beans, beans the musical fruit...

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!

salad super stars.

I've recently been wanting to expand my cookbook repertoire to bring in some new and exciting recipes, but it's always hard to judge a book by it's cover. Some recipes LOOK amazing, but when you scroll through the ingredients, it's hard to imagine them ever tasting good together. Take for example the Kraft "What's Cooking" magazine that comes in the mail every so often. Don't get me wrong...I love getting this magazine, and may or may not take any family member down just to be the first to read it. But some of their recipes just confuse me. Par example...(Please note this is NOT my recipe)...

One-Pot Saucy Meatball Pasta

1 pkg. (225 g) Kraft Dinner Macaroni and Cheese

12 frozen prepared meatballs (1 inch)

1-1/2 cups pasta sauce

1/4 cup (1/4 of 250-g tub) Philadelphia Herb & Garlic Cream Cheese

Really?!? It may in the end be semi-tolerable, but I think you'd need a crane to lift me off my chair after I ate it. Not generally the feeling I like to have after a nice meal.

So...back to my point. I'm looking for new recipes...the best of the best. Something you'd make when you're fanciest friends come over, or when you're trying to impress your in-laws, or you're craving your all-time favourite...or just something really simple but oh-so-good! So send them in! Email your best recipe to pinkpeppercorn@hotmail.ca, and we'll start sharing some of our favourites! If you've got a little story about your recipe, send that along too!

Our first "guest chefs" come to us from Peterborough, Ontario. My Uncle Doug and Tante Niet. They are the salad gurus! I am always amazed at their salads...all the chopping...the tiny cut up veggies...and the flavour! This recipe is no exception. My aunt and uncle brought this salad to Easter dinner this year, and I must admit...I've made it a few times since. It's SOOOOO good! I told them right away I'd have to feature it on the blog, so here it is! Enjoy!



Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad
                     (Serves 6)

- (1) 19 oz. can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
- (1) 12 oz. can of corn niblets (rinsed and drained)
- (1) cup of cherry, grape or cocktail tomatoes, halved or quartered
- (1/2) red onion, diced
- (1/4) cup of chopped cilantro
- (2) avocados, cut into larger chunks

Dressing
- (3) tbsp. olive oil
- (1) tbsp. rice vinegar (white vinegar works too)
- (1) tsp. cumin
- (1) tsp. chili powder
- (1/4) tsp. salt
- (1/4) tsp. pepper

Rinse and drain both the black beans and the corn and empty into a medium sized bowl. 

 

Cut tomatoes into halves or quarters depending on their size. If you are using cocktail tomatoes or larger cherry or grape tomatoes, cut them into quarters, otherwise halves are fine. Add to the bowl. 

Dice the red onion into smaller pieces and add into the bowl. 

Chop cilantro quite finely and mix into other ingredients. Leave out the avocado until right before you serve it as it tends to become mushy.

Prepare the dressing by mixing all ingredients together. Pour the dressing over the rest of the salad and stir gently to combine. At this point you can cover the salad and refrigerate it until you're ready to serve. If you make this ahead of time, it will give all the flavours a chance to soak in.

Right before you serve the salad, add the diced avocado, stir and serve.