Black Bean, Edamame & Garbanzo Salad

It seems like everywhere we turn, we hear about how our American diet is slowly killing us. “Eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables”. “Eat less meat, but more fish and chicken.” And then there’s the biggest plea of all…”Cut the sugar from your diet!”  We hear these pleas everyday from the experts in the nutrition field.  While I’m no expert on the subject of nutrition, I do believe that cleaner eating with far less sugar is the best choice…a healthier choice for my family.  I buy fresh and organic when possible, and I try and steer clear of GMOs (read this GMO article) & hidden sugars (read this Sugar article). I love having a protein packed salad in the fridge for quick lunches or a healthy side dish for dinner.  This salad with edamame, black and garbanzo beans has become a summer favorite for the whole family.  You can always top it with a grilled chicken breast if someone in your family needs their meat!  Enjoy!

Black Bean, Edamame & Garbanzo Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 pkg frozen shelled edamame, cooked per instructions and cooled
• 1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed
• ¾ cup green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
• 1 cup cucumber, chopped
• ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 serrano pepper, minced (to taste)
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Preparation:

In large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper and chili powder.  Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Liz’s Tidbits:

I have also added a teaspoon of ground cumin with tasty results.  Feel free to play around with the ingredients…if there’s something you don’t like, leave it out.  You could omit the cilantro, serrano and chili powder and instead use parsley, kalamata olives, feta cheese and dried oregano.  Use your imagination!