Healthy Bean Salad

Healthy Bean Salad. Are you looking for an easy weeknight or weekday lunch entree? My Healthy Bean Salad is made with super grains, two types of beans, an abundance of vegetables and chopped nuts with a zesty slightly spicy salad dressing.

My Healthy Bean Salad is great on its own or as a side dish. It travels well as a cold lunch or picnic dish. I’ve also used this bean salad as a filling for a sandwich wrap. For additional protein, you might want to add some sliced turkey or chunks of grilled chicken breast before you roll it up.

Whole Foods Market’s Super Grains are the key to healthy in this salad. Cooked on their own, I like to use them as a side dish to grilled or roasted meats. In this salad, they are a healthy alternative to other carbs.

Trader Joe’s Chile Lime seasoning is the basis for this slightly spicy dressing. If you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s, you can purchase this seasoning at Amazon.com for a slightly higher price.

Take a look at my Eating Healthier posting as my husband and I have changed the way we eat and have lost weight as a result. This salad has been instrumental in our transformation. I usually eat a cup of it for breakfast or lunch. My healthy bean salad is a tasty side dish to a baked bone-in chicken breast.

If you want to be really fancy for your work or school lunch, you can layer the salad ingredients in a Mason Jar and then pour the salad dressing over top. Shake the jar before opening.

Enjoy!

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From the kitchen of A Food Lover’s Delight….

Healthy Bean Salad

Ingredients:

For the salad:

1 c cooked and cooled Whole Foods Market Super Grains
1/2 c canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c canned white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 c cubed cooked or roasted sweet potato
1/2 c roasted corn (thawed if frozen)
1/4 c diced celery
1/2 c shredded carrot
1/4 c diced red radish
2 T minced sweet onion
1 scallion, thinly sliced, both white onion and the green top
1/4 c chopped toasted nuts (walnuts, pecans, or cashews)
3 T chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro

For the dressing:

1/3 c olive oil
2 T Orange Blossom Honey Balsamic vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
2 T lemon juice
1 t cumin
1 t Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning or more cumin
1 T honey, agave syrup or maple syrup
pinch of salt

Method:

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Add the dressing to the salad and stir. Serve immediately or chill for several hours or up to two days.

Makes about 6 cups of bean salad.

Variations: Substitute cooked quinoa or couscous for the super grains. Omit the nuts if you have a nut allergy. Add some chopped grilled chicken or cooked turkey chunks. You could add some feta crumbles if you want a bit more protein. Add your favorite vegetables such as tomatoes or cucumber or whatever else is in season that you like.

If you can’t find Whole Foods Market Super Grains or if you don’t live near a Whole Foods Market, you can purchase them on Amazon.com:

www.afoodloversdelight.com (Copyright Adroit Ideals 2016)