Bean Salsa or Bean Salad You Decide!

Is it Bean Salsa or Bean Salad You Decide?  Someone came up with this exceptionally delicious and healthy dish called Bean Salad but I like to call it Bean Salsa.  You make the decision, but either way it makes a great side dish for a Tex-Mex Dinner or Taco night or Cinco de Mayo party or any night of the week.  I like to make this dish at least once per week mainly because it is delicious and easy to make and also super healthy!   Serve Bean Salad for dinner or for lunch and it makes a great vegetarian dish also.

Did you know that the latest dietary guidelines recommend you increase your intake of beans from 1 cup per week to 3 cups per week.  Why is that, you might ask?  Well the fiber and nutrient content of beans makes them very healthy.  Beans have about the same calorie count as meat but 1 cup of beans has 12 grams of fiber and meat has no fiber.   Beans have about 7 to 10 grams of protein in 1/2 cup of cooked beans. Beans are also packed with B vitamins.  B complex of vitamins is responsible for the health of hair, skin, eyes and liver.  Beans are low in sugar which prevents insulin from spiking and causing hunger.  According to WebMD* in a recent study people who ate beans instead of meat weighed 7 lbs less than their meat eating counterparts.  So add beans to your salads and soups and make this bean salsa or bean salad at least once per week to see the benefits of eating beans.

BEAN SALSA IS SCRUMPTIOUS SERVED WITH CHICKEN, BEEF, GUACAMOLE, TOMATO SALSA AND CHEESE FOR FAJITAS OR TACOS.  YOU CAN SERVE BEAN SALSA AS A SIDE DISH AND IT ALSO MAKES A GREAT DISH FOR VEGETARIANS.

BEAN SALSA

Ingredients:

1 can 15 oz. garbanzo beans
1 can 15 oz. cannellini beans
1 can 15 oz. pinto beans
1/2 cup white or red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup yellow pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

Dressing:
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Make dressing by combining vinegar, sugar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a mixer or food processor and blend for a minute.
For salad, combine beans, onions, garlic, cilantro, parsley, tomato, yellow pepper, green pepper and celery in a bowl.
Stir in salad dressing until mixture is coated.  Let sit for an hour in the refrigerator so that the flavors can combine.  Place in serving bowl and serve with tortilla chips.

*WebMD – https://www.webmd.com/diet/beans-protein-rich-superfoods