Quick-cooked green beans tossed with garlic oil and crusty breadcrumbs make a weeknight side that stands alone as dinner when you have minutes, not hours. The steam-quick beans shave off prep time entirely, leaving you to build texture and flavour on the stovetop.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 310 calories a serving, 4 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 24 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

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1. Tear 2 slices of bread into rough crumbs. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and toast the crumbs, stirring often, until they turn golden and smell nutty, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.3 min
2. Mince 2 cloves garlic. Return the skillet to medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and the garlic, and cook until the garlic turns golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Watch it closely so it does not burn.1 min
3. Pour the green beans from their package directly into the skillet with the garlic oil. Stir and cook over medium heat until the beans are hot through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.3 min
4. Toss the beans with the toasted breadcrumbs. Squeeze juice from half a lemon over the top and serve hot.

Note Swap the breadcrumbs for toasted nuts or crisp bacon bits if you have them. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days and can be reheated gently in the pan or served cold as a salad. Serve with roasted chicken, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up the garlic oil.