Heading to a barbecue this summer? This delicious side dish, filled with fresh vegetables and tossed in tasty seasonings, is easy to prepare and will make a great addition to any main dish.

Green and Yellow Beans With Fresh Mozzarella and Pine Nuts (Phase 1)

Description
Lovers of the Italian Caprese salad, made with mozzarella, tomato, and basil, will enjoy this colorful twist, made with two kinds of beans. In place of the string beans, you can try broad, flat Italian green beans, which are also called Romano beans. Toasted pine nuts add protein and delicious flavor.

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons pine nuts
8 ounces green beans, trimmed
8 ounces yellow wax beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounce-block of fresh part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup basil leaves, sliced

Instructions
Heat the oven to 275° F. Spread pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant and lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.

While pine nuts are toasting, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add beans and cook just until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under very cold water for 1 minute to stop cooking. Drain again and pat dry. Transfer beans to a medium bowl and toss with oil, salt, and pepper.

Cut block of cheese into 8 slices. Divide cheese slices and beans among 4 salad plates, alternating the green and yellow beans with the cheese slices. Sprinkle with basil and pine nuts and serve.

Nutritional information:
180 calories
13 g fat (5 g sat)
9 g carbohydrate
8 g protein
4 g fiber
190 mg sodium