As registered dietitians, one of the most fun things for us to do is bust myths that many people have in their head when they think of healthy eating and weight loss. In fact, when we give seminars, we often have participants shout out what comes to their mind when they think of healthy eating for weight loss. Guess what words repeatedly come up? “Boring”, “deprivation”, “hungry”, “Celery” and “rice cakes”. Really?!!
You betcha! That’s what people think! The great news is that these twin, veggie-loving registered dietitians (who also have a big sweet tooth! ;)) and who pride themselves in their healthy eating habits, haven’t eaten a rice cake since they tried one (we found them tasteless and boring!); don’t eat celery that often (there are so many awesome veggies so we’ don’t have so much room to squeeze celery in ;)), and don’t deprive themselves of small portions of their favorite indulgences (a small piece of chocolate is something we enjoy most days!). So, if you follow us around for a day, you’d know that healthy eating doesn’t equal “boring”, “deprivation”, “hungry” and “rice cakes”. And in fact, it’s quite the opposite. And just to give you a taste of what we mean, we’ve created our
Avacado and Lentil Vegan Tacos
Grilled Cheese on Crispy Cauliflower Bread
and now this non-ordinary, super satisfying salad!
Looking for a salad that actually feels satisfying and that reaps mega health benefits without feeling like your chowing on a mound of lettuce? Then this recipe has your name written all over it! Bursting with more flavor than your typical bean salad, this recipe has hints of balsamic vinaigrette and Dijon mustard to spice things up. It’s also packed with an assortment of veggies, not to mention a lot of protein to keep you feeling satisfied.
Veggie Bean Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette
This makes the perfect satisfying snack that can be made in a large batch, stored in the fridge, and saved for later to eat “on demand” 😉 and on-the-go because we know you are busy and will love having a scrumptious, healthy snack to grab!
Makes 8 servings (1 cup each)
Ingredients
1, 15.5 ounce can black beans
1, 15.5 ounce can white kidney beans
1, 15.5 ounce can kidney beans
1 stalk of celery, diced (1/2 cup)
1 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1/2 cup orange pepper, diced
1/2 cup carrots, cut in coins
For dressing:
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp pomegranate juice
Directions:
- Drain and rinse beans thoroughly and place in large mixing bowl.
- Add the peppers, cucumber, carrots, and celery to the beans in the mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl mix balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, mustard, and pomegranate.
- Add the dressing to the veggies in the large bowl and mix gently until the mixture is uniform.
- Enjoy and save the leftovers for an on the go snack!
Nutrition Information Per serving
102 calories, 28 g carbs, 5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 8 g protein, 194 mg sodium, 8 g fiber
- 1, 15.5 ounce can black beans
- 1, 15.5 ounce can white kidney beans
- 1, 15.5 ounce can kidney beans
- 1 stalk of celery, diced (1/2 cup)
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- ½ cup red pepper, diced
- ½ cup orange pepper, diced
- ½ cup carrots, cut in coins
- Drain and rinse beans thoroughly and place in large mixing bowl.
- Add the peppers, cucumber, carrots, and celery to the beans in the mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl mix balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, mustard, and pomegranate.
- Add the dressing to the veggies in the large bowl and mix gently until the mixture is uniform.
- Enjoy and save the leftovers for an on the go snack!