April features fresh beans as a Foods of the Month. Fresh beans include foods like fresh green beans, edamame and lima beans. These little veggies give a nice flavor to your meals while also brightening them up with color.
Try out our top three fresh bean salad ideas:
Edamame Salad – Mix one cup of cooked, shelled edamame with 1/4 of the following ingredients: red pepper, red onion, feta cheese, and olive oil. Add 2 tbsp. lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Top off with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and enjoy this dish with grilled chicken.
Lima Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad – Heat a drizzle of olive oil on a skillet on medium-high heat. Add garlic and heat until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1 box (10 oz.) frozen lima beans and cook for 10 minutes, until thawed. Remove from heat and add chopped cherry tomatoes, shredded fresh basil leaves, and splash of white wine vinegar. Top with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese.
Tuna Nicoise Salad – Perhaps the most popular of all green bean salads, a tuna nicoise provides vitamins, minerals, omega 3’s and lots of good fats – the perfect combination! Start with a bed of fresh spinach then add one sliced hard-boiled egg, 1/2 cup of tuna (packed in water and drained), olives, chopped tomatoes and chopped onion. Finish off with your fresh beans, of course! Drizzle with your favorite oil-based dressing (like one of these!)
For more fresh bean ideas, try these OrganWise favorites: meals with fresh beans, pasta with fresh beans, and fresh bean snacks! Yum!!
