Three-Bean Salad in 10 Minutes - An American Classic

The other day I had a hankering for three-bean salad. This doesn't really make sense since I've never made it before, nor have any of my relatives that I am aware of. And it wasn't like I was going to a picnic or anything either. It was spring, but the weather had turned cold. Perhaps it was that I wanted something pickle-like to cut the grease of a piece of fried fish I had bought for dinner (don't ask!). I had flashing images in my mind of those tiny, heavy side-dish bowls you used to get at a real diner with a couple of spoonfuls of three-bean salad in it. Remember those days?

So I quickly found a recipe and adapted it to my own taste (I cut the sugar!) and made it organic. This recipe took all of 10 minutes to make. And though I ate it right away and it was fine, it does get even better after a few hours in the fridge. It must be healthy, too, since everything in it is healthy.

This will make enough for a picnic... or to at least last for a few days and a few meals until everyone is sick of it!

Three-Bean Salad (in 10 Minutes)

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 can kidney beans (I used black soy beans which were good too)
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 bag frozen green beans
• 1 purple onion
• 1 red pepper

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the frozen green beans and drain
2. Rinse both cans of kidney and garbanzo beans
3. Chop up the onion and the red pepper
4. Put them all in a bowl
5. In another bowl whisk the vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper together and then put on top of the beans.

Enjoy! But try not to spill some of the dressing on yourself when you are whisking, like I did, because that smell gets bad after a while.

For more from Maria Rodale, go to www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com