Green Bean Salad With Tomatoes, Olives & Feta

 

 

Summer is the time when fresh vegetables are plentiful. Today’s salad is a marinated dish of fresh green beans, tomatoes, red onions, and olives with a sprinkling of feta. The dish should marinate at least 3 hours in a refrigerated covered dish, but I like to leave it overnight. You can double the recipe for a big bowl for a cook-out or use the recipe for your immediate family. Make it to your family’s taste; my sister loves black olives while I love green. Fresh tomatoes can be small grape tomatoes or large heirloom tomatoes chopped into bite-sized pieces.

Green beans are a very healthy vegetable and are packed with nutrients such as Vitamin A, C, and K, potassium, iron, and calcium. Green beans are also low in calories, low sodium, low-carb and high in fiber. Plus the Greek inspired dressing is easy and so tasty.

Green Bean Salad With Tomatoes, Olives & Feta

Use organic when available. Serves 4

Green bean salad is made with fresh green beans, tomatoes, feta cheese and olives, all tossed in a Greek style dressing. 

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 lb fresh green beans trimmed (halved if desired)
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved (or tomato of choice chopped)
• 1/4 cup red onion sliced
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives pitted & sliced (or olive of choice)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or oregano
• 1/4 cup optional almond slices or chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled ( or goat cheese or shaved parmesan cheese)

Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (or apple cider or balsamic)
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat salted water to boil and add green beans
• Cook about 3 minutes until just tender
• Remove beans and plunge into a bowl of iced cold water to cool
• Drain beans and pat dry
• Place beans in serving dish
• Heat oil over medium heat in skillet
• Add crushed garlic and cook until just fragrant about 30 seconds
• Remove from heat
• Add tomatoes, Dijon mustard, olives, fresh herbs, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, feta
• Pour mixture over beans
• Toss to evenly coat green beans
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours
• Optional garnish with nuts

Enjoy!

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Bacon & Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

 

Al Fresco Uncured Chicken Bacon has 70% less fat and 40% less sodium than pork bacon.  Now I’ve tried turkey bacon before and expected something similar. I stand corrected. Tasted like regular bacon with great flavor. It comes both uncooked and precooked and ready to use. If you’re interested in trying it, check out your zip code for stores in the USA that sell it. This is NOT a sponsored post.

 

 

Memorial Day is coming at the end of the month with the remembrance of those who gave their lives for our country. It also marks the beginning of summer for most of us in the USA. Today I’m sharing a simple cold appetizer which is perfect for cookouts, parties, and other get-togethers. It’s an easy recipe for stuffed cherry tomatoes with bacon crumbles, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, green onion, and parsley. Don’t use bacon bits or a can of grated Parmesan if you want great flavor. Crumble the cooked bacon and add the mayonnaise, green onion, fresh parsley, and fresh grated Parmesan.

 

Stuffed Bacon & Cheese Cherry Tomatoes

Use organic when available. Makes approximately 8 servings with 2 pints of cherry tomatoes.

 

Ingredients

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes (about 24)
• 1 lb bacon cooked, drained, and crumbled
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise or mayonnaise substitute
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup green onions chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

• Cook bacon, drain, and crumble
• Cut a very small portion of the bottom of each tomato so that they stand upright
• Cut a small slice from the top of each cherry tomato
• Using a melon baller or a small spoon carefully scoop out the seeds and pulp of each tomato & discard
• Place each little tomato upside down on a paper towel to drain
• In a bowl, stir together mayonnaise, Parmesan, garlic, bacon, green onions, and parsley until well blended
• Stuff each cherry tomato with the bacon mixture using a very small spoon
• Garnish with fresh parsley, green onions, or other herbs as desired
• Cover tray of stuffed tomatoes and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to blend flavors
• Serve chilled

 

  

 

 

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