Veg-tastic White Bean Salad

I am constantly craving cool, fresh fruit and veggies during the hot, humid months. This year has been no exception especially during the heat wave we've been experiencing this week. Earlier in the week I made a salad filled with chickpeas and fresh veggies and today I've whipped up a white bean salad with lots of veggies for my lunch. I love to add beans or lentils to my salads to up the protein factor, so that I stay full and satisfied all afternoon. There's nothing worse than coming home from work on an empty belly ~ that's a recipe for disaster because I immediately start searching for something to munch on, which often is some sort of unhealthy snack food like Derek's half eaten bag of chips! The protein also gives me a much needed boost of energy, so that I can avoid that 3 p.m. lull.

Tina posted a white bean salad on her blog recently and I knew I was going to have to make my own similar version. This salad is super easy to make and can very easily be customized to your tastes and to the ingredients you have on hand. I  like to make this at the end of the week when I need to use up produce that is about to go bad ~ I hate throwing good food out!

Veg-tastic White Bean Salad

Serves 2

Feel free to add any veggies, herbs and spices that you like to this salad - it can be easily customized to suit your tastes! A great salad to make a day or so ahead and take to work for lunch. It's filling, delicious and full of lots of healthy goodness.

1 19oz can of white beans
1 heaping c of your fave veggies, diced (I used asparagus, yellow beans, yellow pepper & zucchini)
1.5 tbsp of your fave fresh herbs (I used fresh parsley, rosemary and chives from my herb garden - dried would also work but don't use as much)
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Drain and rinse your beans and place them in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Add your chopped veggies, fresh herbs, olive oil and vinegar. Mix well.

Check out those gorgeous herbs ~ grown with love by moi :-)

YUMMY!

Add salt and pepper to suit your tastes.

Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Now how easy is that? This salad can be made in just a few short minutes and it's fabulously delicious to boot!

What type of beans to you prefer to add to your salads?
Do you have a favourite summertime salad?

Have a happy Friday ~ the weekend is almost upon us!

Andrea

Spaghetti & Italian-Style Bean Balls

Last week I was checking out one my favourite blogs, and the first lines read like this:

"When I was knee high to a grasshopper I loved meatballs in my spaghetti.  I used to love how my mom would put a dish of powdered Parmesan cheese on the table right in front of me and as the sauce was still steaming I would dump hideous amounts onto it." <source>

This could have been written by me because that was me for many, many years. I love all things made with ground beef including barbecued hamburgers, meatloaf and yes MEATBALLS!! Just because I don't eat meat anymore doesn't mean I didn't love (some of) it. My mouth still waters at the smell of hamburgers on the grill or meatballs at a potluck.

When I found a recipe for Italian Bean Balls on Kris's site, I almost jumped up and did a happy dance right on my desk. My co-workers would have thought  think I was am nuts (in a good way of course). I've been dreaming about spaghetti and meatballs and all things Italian ever since and finally today seemed like the perfect opportunity to satisfy my craving.

Italian-Style Bean Balls
Recipe by Kris @ i heart wellness
I made a couple of very minor changes to suit what I had on hand, but otherwise it is very close to her original recipe.

1 19 oz can of navy beans, drained & rinsed
3 tbsp brown rice flour (or all-purpose flour would probably work)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 freshly squeezed lemon
1/4 c water

Preheat oven to 375. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick spray.

Add all of your ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Using a potato masher, mash all of the ingredients together. 

Roll the mixture into 6 large bean balls. Place onto baking sheet.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not flip.

They should be golden and crisp on the outside but still soft and moist in the middle.



While the bean balls are cooking, boil and cook your favourite pasta. Tonight I used whole wheat rotini. I have to tell you that my preferred pasta right now is brown rice pasta. It doesn't cost much more than whole wheat pasta and I find that whole wheat pasta is too chewy for my liking while brown rice pasta is just right. 

I topped my pasta with my homemade marinara sauce.  It was perfect.

Top with 2 bean balls, serve & enjoy.

You can serve your bean balls on the side.....

 ...or my preference was to smother the bean balls in the marinara sauce.

 "Molto delizioso!!"

This recipe is in honour of my inner "guidette" and to celebrate mourn the fact that tonight is the season finale of Jersey Shore :-)  Thank goodness True Blood Season 3 reruns start next week. I require at least one hour of guilty pleasure TV per week!

 

What do you prefer brown rice pasta v whole wheat pasta??

Do you brown bag it to work? What are your favourite types of lunches??

Have a wonderful evening!!

Andrea