A weeknight side turned main when you have only one thing in the house. Green beans are tender and sweet here, finished with good olive oil and garlic that mellows as it cooks. Pair with a piece of crusty bread or cheese if you have it.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 60 calories a serving, 2 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Trim the stems from one package of green beans and rinse them. Mince 3 cloves of garlic.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring often so it does not burn.
3. Add all the green beans to the pan and stir to coat with oil. Cook until they are tender and beginning to char in spots, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes so they cook evenly.9 min
4. Taste the green beans and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from half the lemon over them and stir once more. Serve right away while they are hot.

Note Swap garlic for a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want heat. Leftovers keep three days in a covered container and are good cold the next day or warmed through in a pan. Serve with bread and soft cheese, or alongside rice or pasta if you have them.