A Summer Favorite

Veggie Bean Salad

Recipe: 

• 4 small cucumbers (chopped)
• 30 cherry tomatoes; sliced (give or take)
• 2 C corn
• 1 can Black beans
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt

Rinse and drain beans. Chop Veggies. Mix all ingredients.  Chill (if you have the time).. Enjoy!

My mother-in-law made this salad when we went on vacation a few months ago.  One thing I truly love about it is it is a "starter" recipe meaning you can use just about any fresh veggies you want and it always tastes great!  Fresh herbs add even more flavor.  I added fresh dill a few weeks ago and it was sooo yummy!!

 Here are all of the ingredients I used today...

 These are my new favorite cucumbers.  I buy them at SAMs.  They are just the perfect size to chop 1 and add it to your fresh greens salad or to add a few to this veggie bean salad. My daughter will also eat a whole 1 for her lunch

Rinse and drain your beans.  You can really use any bean you like: I have used  Great Northern as well.  I'm sure you could use Pinto or Kidney also.  I tend to use Black beans because I like the difference in color and size, even though these beans are not my favorite.. I know, a bean is a bean, but I'm telling you not all beans taste the same...

 Chop your cucumber to the desired size; no worries about being perfectly uniform.

Here are the tomatoes; Again, I buy mine at SAMs because I can go through a lot of tomatoes in 1 week!! Hmm.. I should say I buy my tomatoes from SAMs when there are none in my garden.  Home grown taste the best, so if you can find a farmers market, buy some there.  Or, if you're feeling adventurous, grow your own!  Just don't plant too many sweet 100s.  The first year my hubby and I grew tomatoes, we planted 5 sweet 100 tomato plants.  We had cherry tomatoes coming out of our ears!!

Here is the salad before sauce: again, use whatever veggies you have on hand.. My mom-in-law has used zucchini and yellow squash.  I'm sure sweet peas would be great!  Add some fresh garlic and basil... the possibilities are ENDLESS!!!

When you mix the "sauce"; do it to your tastebuds.  You might like a little more balsamic or you might want to use fresh squeezed lemon juice... I tend to use as little EVOO as possible to cut down on fat, but then add the flavor with the balsamic, fresh herbs and spices...

And here is my yummy summer lunch: Fresh watermelon, "Better than French Fries" Broccoli, Veggie - bean salad, and a sandwich with arugula ("God's gift of greens to man" in my opinion) on a ciabatta loaf... MMMM.. I'm getting hungry now from posting..

No more recipes for a bit.  Have something fabulous to share with you if you want to teach your preschooler to read... See you soon!!