Go Back
–+ servings
Print Recipe

Refreshing Italian Butter Bean Salad

A refreshing vegan protein for a healthy salad.
Servings: 4 people
Calories:

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 tablespoon Pinot Grigo Vinegar I like Luccini's
  • 1-2 teaspoons raw local honey
  • 6 tablespoons Healthy Oil Avocado or grapeseed
  • 1 clove largefresh garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon to 1Celtic Sea Salt
  • dash red pepper flakes
  • 1 can organic butter beans
  • 1/2 box organic cherry tomatoes (if you use regular tomato take out the seeds
  • 5 in artichoke hearts (I like the Costco brand packed water)
  • 1/4 red onion chopped
  • 1 cup small broccoli spears bite sized
  • Any crunchy veggies celery, peppers, etc
  • 1/4 cup fresh Flat Italian Parsley chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh Basil chopped
  • Capers would be really good and so would a few Kalamata olives...just a few. Optional
  • Gluten Free pasta spirals Optional I like the Tinkyada colored ones...pretty

Instructions

  • For the dressing combine the first 8 ingredients and blend all with your magic bullet or immersion blender, set aside
  • Best when allowed to marinade for at least an hour up to 24 hours
  • Prepare the dressing, set aside.
  • Combine all the veggies and herbs in a large bowl. Stir well.
  • Add beans, stir gently a couple of times to be sure they are mixed in.
  • The flavors blend best when the oil is not solidified so if you are serving that day, just cover the salad and allow to marinade on the counter not in the fridge. Stir gently before serving.
  • If you are serving the next day refrigerate and stir prior to serving.
  • Serve over nice crisp greens that have been tossed in a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of a healthy oil such as avocado, grape seed or a high quality olive oil.

Notes

Health Benefits of this salad:
The Beans are a perfect blend of fiber, protein and carbohydrate.  They are a high magnesium food, which as you've heard me say before is a VITAL mineral.  Magnesium is a natural calcium channel blocker, it causes the veins and arteries to relax which improves blood flow, oxygen to your brain (good idea) and distributes nutrients.  Lack of magnesium can cause all kinds of health problems, in fact, if you have a heart attack and low magnesium at the same time you will likely suffer extensive heart damage.
Butter Beans are also the rock star of the essential mineral molybdenum, which naturally detoxifies sulfites...something you can get a lot of if you eat processed foods.
The great fiber in Butter Beans helps digestive disorders such as IBS.
If you have a hard time digesting beans, please be sure to take a digestive enzyme or two and you may want to consider adding some Betain HCL, which helps to digest proteins.
Of course all the veggies add tons of nutrition; especially the herbs.  Enjoy!