Chick Pea Salad w/ Lemon Balsamic Dressing

When I think of this salad, I think: simple, fresh, healthy, crunch, sweet, savory.  With protein and veggies mixed in, you can't go wrong.   The marinated artichoke hearts give it an extra yummy flavor, and the flat leaf parsley and lemon freshen it up!  The dressing is the sweet/savory part with a garlic kick.  In a pinch, you can use a balsamic vinaigrette dressing and squeeze lemon over the top.  Just be careful to buy a dressing without high fructose corn syrup HFCS.  Read your labels!

click photo to enlarge

Ingredients:
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 can organic chick peas (garbanzo beans)
handful of flat leaf parsley, washed and diced
1/2 cup organic shelled edemame
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1-6.5 oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts

Dressing:
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp.  organic balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Agave nectar
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 lemon, squeezed (2-3 tablespoons)
pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk up dressing and set aside.  Drain and dice artichoke hearts.   Drain and rinse chick peas.  Add all salad ingredients to a medium bowl and toss with dressing.  Chill for 1 hour.  I don't know how many servings this is because I almost ate the whole thing in one sitting.  You can share; I'm just really really selfish.

Cold Bean Salad

Yes another salad!  This salad is so easy to make, I whip it up all the time.  I've even brought it to potlucks. This is actually meant as a side-dish but I eat is as a main dish.  It's got your protein, green veggie, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  There's a secret ingredient that makes it hard to stop eating!  Check it out.

Adapted from Vegan Heartland:
1 pound green beans, ends trimmed, I leave them long cuz it looks prettier
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 small red onion, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup organic olive oil or organic expeller pressed canola oil
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup, surprise!
Salt and pepper to taste, about 1/4 teaspoon

Steam or blanch green beans (or get the microwave in a bag kind), and cool
Mix dressing and toss with beans
Eat and feel good!