Four Bean Summer Salad

This is my favorite bean salad. I could eat this just about every day. It's high in fiber and the unrefined oils are high in good fats (mono- and polyunsaturated) and Omega-3's.

While this is a good chilled summer salad, the ingredients are easy to find year-round, so you never really have to "say goodbye to summer" if you keep making this one.

It's a very flexible recipe, so you can vary it depending on what ingredients you like or have on hand.

(Timesaving tip: Canned and fresh ingredients can be chilled ahead of time for a ready-to-eat side dish.)

Four Bean Summer Salad (pinto or white, kidney, black, and garbanzo)

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

roughly equal parts kidney, white, black, and garbanzo beans (about 1/2 cup each)

-OR-

1 can Westbrae Natural organic chili beans, rinsed and drained

-plus-

½ to 2/3 can Westbrae Natural organic garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

about 1/2 small green pepper, diced

2-3 small stalks celery, chopped

a handful of fresh parsley, washed and chopped

chopped scallions (or a small amount of red onion, to taste)

extra-virgin olive oil, to coat

rice vinegar, to taste (can also add red wine vinegar - try a flavored one, like pomegranate, for variety)

liberal squirt of Barlean's flax seed oil (optional, but good for you! Adds a nice earthy note, as well.)

chopped fresh garlic (about a clove) OR garlic salt (a dash)

sea salt, herb salt, or table salt

black pepper or fresh cracked pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill. Can be served immediately if chilled ahead.

Enjoy!