Two Bean Salad

 

Maybe if I make food that’s Spring/Summer appropriate, the weather will cooperate.  Ok, probably not but I had a weird desire to making something with black eyed peas so I came up with this simple little bean salad.  It may be snowing outside (it’s mid-April, this is so wrong!) but dinner was totally picnic worthy. 

 

 

Two Bean Salad

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 TB olive oil
• 2 TB apple cider vinegar
• 1 TB Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
• 1 tsp. chili sauce  
• 1TB maple syrup
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red peppers
• 1 16 oz can of black eyed peas
• 1 16 oz can of garbanzo beans
• 12 medium button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, roughly chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped

Instructions

1. Combine the first eight ingredients in a small bowl.  Set aside.
2. In a medium to large pan, saute the onion and bell pepper for a couple of minutes or until they start to soften up.  Season with salt and pepper. 
3. Add in the zucchini and mushrooms and continue to saute until all the veggies are as soft as you like. 
4. Drain and rinse the beans and add them to a large mixing bowl.  Add in the veggies and the dressing you made earlier and mix well. 
5. Serve warm or set it in the fridge for a while to cool.
6. Enjoy!

-Kala