Grains and Beans Salads:
Complete Meals for at Home or on the Move
by Dorothy Wilson
Salads made with grains and beans offer a wide variety of flavours and textures and better yet, they provide a complete protein complement. This makes them handy for lunches, side dishes, picnics and foods-on-the-go.
Whether you are a vegetarian or an omnivore, a salad made with grains or beans is a satisfying and flavourful option for a whole meal or a side dish. Properly stored, these salads can be saved for several days in the fridge. Picnics, potlucks and unexpected guests are no problem if you have a handy bean salad.
When cooking grains or beans as hot side dishes, prepare a little extra and the next day you can create a salad with the leftovers. In the hot days of summer, having ready ingredients on hand, you can make a delicious meal without over heating the house.
Dressings for grain and bean salads are light so as to complement the ingredients without overshadowing the robust flavours and textures of the salad mix. These salads are often better tasting after having rested a few hours (or overnight) before serving because the dressing has had a chance to be absorbed by the beans or grains and the flavours have blended together better.
To serve salads, put them on a base of mixed greens and/or sprouts and garnish them with chopped fresh herbs.
Ingredients: What Goes Into a Great Salad
Here’s a list of things to keep in your pantry or fridge so that you can make a great salad all on your own. Once you have tried a few recipes feel free to be adventurous and experiment.
GRAINS:
Keep a good variety on hand and get a good book on how to cook them, such as The Splendid Grain by Rebecca Wood
BEANS:
Keep a can or two of salad beans on hand but try cooking them yourself; they’ll taste better and have a better texture.
HERBS:
Fresh herbs just picked and chopped are best so keep a few pots close to the kitchen for quick harvesting. Chives, thyme, basil or dill are just a few examples of herbs you can use in your salads. If you use dried herbs the rule of thumb is: one tablespoon fresh equals one teaspoon dried.
SPICES:
Curry, cumin, ginger, allspice, celery seeds and lemon grass.
VEGGIES:
Green onions, peppers, celery, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, red onions.
OTHER STUFF:
Kelp, hard boiled eggs and cooked new potatoes are all good additions for a great, delicious, spontaneous salad.
Quinoa: A Great Grain
Quinoa is the one grain that contains all the essential amino acids that people need to acquire from our diet. It also tastes great and has a pleasant chewy texture, hot or cold. It is Ideal for summer salads.
Quinoa is an ancient grain that is regaining its celebrity in the modern world. Staple of the Amerindians of the Andes mountains, Quinoa has been in cultivation for 5,000 years.
Quinoa is rich in folate and minerals and is a good source of dietary fibre. It is available in either the white or red variety. You can find it packaged or in the bulk food sections of many health food stores.
Recipes
These recipes are easy to make. The flavours combine well and the texture is really good. These salads will taste much better if the beans are cooked from dried beans rather than from cans, if you have the time. This site has a handy bean cooking chart to help you in this task.
Quinoa Salad with Dill & Lime
Swift Delicious Bean Salad
Wild and Basmati Rice Salad
Bean and Pasta Salad