Ashvita Girish
In this week's Goodbye Gluten, Girish provides the recipe for a fresh black bean salad. From a healthy dish to the perfect addition for a dinner party, the salad is sure to spice up any meal.
Black beans, vibrant green butter lettuce, and juicy red tomatoes together make this salad a beautiful centerpiece. This black bean salad is one of my mom’s favorites and is a refreshing way to liven up your meal. It is a fabulous side to any dinner party and the aromatic Mexican flavors will make you come back for more. It is a delicious and easy way to up your protein intake. A key component of this salad, other than the black beans, of course, is the vibrant green butter lettuce. Months ago I spotted the Live Lettuce at the grocery store, and it was so inviting. The handle even said, “take me home.” Ever since, I have never bought another brand; it’s always been Live Butter Lettuce.
Ingredients
1 cup black beans
¼ cup kidney beans
1 butter lettuce
5-7 basil leaves
A handful of cherry tomatoes
¼ cup feta cheese
Yellow bell peppers
5-6 black olives
Salad dressing of choice
Directions
Soak the black and kidney beans overnight and steam them for six minutes the next morning.
Roast the bell peppers until the skin is black. Once they are cooled, peel away the skin and slice into strips.
In a large salad bowl, rip the lettuce and basil leaves, steamed beans, roasted peppers, halved tomatoes, feta cheese, and chopped olives.
Toss the salad until everything is combined. You can also add a dressing of choice and serve.