Green Beans with Walnuts, Cranberries and Blue Cheese

I know a lot of people look forward to green bean casserole during the holidays but anything with "cream of" soup has never really interested me. Therefore, I for one, am not a fan of green bean casserole and NEVER eat it during the holidays.

I saw this recipe on the Food Network and cannot take credit for it, but thought it looked delicious and wanted to share it with anyone who is looking for a healthier alternative to the traditional "Green Bean Casserole".

I haven't made this yet but it definitely on my list as soon as I get some roasted walnut oil from the grocery store next week. The original recipe called for 1 small shallot thinly sliced. But I saw this prepared without the shallots so I guess they are optional.

photo and recipe courtesy of The Food Network

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 lb green beans trimmed
• 3 Tbs roasted walnut oil
• 1 Tbs sherry vinegar
• 1 heaping tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 1/3 cup of dried cranberries
• 2 ounces crumbly blue cheese

Directions

Blanch the green beans in a large pot of salted water until tender crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove the green beans from the boiling water, run under cold water for a few minutes to stop the cooking and then drain and dry well.

Whisk together walnut oil, vinegar and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Stir in the salt and pepper.

Add the cool green beans to a large bowl and toss in the walnuts and cranberries. Drizzle in the vinaigrette and fold together until well coated. Place in a serving dish and sprinkle with blue cheese.