At a recent summer potluck lunch, one dish was particularly popular.  People went back to the buffet for seconds of the marinated green beans, a dish that happened to be low in carbs, calories and fat.

Several of us at the potluck asked for the recipe.
It turned out to be so simple!

1. Canned green beans

2. Ken’s Steakhouse Light Balsamic Vinagrette

3. Rosemary or seasoning that contains rosemary.

That’s right: three ingredients, all from the pantry.

“I always make (the marinated green beans ) for potlucks, because people love it and then I don’t have any leftovers to take home,” said Liala Zimmerman of North Canton, OH, a teacher.

“People always ask for the recipe,” she said.

The green beans have a tangy, almost-pickled flavor. I ate two hefty servings, which made it easier for me to eat less of the high-carb, high-calorie dishes at the buffet.

I made a batch at home earlier this week and ate the green beans as a sub for crackers with lunch.

About those canned green beans: I usually use fresh or frozen veggies, but canned, drained green beans work very well here, and they take zero effort.

Canned vegetables and bottled salad dressings  are typically high in sodium. To cut the salt,  I subbed a can of salt-free green beans for the regular variety. I didn’t like the beans as much and ended up adding salt. I am a salt lover, however, and your mileage may vary.

Enjoy!