Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Feta

Crisp Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Feta, all tossed together in a simple vinaigrette!  This dish is the first one to go when I serve it at BBQ parties!

If I could go back in time, I would have watched my diet a little more.  Less cheese, less wine, less cheese, less wine, less cheese, less wine…are you getting the picture here?     As we get older (and plumper)  it becomes apparent that a few changes need to be made.  So, slowly I’ve been swapping out some bad stuff (like cheese and wine) for the good stuff (like veggies and fruit). I swim on a regular basis and hey, I’ve lost 15 pounds…go figure!  Who knew that all those small changes would add up to that!

Now, I admit my determination is sporadic….and some days nonexistent, but with a few good decisions I can usually turn things around so the day isn’t a complete diet wasteland.  Weekends are the hardest.  Mr. Laughing Spatula and I tear up the Seattle food scene.  We leave dents in restaurant chairs and barstools all across this city.  We spend copius amounts on dining – some people have boats, or vacation homes…..us?…we ‘do restaurants’.  I have no plans on stopping my favorite hobby, but we are making some changes so we can live longer, and the longer we live, the more we can eat!

Of course Mr. LS has lost twice the amount of weight I have…because he ‘cut out carbs’..really?  Was that before or after you ate that entire loaf of bread at Dukes?.  Men and their metabolisisms…get me started.  I’m trying to love him through it though….

Okay, where was I?  Oh, the  bean salad!   If I’m going to saturate my diet with veggies and fruit.  It’s going to be really good veggies and fruit!  This is the first time I have made this recipe but I can see where it will quickly become a staple…and here I go again talking about leftovers for lunch the next day.  I love me some good leftovers for lunch and this is a perfect addition to your half turkey sammie with no mayo or cheese on wheat bread…oh boy, the veggies are looking better every second!

NOTES to make this Bean Salad with Feta and Tomatoes

• The beans:  I used Hericot Verts – a frenchie bean that is sweeter, smaller and more tender than your basic green bean.  You can find them at  Costco and Trader Joes these days.  If you can’t find them, pick out the most slender beans you can find.
• Blanch beans for no longer than 2-3 minutes, or you will have wilted bean salad.
•  I used a deep skillet in lieu of a large pot to blanch the beans.  Much easier than trying to get all those beans in the pot and cooked at the same time.
•  I rinsed the beans in cold water after blanching instead of ‘doing a Martha’, and submerging the beans in an ice bath…she has more time than me.  My way worked pretty darn  good.

So stay tuned for a few more healthy recipes…well except for next weeks post….Orangecello.  Lemoncello’s tasty BFF…oh well, here comes another of those ‘sporadic determination’ days….hiccup.

What do you think about this recipe? Have questions? Comment below! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and connect with us on Instagram and tag your @Laughingspatula recipes with #laughingspatula, while you’re at it…We love to see your pics!  

Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Feta

A crispy Bean Salad with a simple vinaigrette.  A nice change up from your everyday salad!

4.75 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes

Chill time: 55 minutes minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Author: Kathi & Rachel

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh Hericot Verts or Green Beans
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove finely chopped garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large pot or deep skillet - bring enough water to boil to cover the green beans. When the water comes to a rolling boil - toss in the beans and blanch for no more than 2-3 minutes. Rinse under cold water until beans are cool. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add beans, feta, tomato halves and red onion.
• Toss it all together and chill for 30 minutes before serving.
• Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 625IU | Vitamin C: 11.7mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 1.1mg