Is the heat starting to get to you?  Have no fear!  Healthy light food is here!  You can enjoy this delicious Cherry Tomato and Summer Bean Salad as an entrée for two or as a lovely side dish that compliments chicken and fish dishes.

White kidney beans are a protein-rich starchy vegetable, full of vitamins, minerals and an excellent source of dietary fiber. Adding them to your diet offers a variety of health benefits, such as promoting digestive health and preventing heart disease.   Kidney beans, like other beans and legumes, are rich in both types of dietary fiber; soluble and insoluble.  A 1 cup serving of kidney beans, cooked, meets roughly 45 percent of the Recommended Daily Intake for fiber.

Green beans contain excellent levels of vitamin A, and many health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zeaxanthin and ß-carotene in good amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease process.

Cook Time: 30 Min.  •  Serves: 2  •  Calories: 578 •  Total Fat: 16 grams  •  Protein: 40 grams

Blanching is a cooking process where the vegetable or fruit, is plunged into boiling water, and then plunged into iced water or placed under cold running water (shocked) to stop the cooking process.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Cups Green Beans, ends removed
• 2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• 1 Cup White Kidney Beans
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, fresh
• 6-8 Leaves fresh Basil, chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large sauce pan bring 3 cups of water to a boil, season the water with a dash of salt and olive oil.
2. In the mean time remove the ends of each green bean and add them all together to the pot of boiling water.  Cook for about 5 minutes or until crunchy then remove from the hot water and blanch them in a bowl of cold water and ice.  Leave the green beans in the water for about 3 minutes then remove and set aside on a paper towel to remove the access water.
3. Drain and rinse the kidney beans and set aside.
4. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and mix them together with the kidney beans and green beans in a large salad bowl.
5. Season the salad mixture with the chopped basil leaves, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
6. Mix the salad evenly until all pieces are coated with the dressing and serve cold!

ENJOY!

Look below for all the nutrition facts as well as a break down of the nutrition for all the ingredients!

[Related: Be sure to check out ThinDish.com for more healthy dining and healthy restaurant options in your area]

  Dairy/Lactose Free     Diabetic Friendly     Gluten Free     Low Carbohydrate

    Low Sodium     Vegan     Vegetarian

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