I'm going to switch it up a bit this week; is that ok?  Instead of doing a recipe on Wednesday, I wanted to give you a bit of time to prepare in case you wanted to make it for Thanksgiving.  And this one is a doozy, if I do say so myself. 

How many of you love creamy, comforting green bean casserole?  Despite its name, this "vegetable" side is anything but healthy.  It's loaded with cream of mushroom soup and fried onions - not exactly a great dish for those of us trying to watch our waistlines.  Well, guess what?  You CAN have this dish with a few tweaks.
 

Clean Green Bean Casserole

 

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 lb green beans (I use frozen)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 8 oz sliced button mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp white whole-wheat flour
• 1 3/4 cups low-fat milk (not skim)
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat panko

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Mist a 2-qt baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Steam green beans just until crisp-tender.  I admit, I "cheat" here and just buy the microwaveable packages.
3. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray, and add onion.  Cook over medium-high heat until soft and golden brown, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Transfer onion to a bowl. 
4. Spray skillet with cooking spray again and add mushrooms.  Cook over medium-high heat until soft and golden brown, again stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
5. Add remaining 2 tbsp oil to saucepan used to cook beans and heat on medium-low. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Increase heat to high and slowly whisk in milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thick, 4 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in beans and mushrooms. Mix well, adjusting seasoning as desired. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and cover evenly with a layer of onion, followed by a layer of panko.
6. Bake until liquid is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.