Everyone know's the rest of the song, but don't let that scare you off of this recipe. While beans do have the ability to turn your body into a musical instrument, they also pack a mean punch of fibre and protein. I know...boring! But it's true! Beans are soooo good for you and this recipe is soooo simple. Pick a few cans of your favourite legumes, mix up a batch of this homemade Italian Dressing, and you're set! Feel free to use dried beans instead and simply soak then in water overnight. This salad is a healthy option whether you eat it as a side dish, just on it's own, or throw the beans on top of a boring lettuce salad. It's a great way to get your protein this summer without consuming a quarter of a cow. You can go ahead and eat this salad as soon as it's made, or seal it up and let it marinate for a few hours or overnight. Sealed and refrigerated, you can keep this salad for up to two weeks...but you may want to consider seperate beds...
Bean Salad
- (3) 540 mL cans of beans of your choice (red kidney beans, black beans, chick peas, romano beans, etc.)
Italian Dressing
- (1/2) cup of oil of your choice (extra-virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, etc.)
- (1/4) cup of vinegar
- (2) tbsp of finely chopped onions
- (1) tsp salt
- (1) tsp sugar
- (1) tsp dry mustard
- (1) tsp dried basil
- (1/2) tsp dried oregano
- (1/4) tsp pepper
- (2) cloves of garlic, minced
To prepare, choose three cans of beans (anything goes!), drain, rinse and empty into a bowl or resealable container.
In a seperate container, mix all the dressing ingredients together and stir until combined.
Pour all of the dressing over the beans and mix it up. Cover and refrigerate or enjoy right away. If you're planning on serving it after it's been refrigerated, remove from the fridge ahead of time to allow the oil dressing to come up to room temperature. Give it a quick stir and enjoy!
