Jonsgurl, my DH loves 'em raw too, but I don't like them at all that way.
He'll come by when I'm snapping off the ends and just grab one to pop in his mouth.
Y'all are SO healthy with eating them just steamed! Wow!
Kbroyles:
My basic thing is to snap off the ends and snap long ones in half, then rinse them. I then pop them in the microwave and cook on high until they're bright green. Steaming is a good method, too, but you lose nutrients that way. You lose the least nutrients by cooking in the microwave.
I've found that the moisture clinging to the beans from rinsing is enough for the micro--but I drain it off after. For a basic night, I'll add some Smart Balance (trans-fat-free margarine), seasoning salt, granulated garlic, and pepper.
Two other things I love:
Cook as described above and, after draining, add a tablespoon (or two, depending on how many beans you have) of olive oil, several teaspoons of balsamic vinegar, and a 1/4 cup of flavored feta cheese. Our Wegman's has Fat Free Mediterranean herbs flavored feta, but I'll sometimes even use the full fat, as it's a very small amount. The feta melts a little and it tastes divine! This is even yummier if you have some grape tomatoes on hand--slice a bunch of 'em in half and add them. Yummy!
I've posted my mom's awesome
Balsamic Green Beans recipe in the Side Dishes-Phase 1 recipe forum (there are several yummy green bean recipes in there!). They include balsamic vinegar, lots of gahhhhhhrlick, and dijon mustard. Yum!