BACKGROUND:
Here’s an example of a “salad” with so many flavorful ingredients that it doesn’t need a dressing. Normally, any available veggies are thrown in without measuring, but you may want to measure the first time. There’s something about the combination of the key ingredients, which we believe are: pasta, beans, lightly cooked veggies, raw greens, and crunchy sweet onion, that makes this special. Some variations on this theme are ‘Mango Lime Bean Salad,’ and ‘Pasta, Beans & Veggies.’ Even with unsalted pasta and beans (if you dare) it still tastes great! Needs some red & green ingredients for visual appeal. Great with hummus on the side. You can really fill up on this with amazingly few calories; we could have called it “weight loss salad.”
SUGGESTED INGREDIENTS measures are approximate:
2 cups Vidalia onions, raw, chopped (more attractive with purple onions, or a mixture of purple & Vidalia, since purple onions are stronger).
One mango, cut up (about 1&1/4 cup) or other fruit such as apple (if using apple, sprinkle the cut-up apple pieces with lemon or lime juice to prevent them from browning).
2 cups chopped cabbage (a mixture of white & purple cabbage enhances the color)
1&1/2 cups cooked beans such as pinto, black, kidney, etc.
1 cup whole wheat cooked macaroni or other pasta
2 cups cooked broccoli (do not overcook)
1 cup cooked corn kernels
SOME OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup chopped olives
¼ cup chopped almonds or other nuts
juice of 1 -2 limes, preferably fresh.
Fresh or dried herbs, such as mint or dill, etc.
DIRECTIONS: Toss together