Summer Sides

When I am meal planning in the summer I of course want to enjoy all those side dishes we associate with warmer weather. Potato Salad. Coleslaw. Corn on the Cob. Pasta Salad. The list could go on and on. But sometimes I want something super fresh, with that straight from the garden crunch you get with the veggies you're bringing in from the garden. That's when a salad like this is perfect.

I love beans. All beans. But here is a family secret. My husband will eat pretty much anything on the planet. Except....Garbanzo Beans! In his exact words, "Chic Peas are scary." I don't know if he had some childhood trauma with those little evil things, but he will not touch them. We've been married 14 years and I've only tried to use them once....and no joke, he walked into the kitchen, saw them, and walked back outside. True story.

I'm telling you this, because if I had my way this would have been filled with garbanzo beans, but to ensure the stability of my marriage I substituted others instead.

I love this salad for not only how fresh it is, but how economical too. Veggies are pretty inexpensive this time of year, and if you grow your own, or have a local farmer's market, even better. And canned beans? One of the best values at the grocery store. I shop at Aldi and I think these cans ran me 59 cents each.

If you've got zucchini and/or yellow squash laying around, I think both of those would be so tasty in this too! It goes so well with anything you've got coming off the grill, and makes a great dish for a sunny day since there is no "creamy" aspect.

I can't believe summer is starting to wind down. I'm in total denial, but I'm going to make sure we get to enjoy all of these warm weather foods as long as we can!

Marinated 3 Bean Salad

1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans

1 (15 oz.) can black beans

1 (15 oz.) can great northern beans

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

1/2 orange pepper, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1 rib celery, diced

1/2 English cucumber, diced
1/2 cup water
1 TBS dried basil
1/2 TBS dried parsley
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

Rinse and drain all beans well. Add to a large bowl with tomato, peppers, celery and cucumber. In a medium bowl combine water, oil, lemon juice, and seasonings. Whisk well. Pour over vegetables. Stir well. Cover and chill several hours before serving, stirring occasionally.