with the blade running, drop in a peeled clove of garlic. When it’s sufficiently minced, toss in the following:

˝ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 ripe avocado, peeled and seeded
Ľ cup feta crumbles, more for garnish
2 tbls. red wine vinegar
1 tbls. lemon juice
˝ tsp. salt
˝ tsp. chopped chives, more for garnish
Fresh ground black pepper

Blend until mixture is smooth. Spoon on top of fresh green beans that have been blanched in salted water. Top with feta crumbles and chopped chives. It you want a richer flavor, top with bacon crumbles and chopped walnuts.