Summer evenings are a wonderful time to get together with friends and family for dinner. With the sun setting later and the warmth that brings, it is nice opportunity to eat a fresh appetizing dinner outdoors. Many people are interested in lighter dishes in the summer that have great flavors, colors, and crunch. Often vegetables that are in season are full of color and it is fun to add these wonderful gifts to our salads, as they are also easy on the waistline. A light white bean salad is a great dish that can leave your guests feeling both happy and satisfied.
Ingredients:
- 2 Cans of Cannellini Beans (or 1 small bag of cannellini beans soaked overnight)
- 2 Celery Stalks
- ½ Red Onion
- 1 Yellow or Orange Pepper
- 3 Large Tomatoes
- 1 Cucumber
- ½ Cup of Feta
- 5 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Drain the two cans of cannellini beans (or soak one small bag of cannellini beans overnight) and place them in a large bowl. Chop two celery stalks and dice a ½ of a red onion and add them to the large bowl. Seed and dice the yellow pepper and add it to the bowl. Seed and dice three large tomatoes and one cucumber and mix them with the other ingredients in the bowl.
Place ½ cup of balsamic vinegar to the mix and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Salt and pepper the salad to taste and place it in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.
What to Serve With White Bean Salad
The white bean salad is satisfying enough to be considered a main meal. The beans are similar in taste to navy beans, but often have a faint flavor of roasted chestnuts. They are often used in Tuscan cooking and are considered a “super food” due to their high nutritional value. Cannellini beans have high concentrations of crucial nutrients, but not too many calories. They are a great source of fiber, they help lower cholesterol and they help prevent blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal. This means the salad may be the right choice for people battling obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc.
The entire salad provides plenty of protein, which will leave your guests feeling satisfied and content for many hours after the meal. There are also numerous fresh vegetables in the dish and therefore a second vegeteable does not need to be served. If you choose to add a second vegetable, fresh corn on the cob is a fabulous choice for this summer meal.
If you prefer to provide a meat choice with the meal, barbequed chicken breasts are an excellent option and the flavors tend to compliment each other. Certainly grilling steaks, pork and other types of chicken will compliment this healthy summer salad as well.
Enjoy the summer nights, the warm sun, and the fresh tastes that summer brings.
