Speedy and Simple Three Bean Salad

So spring has finally sprung and we can finally look beyond the cold, blustery days and warm heavy blankets to the lighter, warmer things in life. Suddenly a walk at dusk does not seem as scary as it did only a week ago. Months of struggling with the wind whipping snow at your face as you scrape that solid mass of ice that has reappeared upon your cars’ window have now led us to believe anything, so long as it is above freezing, is great. With all of those activities we have been putting off “until it warms up” most of us may not have as much time to spend indoors as we have the past few months. That being said this is one guy that says less prep time should not equal a sacrifice in what we sit down to at mealtime.

Salads are one of the fastest, easiest ways to put together a snack or meal. If you think visions of the light, sweet salads of summer are here already, you may be disappointed. Today we are diving head first into just how easy a bean salad is to create.

Beans quite simply do not get the notoriety they should. These filling, protein packed bundles of nutrition are only seen by many as one of the side ingredients in chilli. So this week, pick up a few cans and give them another look. Kidney beans, navy beans, black beans, lima beans, the number of different beans on the grocery shelf today is seemingly endless; ok, so typically about twelve, if you just stop and look.

1 can chick peas
1 can navy beans
1 can kidney beans
2/3 cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp. prepared mustard

1) Combine the three beans in a large bowl
2) In a small mixing bowl combine oil, vinegar and mustard. Mix together with an emersion blender until thoroughly combined.
3) Add dressing to bean mixture.

There you have it folks, it does not come any simpler than that. A tasty, healthy, and filling salad put together in 5 minutes.