Green Beans Tossed with Walnut-Miso Sauce

Okay, the last of the side dishes for at least a little while, this one with Asian flavors from the ginger and the miso.

Add 4 cups of trimmed green beans (about 10 ounces) to a pot of boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.

Grate about 2 tablespoons worth of ginger using a fine grater or zester. Place the ginger on several layers of cheesecloth, and fold up the ends to form a little pouch. Squeeze over a small bowl. Put 1/2 tsp. of the ginger juice in a food processor (you can discard the rest or save it for another use), along with 3 tablespoons of chopped walnuts (toast first, if you prefer: see directions from the post for Beets with Walnut-Garlic Sauce), 2 tablespoons of water, a tablespoon and a half of white or yellow miso, and 1/2 tsp. soy sauce (use the low-sodium kind). Puree until smooth.

Toss the miso sauce with the green beans in a bowl. One cup makes a side dish of 70 calories.

Cost:
green beans $2.50 (sorry, this is actually an estimate from a non-itemized receipt)