When it comes the the holidays, sides are just as important as the main dish, right? I think so, too. That’s why when I was working up a healthier alternative to green bean casserole for my Thanksgiving menu, I crafted up two recipes. And since I couldn’t decide which was better – why not do both?

I knew I wanted to incorporate almonds, so I grabbed a bag of Trader Joe’s pre-cut green beans and a bag of sliced almonds, and headed for the kitchen. In my first recipe, I chose to emulate a favorite of mine – Honey-Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberry Spinach Salad – and toss my green beans in a honey-balsamic glaze, roasted with salt, pepper, garlic, almonds and cranberries. If you’re looking for a sweet vegetable side, the cranberries and honey certainly do the job.

Alternatively, and in the same baking sheet, I spritzed a hand full of green beans with olive oil, and roasted with rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and almonds. I added more salt and pepper than usual to add a bit more flavor to this classic dish, as well as lightly spritzing with lemon after roasting for some pizzazz.

Pro Tip: I’d recommend using a Misto Brushed Aluminum Olive Oil Sprayer so you don’t over-do it and wind up with soggy green beans (gross).

If you try our green bean recipes, we’d love to see your photos! Tag us on instagram @fridgetofork, and be sure to let us know how it turned out in the comments below.

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