Bean Salad

We had a church gathering the other day and the refreshments were an array of salads. Everyone had signed up under "spinach salad" and "fruit salad" and "pasta salad" and then there was the "bean salad" and no one had signed up. When you think of a salad party, do you really think of a bean salad? Maybe you do, but I certainly didn't. But I felt compelled to sign up since no one else did. Poor bean salad just doesn't get the praise it was meant to.

This was delicious!

The dressing is a basic viniagrette - oil, vinegar, salt, and Dijon mustard, although I added some sugar just to sweeten it up a little.

Even my kids, who I'll admit are pretty good eaters, but still...even my kids are in love with this salad. That sort of makes it a winner in my book.

In this recipe, the green beans need to be blanched. If you don't know what that means, all you need to do is throw the trimmed and chopped green beans into a pot of boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then immediately transfer the beans using a slotted spoon into a bowl of ice water. This shocks the beans and stops the cooking process.

Bean Salad
by Girls in Aprons

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb green beans, ends removed, chopped into bite-size pieces, and blanched
1 English seedless cucumber, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Combine all ingredients and toss with dressing. Serve immediately.

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Whisk together and toss with bean mixture.