Mediterranean Bean Salad: Tales of a Weekend Alone

This weekend, Peter went back to Rapids for a family golf outing, so Lady and I spent the weekend going for walks and studying for my end-of-psych rotation ("Shelf") exam this Friday.  Between doing a bunch of practice questions and pretending that I like to read review books, I did some cooking for myself.  Namely, this Mediterranean Bean Salad.  Peter isn't a fan of artichokes, so his absence was the perfect excuse to bust this one out.  This is a super easy salad to throw together...Add some diced chicken on top and call it a meal.  It's also great to pack in a lunch, since refrigeration isn't really needed (no mayo=no salmonella...everyone's happy).  I've been experimenting with heartier, portable salads for my lunches at the hospital.  I'm sure there's a fridge somewhere I could use...but I'm frequently lost, so I stick to lunches I can keep in my locker.

I didn't take pictures of making this salad, but seriously, you open some cans (rinse your beans!), do some minimal chopping, and voila!  I added a squeeze of lemon juice and some crushed red pepper, which was delightful.  Also, instead of buying a can of olives, I tried out my grocery store's fancy olive bar...like a salad bar...but with olives and other things "antipasto-ish."  They were fresher than canned, I think, but use what you can find!  Make it a few hours in advance and let it hang out in the refrigerator...the flavors come together and get all yummy.

"Elbie" (=LB=Lady Bug) is a great sous chef.  Luckily for me, she accepts compensation in the form of apples and other dog-friendly foods.  

I enjoyed the bean salad with a regular salad...to be sure I met my salad quota for the day :)  I added feta cheese (yummy and crumbly), apple slices, shredded carrot and dried cranberries.  You know I love me some gloppy salad dressing, but I just drizzled on some balsamic vinegar.  Delightful.







I can't believe my first 6 week rotation in psychiatry is coming to an end this week!  Don't get me wrong, I will miss the manic people coming up and singing at the top of their lungs to me, but I'm ready for a change.  Haloperidol can only do so much...

Enjoy your Sunday, and eat more veggies!
Amy