I regularly buy tinned beans.
I'm always lured by their vaguely retro labels and keen pricing. I mean anything that you can get half prepared, healthy, and versatile for 3 for $1 has to be a good thing, right?
The Husband regularly asks for Bean Salad, and this can really mean anything at all according to what I have on hand.
The basic idea is one tin of any sort of beans, rinsed until it stops frothing, one tin of something else such as corn kernels, baby potatoes, or baby carrots, diced, some protein such as poached chicken breast, tinned tuna slices, or diced bacon or ham or chorizo, and some dressing. You can add cubes of cheese or sliced Bocconcini and some halved Cherry Tomatoes if you want, but it's not necessary.
This can be a meal in itself, especially with the protein component mixed through. It's also fabulously portable and transports well in all manner of containers, arriving at the other end without being diminished to a dogs breakfast kinda look.
I vary the dressing according to how I feel on the day, but maple syrup and balsamic vinegar is a fave, as is the remnant of any bottled pickle and dregs of marinade mixed together.
Stay tuned for more Simple Salads!
