Mediterranean Bean Salad

Mediterranean Bean Salad packs chickpeas, white beans, your favorite Mediterranean vegetables and feta cheese into one healthy salad and is topped with a light lemony dressing. This works perfectly as a side dish to a meal or even as lunch with pita bread and hummus. // A Cedar Spoon #salad #beans #Mediterraneandiet #Mediterraneanfood #fetacheese #cheese #healthy #recipe #cleaneating #vegetarian #vegetables #olives #kalamataolives #lunch #easylunch #whitebeans #lemon #homemadedressing #easysalad#Beans#Edamame

Did you guys hear that U.S. News & World Report did a review of over forty different diets and put the Mediterranean Diet as tied for first place with the DASH Diet? It mentioned that the Mediterranean Diet is the easiest to follow, and I completely agree. It has been shown to have great healthy benefits for those that follow it too.

Today we are going to celebrate with this Mediterranean Bean Salad. This beauty is loaded with all my favorite Mediterranean ingredients. Sounds like a plan?

Mediterranean Bean Salad , By Best Recipes Demat .

Mediterranean Bean Salad packs chickpeas, white beans, your favorite Mediterranean vegetables and feta cheese into one healthy salad and is topped with a light lemony dressing. This works perfectly as a side dish to a meal or even as lunch with pita bread and hummus. // A Cedar Spoon #salad #beans #Mediterraneandiet #Mediterraneanfood #fetacheese #cheese #healthy #recipe #cleaneating #vegetarian #vegetables #olives #kalamataolives #lunch #easylunch #whitebeans #lemon #homemadedressing #easysalad#Beans#Edamame

Total time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6-8 Servings

Ingredients :

• FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN BEAN SALAD:
• 1 - 15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 - 15 ounce can of white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved {you will want to use pitted olives}
• 1/3 cup roasted red peppers, drained, chopped
• 1/2 of a small red onion, chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed, diced {or color of your choice}
• 1/2 of an english cucumber, diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese {optional}
• Handful of fresh mint, chopped
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• 4 green onions, chopped
• FOR THE DRESSING::
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional spices: 1 teaspoon of any spice you like {try sumac, za'atar or oregano}
• Crushed red pepper for extra spice

Instructions :

• In a large bowl mix together the chickpeas, white beans, olives, roasted red peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, feta cheese, mint, parsley and green onions.
• In a large mason jar or salad dressing container add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and whisk together. Add salt and pepper to taste and 1 teaspoon of an additional spice if you like {try sumac, za'atar, oregano}. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat with the dressing.
• Serve with hummus and pita bread or use this salad as a topping for pita wraps, hummus plates or falafel.