Baycrest

26 BrainMATTERS SPRING|SUMMER 2021 The Perfect Salad VEGETARIAN CHOICE While three-bean salads are fine and five-bean salads are swell, there's nothing as spectacularly simple and delicious as this lucky Seven-Bean Salad. This quick, easy and healthy salad, a combination of tasty beans tossed in a tangy Lemon Dijon Dressing, is guaranteed to become a staple at your table. Cookbook authors Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat, the Saucy Sisters from BiteMeMore.com, share this simple-to-make and tasty recipe, like the many from their newest cookbook, The Bite Me Balance. SEVEN-BEAN SALAD (Serves 6 - 8) DIRECTIONS For the Lemon Dijon Dressing, in a food processor or blender, combine olive oil, champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, mustard seeds, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Pulse 2-3 times, until well combined. Set aside. For the salad, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add green beans and edamame. Turn heat to low and cook 1 minute. Add snow peas and fresh green peas and continue cooking 1 minute more. Drain and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Once cold, drain again and dry out completely. Place in a large bowl along with chickpeas, lima beans, white beans, parsley, thyme, lemon zest and salt. Pour dressing over salad, toss well and refrigerate covered until ready to serve. (l-r) Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat, the Saucy Sisters from BiteMeMore.com Lemon Dijon Dressing • 6 tbsp olive oil • 3 tbsp champagne vinegar • 1 tsp Dijon mustard • 1 small garlic clove, minced • 1 tsp mustard seeds • 1/2 tsp lemon zest • 1/2 tsp kosher salt • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper Seven-Bean Salad • 2 cups fresh green beans, ends snipped • 1-1/2 cups frozen edamame, thawed • 2 cups snow peas • 1 cup fresh green peas • 1-1/2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained • 1-1/2 cups baby lima beans, rinsed and drained • 1-1/2 cups white (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained • 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley • 2 tsp fresh thyme • 1 tsp lemon zest • 1/4 tsp kosher salt, or more to taste

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