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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Peach Coleslaw

 

I’m doing my recipe early due to Memorial Day in a couple of weeks. Traditionally, summer starts with Memorial Day. I'm wishing you all a day of safe time with family, with a few moments remembering those who served our country. Now let’s talk about coleslaw.

 Peaches are one of my favorite fruits.  Peaches are available from April to October.  Since Florida is a hot state, you probably think we don’t grow peaches.  Peaches do grow here, in mostly the north part of the state.  Our peaches are available April and May. By June, our markets are selling Georgia peaches.  No matter the state where they are grown, I just love fresh ripe peaches. I love them as my snack or dessert and also like adding them to many dishes.

 

 

 

My Peach Coleslaw is to similar dishes in some restaurants, and even Trader Joe sells it.  My recipe is similar to Trader Joe's with a few modifications. 

 

Peach Coleslaw

Use organic when available. Serves 6

Ingredients

• 16 oz bag of coleslaw or mix of shredded cabbage and carrots
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 large ripe peaches diced
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 2 tbsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• In small bowl mix vinegar and sugar
• Optional – Add diced red onion and let it quick pickle for about 5 to 15 minutes
• Optional – Drain onions and reserve vinegar for dressing
• In large bowl combine cabbage/carrots with onion and raisins
• In the bowl of vinegar solution, add mayonnaise, salt and pepper
• Mix dressing well
• Toss cabbage mix with dressing
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve
• Toss diced peaches into slaw right before serving cold

 

 

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