Bean Salad Mixture

Wednesday I went to Wild Oats, which is now turning into Whole Foods. I was planning on making a dish for supper from a free weekly recipe I get from NPR's Splendid Table - and I had to get some more cod liver oil for Monte (which I'm now taking, when I remember). There was a nice lady giving samples of a fresh bean salad, and letting everyone who walked by, have the hand-written recipe (I've seen her somewhere else before and I'm trying to remember ... and unfortunately it'll probably come to me in the wee hours of the morning, waking me up, arrfff!). I loved it, so added it to my menu for supper.

I've had canned versions of marinated bean salad that are ok, but I loved the freshness of this, having just been made. I'm going to give you their recipe and then tell you how I did it. I always alter things - but that takes 'knowing your ingredients' as a chapter in one of my cookbooks is called.

Bean Salad Mixture
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can cut green beans, drained
1 chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped onion
Dressing:
1/4 cup oil (I always use a good flavored olive oil)
1/3 cup sugar (I used a lot less, and often use sucanat)
1/2 cup cider vinegar (I tend to use a mixture with a touch of Balsamic)
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt (I usually omit salt, depending on other ingredients)
1/8 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp dried oregano
Combine them all.

The only canned ingredient I used was the garbanzo beans. I used some frozen green beans and broccoli, from last years garden, slightly thawing them. And then I told you above what I used in the dressing. I always use less sugar and salt than recipes call for. A bit of balsamic adds sweetness, but I don't like to use a lot since it's a strong vinegar. If cheese is in a recipe, then there's enough salt, and canned foods usually have salt. And I love to allow the olive oil flavor to come through. Fresh herbs would be better too - use more when they are fresh.

I see this dressing as a base recipe that any veggie could be added to, even parboiled potatoes. And come summer with the garden in full swing, I'll be using this recipe.