Sicilian Green Bean Salad

Ingredients

1/2 lb. fresh green beans with ends snapped off
3-4 diced tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives halved
4-5 small red potatoes
1/2 large onion (white or red) sliced
3-4 tbs. good quality olive oil
2tbs. Balsamic vinegar
salt to taste

Directions

Cut potatoes into quarters and boil until cooked and drain them. Boil green bean in separate pot until cooked but to where they are still bright green. Shock green beans in ice water to stop cooking process then drain. Sautè onions in olive oil for about 10-15 minutes or until they are translucent. Whisk the Balsamic vinegar with the remaining olive oil.

In a large boil toss the onions with the oil they were cooked in with all of the other ingredients. Add the oil/vinegar mixture to the salad which tossing. Add salt to taste.

You can also add toasted pine nuts or almonds to this salad.

Vegan Butter Bean Salad

Ingredients

2 cans Large Butter Beans
1 carrot chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
5-6 sundried red peppers diced
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. dried mint
2 tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup water
2 chopped Roma tomatoes
1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Rinse Butter beans. Sautè red onions and red pepper flakes on medium-high heat in olive oil for 5-6 mins. until translucent. Add the chopped carrots and diced red peppers and continue to cook for another 5 mins. Add tomatoes, water and salt and pepper. Cook until the carrots are tender. Then add the Butter beans, lemon juice and mint. Mix thoroughly. Finito!