FRUGAL FOOD: VEGETABLE & PULSES SALAD, vegan, healthy, easy-peasy

Pulses have come a long way, baby and here's the proof...a gorgeous salad that gives popular potato salads a run for their money

Vegetable & Pulses Salad with Beetroot-Tahini Dressing 

A single tin of pulses, leftover salad & veg, an unforgettable dressing and some crunchy garnish makes this salad one of those frugal wonders: tasty, sassy, healthy and impressive.

Back in the day when City dining rooms were just beginning to acknowledge  the clamour for vegetarian dishes, all they offered was cheese, cheese and more cheese.  They gradually came round to the idea of pulses but offered little more than bowls of undressed pulses sprinkled with herbs.  

Not any more -- posh banquets now offer many imaginative and inviting vegetarian dishes.   

This colourful 67 salad is a meal in itself, with nuts, tahini and yoghurt providing all the amino acids necessary for a balanced dish.  

The recipe provides suggestions for the mix of veg and pulses but it's ok to be guided by what's in your kitchen.  A couple of rules: the amount of veg should be equal to or more than the amount of beans.  The dressing should add a punch of flavour or colour and bring everything altogether.  

Cost: depends on what's in your fridge but £2.50 will likely do it
Feeds: 3-4; more as a side (recipe multiples easily)

Ingred:
   1 tin kidney beans, drained and washed until the beans are completely free of  tin juices

   generous handful small cauliflower florets and another of trimmed green beans, cooked in boiling water 3 mins then drained
   4 tbsp sun-blush tomatoes, either make-your-own sun blush toms (cheaper) OR  deli OR jarred sun blush toms
   3-4 wedges marinated peppers, either make-your-own (cheaper) or deli or jarred marinated peppers
   handful fresh cucumber, in med wedges 
   handful fresh tomatoes; if baby toms, sliced; if normal toms, in large dice
   4 large raw mushrooms in small wedges
   1 tablespoon finely chopped chives or parsley (opt)

Garnish
   handful spinach or other leaves for a base
   peanuts or cashews, lightly salted, opt but recommended (if using commercial salted nuts, rub them with a paper serviette to remove some of the oil and salt)

Dressing
   100gm/3 1/2oz thick 0-fat yoghurt
   2 tbsp mayonnaise

   1 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar
   1 tbsp chopped fresh mint or 1 tsp dried  
   pepper & salt
   rounded tablespoon good tahini
   1 med beetroot in vinegar, drained, in small dice 

Method:

1. In a large bowl, gently mix pulses and veg, distributing everything evenly - a mouthful should contain nearly every element
2. Garnish with nuts
3. Mix dressing ingred; serve separately

Tips:

• for a large group, try mixing kidney beans with white beans or chickpeas
• try adding chunks of fruit: nectarine, watermelon, citrus fruit, apple, pear
• another suitable dressing would be Oriental Dressing (standard or creamy)

For more salads, go to  Nav Bar/Recipes...

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.