Garlic-dill green beans, carrots & tomatoes, pepperoncini, red beets, artichoke hearts, and some black & green olives (all pickled items, except the olives). All these items chopped up, actually creates their own dressing if you think about it. Pickled items = acid/vinegar. Olives have a natural oil.

All these items I use weekly for noshing or as a salad topper. Removed veggies and reserved the juices, chopped, added to a bowl with a can of rinsed cannellini & black beans, some fresh parsley, and dried herbs. Skipping the salt and pepper for now until after the flavors blend thoroughly. Don’t toss the pickling juices as they can be added later as a dressing, which I did with some rosemary infused olive oil.

Every Sunday I prepare for the upcoming week of lunches and dinners. This 2 Bean Salad is perfect as a side for any grilled protein and perfect as a topping for a salad, or folded in with cooked pasta. It’s versatile in many ways and stretches out many meals, with added flavor to each.

To elevate this dish even further, pick up a 1/4# each of the following and add right in the bowl:

Smoked turkey, tavern ham, hard salami, provolone cheese (coarsely chopped). You now have a hoagie salad minus the bread. Serve over a bed sliced crisp iceberg or romaine lettuce for a great meal!

Keep on experimenting and Bon Appetit!