Available year-round, these fresh legumes are at their peak during the summer. Use them to add crunch and color to salads and these green-bean side-dish recipes.

This dish is much healthier than its casserole counterpart. The Gorgonzola's rich, creamy texture offers a nice counterpoint to the crunchy selenium-packed nuts.

This twist on a standard green bean casserole is elevated to creamy, delicious heights, thanks to thick low-fat Greek yogurt.

Our version of three-bean salad, a perennial picnic favorite, is made by tossing haricots verts, kidney beans, and cannellini with a tangy honey-mustard vinaigrette.

The satisfying crunch of walnuts and green beans and the creaminess of fingerling potatoes gives a helping of salad greens added dimension; the nuts have a natural affinity for arugula, spinach, endive, and watercress.

To ease mealtime preparation, cook the corn and beans early in the day, toss them with olive oil and smashed garlic, and keep them in the refrigerator.

Parsley spruces up this side salad of protein-rich quinoa and crunchy green beans.

Bean salad, that summer-picnic mainstay, becomes an elegant entree when tossed with whole-grain pasta.

"Shocking" the cooked green beans in ice water prevents them from overcooking, preserving their bright-green color.

With a splash of soy sauce and sesame, these green beans are a great side to an Asian entree.

The beans in this salad are crisp and full of nutrients. It's equally delicious with cranberry, wax, fava, lima, or green beans.

This recipe combines golden raisins and Parmesan cheese from the West with sesame and tea from the East.