Vegan Three Bean Salad
Have you had those days where you've overindulged and you can feel it? Maybe pancakes for breakfast, cookies at lunch, and pie for dessert? A glass or two of wine and you're feeling like you've gained 10 pounds in a single day. I know I've been there and as much as I tell myself it won't happen ever again, it sometimes sneaks up on me. Less frequently now, but after a day like that I'm craving healthy food. Salad, light soups, and lots and lots of ice water. A detox diet of sorts.
This bean salad is the remedy to those overindulgent days that leave you feeling sluggish. Packed with protein and fiber, it's a light but filling meal, a perfect lunch paired with a piece of fresh fruit. Simple to throw together, this salad was my go to for lunches when I was following a strict vegetarian diet. It was easy, and didn't need reheating which meant I could stay away from the disgusting microwave in the office. Seriously, does anyone ever clean those things?
Start with three cans of beans. Black beans, red kidney beans, and canellini beans, drained and rinsed well. Add the beans to a large bowl. Finely dice one cup of celery and add to the beans. Chop half of a seedless cucumber (about one cup), finely dice one quarter of a red onion and mince half of a jalapeño pepper. Add all of these to the bowl. Half or quarter one cup of cherry tomatoes depending on their size and finely chop a quarter cup of fresh cilantro. Mix all ingredients well.
In a small bowl, combine the juice of one lime, a teaspoon of white wine vinegar, a teaspoon of ground cumin, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk in about a quarter cup of olive oil. Pour dressing over the bean mixture and combine well. Refrigerate at least one hour.
Portioned into 1 1/2 cup servings and paired with fresh fruit, this is a light and healthy lunch option. If you like a bit more tanginess, add another teaspoon of vinegar. For some more heat, add a couple dashes of tobasco or a squeeze of sriracha to the dressing. I've also added diced avocado to this salad, but note that it does not keep quite as long. Refrigerated, this salad will keep 4-5 days making it perfect for lunches on the go.
Recipe
Vegan Three Bean Salad
By Land of Noms, February 8, 2015
Full of fresh ingredients, lots of protein and fiber, this vegan bean salad is a healthy choice for a light lunch.
beans, vegan, healthy, salad
Ingredients
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can of canellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup of diced celery
- 1 cup of diced seedless cucumber
- 1/4 of a red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 of a jalepeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, minced
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine beans, celery, cucumber, red onion, jalapeno, tomatoes and cilantro
- In a small bowl, combine lime juice, vinegar and spices, whisk in olive oil
- Pour dressing over salad and mix well, refrigerate 1 hour before serving
Sharing our culinary adventures in Cascadia with simple, sustainable & satisfying eats. Bon Appétit!
