Black Bean and Edamame Salad

Do you go through stages with food? I tend to eat the same meals over and over again for months on end, then suddenly the food I am eating changes to something different and I eat that over and over for months and the cycle repeats. Last Spring when I embarked on my new food journey I found Clean Eating Magazine and quickly fell in love with the whole food recipes.

As I was browsing through the recipes I was drawn to a photo of a black bean and edamame salad in the gluten-free recipe section. I can eat edamame right out of the shells by the handful so imagine my delight upon finding this recipe. I scanned the ingredients for the salad, I loved both the salad ingredients and the simple dressing.

Black Bean & Edamame Salad
Serves 4 | 12 minutes

Adapted from Clean Eating Magazine (March 2012)

Ingredients:

• 1 can (15 ounces ) unsalted black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup fresh or frozen shelled edamame, thawed
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup diced red onion

Dressing:

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons Nutiva Hemp Oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Method:

In a medium bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, edamame, pepper, cilantro and onion. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients until combined. Drizzle over top of bean mixture and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

**The original recipe calls for fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, and a small Anaheim pepper. If you like some heat to your food, feel free to substitute the red bell pepper for the Anaheim pepper. Also, if you eat dairy, the mozzarella would be a delightful addition!**

Nutritional Bonus: Edamame are a great source of protein and fiber; just 1 cup of soybeans packs almost 16 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber!

Weekly Rewind~Valentine’s Day Edition

Happy Valentine’s Day! I thought it would be fun to share all the yummy Valentine’s recipes I’ve been seeing around the blogosphere this week for the weekly rewind.

Let’s get started with drinks shall we?

Blood Orange Sangria from How Sweet It Is

{Source: How Sweet It Is}

Red Velvet Smoothie with Cashew Cream Filling from Keepin’ It Kind

{Source: Keepin’ It Kind}

Can I interest you in some appetizers?

Beet Ginger Coconut Soup from A Farmer in the Dell

{Source: A Farmer in the Dell}

Go-To Kale Salad from Oh She Glows

{Source: Oh She Glows}

Next for the entree..

Chana Masala from The Post Punk Kitchen

{Source: The PPK}

Spaghetti & No-Meatballs from The Lunchbox Bunch

{Source: Kathy Patalsky}

And now for my favorite part of any meal, dessert!

Vegan Dark Chocolate Strawberry Truffles from Fork & Beans

{Source: Fork & Beans}

Strawberry Shortcake with a Coconut Whipped Cream Topping from One Green Planet

{Source: One Green Planet}

What do you do for Valentine’s Day? Do you go out to dinner at a fancy restaurant with your love? Or do you prefer to make a sinfully delicious dinner in the comfort of your own home? I prefer staying home with my husband and three kids.