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Easy, Pantry-friendly Bean Salad

By Jen

I have always been a cheerleader for a “recipe-ish” approach to cooking, because I discovered that it makes all things meal planning and meal prep so much easier. Sure, recipes have their place, and are so helpful when you want to try a new dish, a new ingredient, or a new technique. Recipes are wonderful training wheels that help you gain momentum with your cooking skills. But when it comes to your day-to-day, in the trenches, get-it-done cooking, a recipe-ish approach is a LOT more sustainable.

Instead of strict steps to follow, recipe-ish is about letting a template guide you. It’s easier and quicker than fussing with a recipe, and also gives you the flexibility to work with what you’ve got. Doesn’t that sound like just what you need right now?

bean salad made with Great Northern beans, EVOO, red wine vinegar, parsley, cumin, and mirepoix (celery, carrot, and onion)

Here is my basic recipe-ish approach to a simple pantry-friendly bean salad. It’s so easy to make, and keeps for DAYS in the fridge. It’s a wonderful side dish, is delicious added to a big salad, and also can be gently heated in the skillet and served with a fried egg on top. You could even repurpose it into a soup by reheating with some broth and additional veggies and/ or starch.

This template allows you to work with whatever you’ve got on hand (or not!):

BEANS – Canned is fine, or cook up your own dried beans. (Here are my super-easy instructions for cooking dried beans in your Instant Pot.)

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AROMATICS – Aromatics are those humble beginnings that elevate all of the other flavors in a dish. Here I’ve used celery, carrot, and onion. Feel free to add other veggies like diced red pepper, garlic, or substitute with some scallions, red onion, leeks, chives, ginger, etc. There are endless combinations to try, and each with a different regional influence. And technically, “aromatics” often refers to the foundational spices and herbs that might also be included . . .

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HERBS – Use what you’ve got, fresh or dried.

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SPICES – Dig out those jars. There you’ll find the perfect addition to bring something interesting to your dish.

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ACID – Vinegar or citrus are great options. There is a whole wide world of vinegars out there – red wine, balsamic, white balsamic, champagne, sherry, rice vinegar, and tons more. Experiment to discover your favorites!

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FAT – Here I’ve used extra virgin olive oil. Work with what you’ve got, and if you can, try to stay away from highly refined oils.

Combine all ingredients, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy immediately, and store leftovers in the fridge for repeat joyful eating. And no blah leftovers here – I’ve noticed that a good bean salad tastes even better the next day or two!

What do you have on hand that you think you could toss together to make your own bean salad?

Print Recipe
Easy, Pantry-friendly Bean Salad
Course Salads & Side Dishes
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Course Salads & Side Dishes
Servings

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: beans, healthy, nonperishables, pantry cooking, quick and easy, vegan, vegetarian

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About Me:

Hi, I’m Jen, and welcome to Nourished Not Famished. Here you’ll find recipes, meal ideas, and wellness tips to thrive without deprivation, restriction, or calorie counting. Nourish yourself and your loved ones with the pleasures of eating real, whole foods, using familiar, easy-to-find ingredients and without spending endless hours in the kitchen.  Find out about more about me here.

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Hit like if you use your favorite restaurant meals Hit like if you use your favorite restaurant meals for cooking & meal planning inspiration! 🙌 #copycatcooking 🙌  Today I threw together a recreation of one of my favorite items from a local Italian restaurant @trattoria_san_pietro , garlicky shrimp & broccoli rabe (a.k.a. rapini) with sourdough toast.😍 (deets below)

To be honest, we usually just make a lot of things on repeat here to keep meal prep & planning easy. When we're feeling kind of bored it, I'll throw something new into the mix. We'll try out a new recipe, or copycat one of our dining out favorites.

Our copycats don't always come out exactly how we want 🤷‍♀️, but it's fun trying anyway. We always end up learning something new about a cooking technique or flavor profiles, which boosts our #kitchenskills in the long run.

How do you mix things up in the kitchen when you're feeling really bored of your usual meals? And what are some ways you've been able to level up your kitchen skills to make the whole meal planning and meal prep thing easier?

🔥Deets on my meal:🔥

👉 Inspiration struck when I saw some super fresh looking broccoli rabe at the supermarket.

👉Next, I hit up my freezer:
✔️Thawed some pre-cooked shrimp.
✔️Toasted some Trader Joe's multigrain sourdough I had stashed in the freezer. (You store unused bread in your freezer, too, right? 🙂)

👉 Gave the rabe a rough chop, then a quick blanch (salted water). Immediately placed it in a bowl of ice water for about 2 minutes. (This stops the cooking process rapidly, retaining a bright green freshness to the veggie.)

👉 Sauteed a boatload of thinly sliced garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes over low heat in a large skillet. Added blanched rabe and a smidge of butter and heated for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Seasoned with salt.

👉Plated it all and enjoyed! #nourished
#nutritiousisdelicious 

👉 Bitter foods like rabe can stimulate digestion and improve the absorption of nutrients. 🎉 Even if you don't fall in love at first bitter bite, your taste buds *will* grow to love bitter foods. Literally, over time the proteins in your saliva change and adapt in response to eating bitter foods, ultimately changing the taste ex
Hi, I'm Jen and I LOVE TO WALK. 😀 Do you? Don't Hi, I'm Jen and I LOVE TO WALK. 😀 Do you? Don't underestimate the power of a walk! Even if you only have ten minutes, it is *totally* worth your time. I know I sound ridiculously enthusiastic about walking 😀, but, you guys . . . walking daily can be life-changing! #everythingisconnected

Walking is a balm for the mind, body, & soul . . .

👉 Outdoor movement calms the nervous system and boosts creative thinking.

Here's how that's playing out for me:
✔️Shuts down the hamster wheel of anxiety in my head over pandemic stress, parenting teens (#dearLord 😟), & general life stressors. 
✔️ Lets my mind wander freely, sometimes resulting in creative solutions to current problems and challenges I'm working on.
✔️ A short walk in the early evening is helping me relieve stress and unwind from the day. I'm leaning less on that evening glass of wine as #stressrelief ! Plus, no downsides or icky side effects to walking (not so true about the wine 🤷‍♀️).

👉 Exposure to outdoor, natural light can boost your Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D helps your body maintain healthy bone density, helps your immune system function well, and might even help ward off depression.
✔️ Yay! Potentially less risk of osteoporosis as I age. 
✔️ Helps my immune system kick colds & other viruses to the curb. 💪
✔️ Boosts my odds of getting through  winter without #seasonalaffectivedisorder 

👉 A brief walk after a meal can help regulate your blood sugar response. This is a great benefit for anyone, but especially for anyone who might be pre-diabetic or #diabetic.
✔️ My walking habit has helped me steer my health away from blood sugar issues. Walking, along with some tweaks in my way of eating, better sleep, and resistance training turned me away from becoming pre-diabetic.

So, yes, I am a major fan of walking! How about you?

❓What are some ways you could or have set yourself up to make getting out for a walk easier to do? 
❓Do you keep your walking shoes and outdoor gear in a handy spot? 
❓Do you schedule short walks into your daily plan, to help ensure they happen?
❓Do like to use walking to get in some much needed #alonetime, or do you like company when you walk and use it as a time to connect?
Maple Tahini Dressing/Dip 😍 Aiming to eat more Maple Tahini Dressing/Dip 😍 Aiming to eat more veggies this week? You'll have no problem getting yourself to hit your #veggiegoals if you're pairing them with this perfectly tangy-yet-sweet, smooth & creamy tahini dressing. Hit link in my bio @nourished.not.famished for the recipe!

Tahini (a.k.a. sesame seed butter) is a great plant-based fat to add into your rotation. It can be used in a million different dishes, so if you decide to take the plunge and buy a jar, I assure you that it will not go to waste. 🙌

In my house, we'll be using this as a dip to go with our usual veggie platter we prepare almost every week.

When the dinner hungries hit, and dinner isn't ready quite yet, I grab our veggie platter and dip out of the fridge. Everyone nibbles aways, takes the edge off their hunger as they await dinner AND, boom 💥 - everyone's just eaten a hearty serving of veggies. 🎉

What's your plan to hit your veggie goals this week? How are you setting up your Future Self to succeed with that? 🙌 #letsdothis 

#mealplan #mealprep #shapethepath #tinyhabits #healthyhabits #simplenutrition #ditchthediet #omnivore #plantforward #plantfocused #veggies
😆 Truth, right? Let's be real, grocery shopping 😆 Truth, right? Let's be real, grocery shopping isn't all that fun, but if you already have a clear plan in place *before* you shop, it feels a lot less overwhelming. And by "have a plan", I mean:
👉 Figure out *what* you (and your household?) are going to eat for meals in the coming days. Nope, it doesn't need to be perfect. 
(🎉I've broken that down for you into 6 bite-sized steps to help you get it done.🙂 Hit link in bio @nourished.not.famished to see it now on my blog!)
👉Then, make your shopping list based on your plan. 

I promise you . . . if you start with a plan before shopping, you will probably end up spending less, eating better, and reducing #foodwaste .
#winning 🙌🙌

❓So, what kind of grocery shopper are you? A planner? Just-wing-it? A little bit of both??

❓What's on your meal plan this week? 
❓How are you showing your Future Self (who *really* wants to make good choices) some love & support by planning ahead?

📷 photo by Suzanna Kreiter of The Boston Globe

#mealplan #mealprep #groceries #groceryshopping #adulting #simplenutrition #feedingmyfamily #ditchthediet #healthyhabits #healthymom #healthymoms 
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