Best Bean Salad

Thanks to my neighbour and good friend Kathy for sharing this one.  After enjoying her bean salad on several occasions, I finally asked for the recipe, which she shared and agreed to let me post here.  You can make your own substitutions, based upon what you have in your fridge or pantry.  This is a keeper!

Kathy's Bean Salad

1 lb each yellow and green beans, cut and blanched
1 can each red kidney beans, lima or broad beans, pinto beans and chick peas (4 cans total, drained and rinsed)
2 peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c canola oil
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Place beans, peppers and onion in a container with a lid.  Mix together remaining ingredients until sugar has dissolved.  Pour over vegetables and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate, stirring frequently, overnight.  Keeps several days.

Jane's Tomato and Onion Salad

Many moons ago - back when I was in law school - my roommate Jane shared this recipe with me.  I remember her saying that it sounded a bit strange but was actually amazing.  She was right!  It's great served platter style over lettuce, or on its own.  It makes a nice accompaniment to hamburgers.  Summer is here - enjoy!

Tomato and Onion Salad


8 sliced tomatoes
1 thinly sliced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tsps prepared mustard - yes, the hotdog stuff!
1/2 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 tbsp vinegar

Place sliced tomatoes and onions on a platter.  Combine all remaining ingredients and pour over tomatoes and onions.

Rhubarb Pecan Muffins

All of a sudden it feels like summer.  I even had to turn on the air conditioning yesterday!  Meanwhile, in terms of fresh produce, we are well into spring.  And with spring, come asparagus and rhubarb.  More on asparagus later, but here's the rhubarb muffin recipe I have been making.  YUM!  They freeze well if you think you won't get through the whole batch within 2-3 days.  The idea was taken from one of my favourite cookbooks: Rise and Dine Canada.  (I work it out to 6 points per muffin for those on WW, but you could bring it down to 4 by omitting the pecans.  That said, the pecans make the muffins.)


Rhubarb Pecan Muffins


1 c flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp b powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp b soda
1/2 c chopped pecans
3/4 c fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 c canola oil
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 c chopped rhubarb
2 tsp orange zest

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix together flours, sugar, b powder, salt, b soda and pecans.  In a separate bowl mix together orange juice, oil and egg.  Mix in rhubarb and orange zest.  Add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix quickly.  Spoon into greased or paper lined muffin pan.  Bake 25-30 minutes.