Legumes (e.g. beans, lentils, chickpeas) are nutritional superstars! They are a great source of fibre to feed the good bacteria in the gut, a good plant-based source of protein to keep you feeling full and they are a source of micronutrients such as calcium and magnesium.
This salad is a great way to get more legumes in your diet. It’s really easy and quick to prepare and so versatile – it is a great side dish for grilled fish or chicken or to take to a BBQ. It’s also a useful leftover to have in the fridge to add to lunches. Also tinned beans are affordable and readily available in the supermarket. I used Ceres Organics Mixed Beans, to increase the diversity of plant foods in the dish but it also makes it look more appealing! However, you can just stick to using whatever beans you have available, for example cannellini beans or chickpeas work well too.
Ingredients
2 x 400g tins of beans (I used Ceres Organic Mixed Beans)
½ red onion – finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley – finely chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Method
Drain the beans and add to a medium bowl, stir through the chopped red onion and parsley until well combined. Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar and mustard to a jar with a lid and give it a good shake to make the dressing. Pour the dressing on the beans and stir well, season with salt and pepper.
Notes
- You could add some finely chopped celery to the dish and use other herbs such as mint or coriander.
- You could substitute lemon juice, white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar, and you could add a crushed clove of garlic to the dressing too.
- The salad will keep well in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- You can adjust the quantities easily with this salad – for example, making a smaller batch using one tin of beans.
Enjoy!!
Wendy
Hawthorn Natural Health