Cilantro Heirloom Bean Salad

I am very excited to share that I am the newest member of the Whole Foods team! I just accepted a position as Healthy Cooking Coach here in Portland. During my final interview I presented a food demo to the panel and this recipe is what I prepared. They all had seconds and some even went back for thirds! I hope you enjoy it as much as they did.

Cilantro Heirloom Bean Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried heirloom beans**
• 2 cups cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tbsp avocado oil
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• garlic salt to taste

** I used ½ cup each of four different varietals (Jacob’s Cattle Trout, Scarlett Runner, Rattlesnake, & Cranberry Beans) but you can use all one type, or a combination of your favorites.

Preparation Instructions

Preparing dried beans for cooking:

1. Cover beans with 2 inches of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Remove beans from burner and let soak in water for 1 hour.
3. Drain and rinse the soaked beans.

Cooking pre-soaked beans:

1. Return beans to pot and cover again with 2 inches of fresh water.
2. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. 1 cup of dried beans will make about 3 cups cooked.

Recipe Instructions:

1. Drain, rinse and allow beans to cool.
2. Add chopped cilantro to beans.
3. Mix together avocado oil, lime juice and garlic salt for dressing.
4. Toss bean mixture with dressing and serve cold. Makes about 4, 1-cup servings.

Serving Suggestions

• Eat salad as prepared for a snack or as a side dish.
• Wrap in a collard green with avocado & chopped veggies for an on-the-go lunch.
• Put on top of brown rice and sautéed peppers to make a complete meal.

Fuel Facts

Numbers: 250 calories, 12 g protein, 8 g fat, 33 g carbs, 12 g fiber
    **Per 1-cup serving

Ingredient Breakdown:

v Heirloom Beans – Heirloom seeds are ones that have not been genetically modified or tinkered with by modern science. They are passed down from generation to generation, and when we cook with them we are helping to preserve these traditional varieties, of which there are over 10,000 that we know about.

Beans, when prepared from dried, are not loaded down with sodium like you will often find in canned versions. They are also high in protein and fiber, but low in cost, providing a big nutrient bang for your buck.

v Cilantro – The leaves produced by the coriander seed are what we know as cilantro. In other countries they may even refer to cilantro as coriander leaves.  Although coriander and cilantro come from the same plant, their flavors of very different. Many of their healing properties, however, are the same. Cilantro, like coriander, is also extremely dense in phytonutrients which lend themselves to antioxidant activity in the body. Other potential benefits of the herb include reduced anxiety, better sleep quality and lowered blood sugar.

v Avocado Oil – This is a fantastic oil to use for roasting or cooking at high temperatures.  Avocado oil has a smoke point of 500 degrees F, higher than most other oils. Due to this, the oil will withstand chemical transformations that can occur when an oil reaches its smoke point, changing a once healthy oil into one that is full of trans fats. It is important to note that virgin avocado oils, as all oil that have not been filtered or refined, have lower smoke points, so make sure you are buying 100% pure avocado oil.  

v Lemon/Lime –  High in the antioxidant vitamin C, lemons and limes, help oxidize free radicals in the body. In addition, the juice enhances the flavors of other foods and the fruit will keep up to four weeks in the fridge.