Terrie Greco, B.A.; HLT Dip.

Hey folks,

Just for a change, and because the time is ripe to appreciate the fruits of your organic efforts, I thought I would share one of my favorite Bean Salad recipes – a great healthy way to enjoy a summer evening or luncheon..

Healthy Bean Salad

Ingredients:

•        2  – 15 ounce cans beans – use kidney, navy, black, garbanzo – your choice

•        Rinse the beans several times with cold water and drain

•        3 cloves garlic, minced

•        1 red onion, minced

•        1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (but play around here – sometimes I use Basil instead)

•        2 tbsp olive oil

•        2 large ripe tomatoes, diced – or grape tomatoes – halved

•        1/3 cup sliced black olives (optional)

•        2 tbsp red wine vinegar

•        1 tsp lemon juice (or a little more to taste)

•        Salt and pepper to taste

Directions for preparation:

1.       Sauté the beans, garlic, onion and herbs of your choice in the olive oil for one minute until fragrant.

2.      Remove from heat and combine with remaining ingredients.

3.       This bean salad is just as good served warm as a side dish, or chill for several hours.

I often find bean salad is best if it sits overnight to absorb all the wonderful flavors from the vinaigrette.

Bon appétit!

Here’s another fantastic recipe for those of you who love to buy corn at this time of year…(Source:  finecooking.com)

Corn Sauté with Ginger, Garlic & Fresh Cilantro

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (white and light-green parts, from 1 large bunch)

1 teaspoon kosher salt; more to taste

2 slightly heaping cups fresh corn kernels (from 4 medium ears)

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

2 to 3 teaspoons minced garlic

Scant 1 teaspoon minced serrano chile (include the ribs and seeds for a spicier dish)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  One-half lime

  Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with the olive oil in a 10-inch straight-sided saute pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the scallions and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the scallions are soft and lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the corn, ginger, garlic, serrano, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the corn is tender but still slightly toothy to the bite, 3 to 4 minutes. (It will begin to intensify in color, glisten, and be somewhat shrunken in size, and the bottom of the pan may be slightly brown.)

3. Remove the pan from the heat, add all but about 1/2 tablespoon of the cilantro, a good squeeze of the lime, and a few generous grinds of pepper. Stir, let sit 2 minutes, and stir again, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan (moisture released from the vegetables as they sit will loosen the bits). Season to taste with more salt, pepper, or lime. Serve warm, sprinkled with the remaining cilantro.

http://www.recipe.com/corn-saute-with-ginger-garlic-and-fresh-cilantro/