Green Bean Casserole Recipe| low carb, vegan and it kills zombie cells, too

A Senolytic Side Dish for the Ages

Green beans contain quercetin, a senolytic that also comes in an expensive capsule supplement. Senolytics kill senescent aka zombie cells by causing apoptosis (programmed cell death), in case you’re wondering about this article’s subtitle :)

Casserole

1 ½ pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped or mechanically minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms (any kind, I won’t tell)

Sauce

1 cup nondairy milk, consider cashew milk
1 package silken tofu, ~400g
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Topping

2 cups crispy fried onions (store bought)
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (consider chili flavored for a touch of kick)

Makes 8 servings.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for ~3 minutes until they are bright green, almost glowing with green bean radiation. With a slotted spoon or skimming ladle, transfer right away to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.

For the onions and garlic, you may work hard using your finely chopping knife skills, or throw them both into a small food processor and grind into a slurry. Either way works since we’re making a casserole! To be honest, when I’m feeling lazy, I sometimes thrown the mushrooms into the processor to, if you do the same, ignore the mushroom instructions in the next paragraph:

In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until softened. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until they release their water without breaking a sweat.

In a blender, combine the nondairy milk, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper until nice and creamy. You can thin the sauce with more nondairy milk if desired. Add this sauce to the large skillet and simmer for ~10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Add the blanched green beans to the skillet and toss until the green beans are coated with the sauce. Transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish.

In a small bowl, combine the fried onions, nutritional yeast and olive oil. Mix until well combined, and add to the top of the casserole, spreading it out evenly.

Bake for exactly approximately ~25–30 minutes. Perhaps the topping will be golden brown and the casserole bubbling :)