Pass the Beans, Please...

I love beans, all kinds. Fava beans are my absolute most favorite, I think because they are the beans I knew as a child. My grandmother would cook them with fresh greens and loads of garlic and serve them over a bed of linguine. See, I was plant strong a long time ago, but took some type of detour along the way.

Maybe you already know this about me, but I do everything fast. I walk quickly, speak quickly, and always feel as though I am catching a bus. In the day when I would make Jell-o, I would even make it with ice cubes to hasten up the process. I need a microwave that works in double time, because sometimes, those two minutes for a veggie burger to get crispy seem like forty five minutes. In the time that my husband comes home from work, changes his clothes, and walks our two dogs...I can have a complete dinner made...it's about twenty minutes, really.

We needed a side dish to tonight's dinner. Plans to make my famous three-bean, slow-baked masterpiece evaporated with the day. But, I still wanted to have beans. So, with a flick of the wrist and my fabulous "Vidalia Chopping Wizard," some shallots, balsamic vinegar, and a few other things, I made this bean dish that was really good. You can serve this cold or hot. Your choice.

Pass the Beans

Can of Garbanzo Beans
Can of Black Beans
Can of Pinto Beans

One finely diced shallot

One finely minced garlic clove

1/4 cup of good quality Balsamic Vinegar*

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (I like the grainy one)

Open, drain, and really rinse all the beans in a colander. Wash them well.

Add finely minced shallot, vinegar, and mustard.

Mix well. You can either heat these up on the stove, or try them cold on a bed of lettuce. If you heat them slowly, the vinegar will carmelize. But, they're good uncooked, too!

Store them in a good, air-tight container.

* I used Rao's Balsamic Vinegar, costs $25 a bottle, and tastes wonderful! Love the flavor, warm or cold.

Hope you enjoy them.

Tip of the Day...

This is for anyone who might be struggling with trying to pull people onto the "Plant Strong Life Raft." The reality is that you only need to worry about yourself, your food choices, your exercise plan...and so it goes. I have found in this last year, that one's sincere zeal is often received with mixed reviews and many questions. If we continue to lead by example, our actions will speak for themselves.