Green Bean & Mushroom Casserole topped with Banana Flour Fried Onion Strings

Banana flour is seriously amazing! You won't be able to tell that these are gluten-free; they are crisp and flavorful, just like non-gluten free onion strings!! Along with topping my casserole with these onion strings, you can top your burger with them, or just eat them by the handful! They're so good! 

Since we are almost into November, I figured I would start posting some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes! Green bean casserole is a classic Thanksgiving dish that is so yummy, but not so healthy. I use coconut milk instead of heavy cream and banana flour instead of normal flour to make this classic dish lighter. This casserole is so delicious and full of flavor, no one will ever know it's healthy!! 

Let's get to cooking! 

Green Bean & Mushroom Casserole topped with Banana Flour Fried Onion Strings

Green Bean & Mushroom Casserole Ingredients:

• 36 ounces string beans, ends trimmed off
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 8 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup grass-fed cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon kerrygold butter
• 1/2 tablespoon banana flour 

Banana Flour Fried Onion String Ingredients:

• 2 red onions, sliced very thin
• 1 cup banana flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Namaste) 
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups coconut oil (to fry) 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Add sliced onions to a bowl with buttermilk and let soak.

We are going to make the green bean mushroom casserole first. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, boil string beans for about 3 minutes, or until somewhat soft. Drain and set aside.
Heat butter in a pan over medium heat. Add banana flour to make rue. Then add mushrooms and cook until softened. Once mushrooms are softened, add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Stir in cheese and spices, and reduce heat to medium-low. Let sauce thicken and come to a boil. Turn off heat and pour string beans into pan and stir until well combined. Pour mixture into an 8*11 pan.

Time to make the onion strings! Whisk together banana flour, AP blend, salt, and paprika.
Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once oil is melted and hot, toss onions slices in flour mixture and drop into the oil. Let fry until golden-brown and crisp! Remove onion strings with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Repeat until all onion slices are fried and delicious!

Top casserole with onion strings and place in oven for about 30 minutes. Enjoy!!!

-Juliet