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