Summer salads that satisfy: these simple and delicious meals made with beans and grains pack in the protein and fiber - Healthy Food in a Flash - Recipe

SUMMER IS THE SEASON FOR salads, and not just leafy ones. Salads made with nutritious beans and grains are perfect choices for light but satisfying suppers.

It's always a good idea to keep a selection of organic canned beans on hand. Add chopped vegetables and some dressing, and you can have a main-course salad ready in as little as 15 minutes. Grain salads are equally nourishing and versatile. To keep your kitchen time to a minimum, choose quick-cooking grains like quinoa, instant or quick-cooking brown rice, barley, or bulgur (which requires no cooking, just soaking).

Most bean and grain salads will hold in the refrigerator for a day or so. They pack well for picnic suppers, and any leftovers will be fine for lunch the next day.

Kidney Bean and
Grilled Vegetable Salad with
Sherry-Orange Vinaigrette

SERVES 4

Serve this robust salad with slices of grilled
country bread that have been rubbed with
a peeled garlic clove and then lightly
brushed with extra-virgin olive oil. Use
the same bowl in steps 1 and 2, and don't
bother to clean it in between.

2 medium red onions,
  cut crosswise into
  1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 medium zucchini,
  cut lengthwise into
  1/2-inch-thick slices
1 medium red bell pepper,
  stemmed, seeded, and cut
  into several wedges
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
  olive oil
  Salt and ground black
  pepper
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons minced fresh
  parsley leaves
2 15-ounce cans kidney
  beans, drained and rinsed

1. Light grill or preheat broiler. Toss
onions, zucchini, and bell pepper in large
bowl with 1 tablespoon oil until lightly
coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to
taste. Grill or broil, turning vegetables
once, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes
for zucchini and pepper and about
12 minutes for onions. Cool slightly and
cut vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the orange juice,
vinegar, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste
together in large bowl. Whisk in the remaining
1 tablespoon oil until smooth.
3. Add beans and vegetables to bowl with
dressing and toss to coat. Adjust seasonings.
Serve immediately or set aside at room
temperature for up to 4 hours.

PER SERVING: 277 CALORIES, 13 G PROTEIN, 8 G FAT,
1 G SATURATED FAT, 42 G CARBOHYDRATES, 15 G FIBER,
729 MG SODIUM, 7% CALCIUM
Chickpea-Potato Salad with
Curry-Lime Vinaigrette

SERVES 4

Indian flavors enliven this simple take on
potato salad, and the chickpeas add plenty of
protein. It's important to cut the potatoes into
small chunks so they will cook quickly. Serve
this dish with flatbreads (like pita bread) and
sliced tomatoes.

  Salt
1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed
  and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 10-ounce package frozen peas
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 15-ouncecan chickpeas,
  drained and rinsed
4 cups baby spinach, washed
  and thoroughly dried

1. Bring several quarts of water to a boil in
a large saucepan. Add salt to taste and
potatoes, and cook until almost tender but
not soft, about 8 minutes. Add peas and
cook for 1 minute. Drain and transfer vegetables
to bowl of ice water. When cooled,
drain vegetables thoroughly, and pat dry
with paper towels.

2. Whisk the lime juice, curry powder, and
mustard together in small bowl. Add the oil
and whisk until dressing is smooth. Add salt
to taste.

3. Place potatoes, peas, chickpeas, and
spinach in large bowl. Drizzle dressing over
salad and toss to coat. Adjust seasonings.
Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 320 CALORIES, 13 G PROTEIN, 9 G FAT,
1 G SATURATED FAT, 49 G CARBOHYDRATES, 11 G FIBER,
181 MG SODIUM, 13% CALCIUM
Bulgur Salad with Summer
Garden Vegetables

SERVES 4

Bulgur is made from wheat kernels that have
been steamed, dried, and crushed. It comes
in different sizes; the fine-grained bulgur
needs no cooking. An easy way to remove
corn kernels is to first cut the husked ear of
corn in half crosswise with a chef's knife.
Stand each piece on its cut end and slice
downward. Turn piece slightly and repeat.
Serve this vibrant, high-fiber salad with
whole-wheat pita bread or spoon it over
lightly dressed spicy greens, such as watercress
or arugula.

1 3/4 cups fine-grain bulgur
4 cups boiling-hot water
1 medium cucumber, peeled,
  halved lengthwise, seeded,
  and diced small
1 medium red bell pepper,
  stemmed, seeded, and
  diced small
1 ear fresh corn, husked and
  silked; kernels removed
  with knife (see note above)
4 medium radishes, scrubbed
  and diced small
1/4 cup chopped fresh
  parsley leaves
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh
  tarragon leaves
  Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
  olive oil

1. Place bulgur in large bowl. Add hot water
and set aside, stirring bulgur occasionally,
until it has softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Using
fine strainer, drain bulgur, shaking strainer
and gently pressing out excess moisture.
Return bulgur to bowl.

2. Add cucumber, bell pepper, corn kernels,
radishes, and parsley to bowl with bulgur.

3. Whisk lemon juice, tarragon, and salt and
pepper to taste together in small bowl.
Whisk in olive oil until dressing is smooth.

4. Drizzle the dressing over bulgur salad
and toss to coat. Adjust the seasonings.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to
one day.

PER SERVING: 304 CALORIES, 9 G PROTEIN, 8 G FAT,
1 G SATURATED FAT, 55 G CARBOHYDRATES, 13 G FIBER,
16 MG SODIUM, 5% CALCIUM
Barbecued Three-Bean Salad

SERVES 4

This salad is inspired by a Southern dish that
uses barbecue sauce as the base for salad dressing.
Here, a medley of beans--black, brown,
and white--is coated with the tangy dressing
and then spooned over tender greens.
Accompany this salad with squares of cornbread.

1/4 cup organic, naturally
  sweetened barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 15-ounce can black beans,
  drained and rinsed
1 15-ouncecan pinto beans,
  drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can navy or great
  northern beans, drained and
  rinsed
  Salt
8 cups baby spinach, washed
  and thoroughly dried

1. Whisk barbecue sauce, vinegar, oil, and
mustard together in a small bowl until
smooth.

2. Place beans in large bowl. Pour barbecue
sauce mixture over beans and toss to
coat. Add salt to taste. (Beans can be covered
and refrigerated for up to one day.)

3. Divide spinach among individual plates.
Spoon bean salad over spinach and serve
immediately.

PER SERVING: 347 CALORIES, 20 G PROTEIN, 5 G FAT,
<1 G SATURATED FAT, 57 G CARBOHYDRATES, 19 G FIBER,
381 MG SODIUM, 27% CALCIUM
White and Green Bean
Salad with Tomatoes
and Pesto

SERVES 4

The rough basil pesto in this recipe is low fat,
so don't expect it to be perfectly smooth. Make
it in a small food processor or blender. (If you
use a standard food processor, you will need
to scrape down the sides of the bowl at least
a half-dozen times.) Serve with bread.

  Salt
3/4 pound green beans, ends
  snapped off
1 cup tightly packed fresh
  basil leaves
1 small garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
  olive oil
1 large ripe tomato (about
9 ounces), cored and
  chopped small
2 15-ouncecanscannellini
  beans, drained and rinsed

1. Bring several quarts of water to a boil in
a large saucepan. Add salt to taste and
green beans, and cook until beans are crisp-tender,
about 4 minutes. Drain beans, shake
dry, and then spread them out over a clean
kitchen towel to cool quickly. Cool beans to
room temperature.

2. While green beans are cooling, place basil
and garlic in a small food processor or
blender. Process, scraping down sides as
necessary, until finely ground. Add oil and
1 tablespoon water and process, scraping
down sides as necessary, until mixture is
fairly smooth. Transfer the mixture to large
bowl and stir in tomato and salt to taste.

3. Add cooled green beans and cannellini
beans to bowl with tomato and pesto.
Toss to coat and then adjust seasonings.
Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 351 CALORIES, 18 G PROTEIN, 8 G FAT,
1 G SATURATED FAT, 56 G CARBOHYDRATES, 14 G FIBER,
22 MG SODIUM, 21% CALCIUM
Red Lentil and Brown
Rice Salad with Fresh Herbs
and Dried Fruit

SERVES 4

Quick-cooking brown rice shaves half an
hour off the preparation time for this dish,
which travels well to the beach or park. An
orange and fennel salad would make a terrific
accompaniment.

  Salt
1 cup red lentils
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking
  brown rice
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped dried cherries
1/3 cup chopped pitted prunes
1/4 cup chopped fresh
  cilantro leaves
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced
  fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
  olive oil

1. Bring several quarts of water to a boil in
a medium saucepan. Add salt to taste and
lentils, and cook until tender but not falling
apart, about 10 minutes. Drain well.

2. Meanwhile, cook brown rice according
to package directions. When rice is done,
transfer to large bowl and fluff with fork.
Add lentils, raisins, cherries, prunes, and
cilantro, and toss to combine.

3. Whisk lemon juice, mint, and salt to taste
together in small bowl. Whisk in oil until
dressing is smooth.

4. Pour dressing over lentil-rice salad and
toss to combine. Adjust seasonings. Serve
immediately or refrigerate for up to one day.

PER SERVING: 486 CALORIES, 16 G PROTEIN, 9 G FAT,
1 G SATURATED FAT, 90 G CARBOHYDRATES, 9 G FIBER,
22 MG SODIUM, 5% CALCIUM
Barley and White Bean
Salad with Parsley-Caper
Dressing

SERVES 4

When used in soups, barley is cooked until
it splits open and is completely tender. In
salads, you want the barley grains to remain
intact. Their texture should be al dente, or a
bit chewy, but not hard. Pearl barley cooks
more quickly than regular hulled barley
because it has been steamed and polished.

  Salt
1 1/2 cups pearl barley
1 1/4 cups tightly packed fresh
  parsley leaves
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 medium garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
  olive oil
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans,
  drained and rinsed
1 medium head Boston lettuce,
  leaves separated, washed,
  and dried
2 large tomatoes, cored and cut
  crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick
  slices

1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a
medium saucepan. Add salt to taste and
barley, and simmer briskly until barley is al
dente, about 25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place parsley, capers, and
garlic in food processor or blender. Process,
scraping down sides of workbowl as
necessary, until finely ground. Add lemon
juice and oil and process until smooth.
Transfer mixture to small bowl and add salt
to taste.

3. When barley is tender, drain well and
transfer to large bowl. Add beans and toss
to combine. Drizzle with parsley dressing
and toss to coat. Adjust seasonings and cool
to room temperature. (Salad can be refrigerated
for up to one day.)

4. Line serving platter with lettuce leaves.
Arrange tomato slices over lettuce, and then
spoon barley salad over tomatoes. Serve
immediately.

PER SERVING: 483 CALORIES, 17 G PROTEIN, 8 G FAT,
1 G SATURATED FAT, 89 G CARBOHYDRATES, 19 G FIBER,
120 MG SODIUM, 16% CALCIUM
Quinoa and Napa Cabbage
Salad with Spicy
Peanut Dressing

SERVES 4

In this salad, nutty-tasting quinoa teams up
with Asian flavors. It's important to rinse
quinoa well, to remove any traces of a
naturally occurring bitter coating called
saponin. Cut the carrots and cucumbers into
very thin strips, about 1 1/2 inches long and no
thicker than 1/4 inch. (This cut is called julienne.)
Although the actual prep time is less
than 30 minutes, you will need to allow
another 15 minutes for the cooked quinoa
and cabbage to cool to room temperature
before you dress them.

  Salt
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed in fine sieve
  under cold running water
1/2 medium head Napa cabbage,
  tough core removed and
  leaves sliced thin crosswise
  (about 5 cups)
2 tablespoons smooth
  peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium
  soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled,
  seeded, and cut into julienne
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut
  into julienne

1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a medium
saucepan. Add salt to taste and
quinoa. Simmer briskly until quinoa is
almost tender, about 13 minutes. Add cabbage
and continue cooking until wilted,
about 1 minute. Drain thoroughly and
spread quinoa and cabbage out on rimmed
baking sheet to cool quickly.

2. Meanwhile, use a rubber spatula to combine
peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, and
hot red pepper flakes in small bowl. Add
enough hot tap water (about 2 tablespoons)
to thin the mixture to sauce consistency.

3. Once quinoa and cabbage have cooled
to room temperature, transfer them to a
large bowl along with cucumber and carrot.
Drizzle with peanut dressing and toss
to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate
for up to one day.

PER SERVING: 327 CALORIES, 13 G PROTEIN, 7 G FAT,
1 G SATURATED FAT, 55 G CARBOHYDRATES, 8 G FIBER,
212 MG SODIUM, 8% CALCIUM

Jack Bishop is the food editor of Natural Health and the author of several cookbooks, including Vegetables Every Day (HarperCollins, 2001).

COPYRIGHT 2002 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group