Here's the Dish ~ White Bean Salad

I’m on a healthy eating kick . . . sorta. I don’t believe in restricting yourself from enjoying the foods you love. Doing so has backfired on me numerous times, and I end up pigging out on something like pizza (my favorite) and then regretting it later. Instead, I think you should enjoy those foods in moderation, and try to fit in the healthy stuff as much as possible. I’m trying to cut the “bad” stuff out of our diet ~ i.e., trans fat, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and all that other stuff that’s hard to make sense of on the nutrition label. Hubby and I are carnivores, but I am trying to limit the amount of red meat we eat by substituting with vegetarian meals. Essentially, my goal is to cut out those processed convenience foods and eat as many fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains as possible. That definitely requires more time and planning, but it’s worth it in the end. Good thing I love to cook! This wonderful bean salad recipe comes from the November 2008 issue of Natural Health magazine. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber. This salad was very tasty and it took very little effort to prepare. In fact, I really can’t wait to plant my garden so that I can use freshly homegrown herbs in it. Give this healthy recipe a try, I highly recommend it!

White Bean Salad

Ingredients:

1 15–ounce can Great Northern Beans

1 bulb fennel (you can use celery instead, although the fennel adds great flavor)

1 small red bell pepper

1/4 cup orange juice

1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped mint

1 clove garlic, minced (I used more, cuz I loooove garlic)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 1. Drain and rinse beans and place them in a large bowl.

2. Cut fennel into thinly sliced pieces about 1/2 inch in length. Dice red pepper into 1/2-inch pieces. Add fennel and pepper to beans.

3. In a blender, combine orange juice, vinegar, olive oil, basil, mint, and garlic, and purée until smooth. Add to beans and fennel and toss to coat.

4. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 2-3