PP White Bean Salad with Apricots and Pistachios

Chef:  Del Sroufe
Makes:  4 Servings
Prep Time:  20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (15 oz) cans white beans, rinsed and drained, or 3 c cooked white beans (*see tip)
• 1 medium red onion
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• ¾ c dried unsulfured apricots, chopped
• 3 T chopped fresh mint
• ½ c toasted pistachios
• Grated zest of one orange
• Juice of 2 oranges
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ t crushed red pepper flakes
• Sea salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  
2. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

TIPS

1. Any white beans will work in this recipe –Great Norther, cannellini or navy-so use whatever you have on hand.  
2. You can use this recipe as a template for different bean salads.  Try different beans, different dried or fresh fruits, and different herbs like basil, cilantro or tarragon.  If you are not a fan of beans, substitute 4 cups brown rice or cooked quinoa.
3. You might be tempted to skip the orange zest in this dish or to use bottled orange juice or lemon juice in place of fresh juice, but the fresh juice has much better flavor than the bottled.  Have fun at home and do your own taste test to see which your family like better.

*Note for the cook:   You can toast nuts in the oven or on the stove top.  I prefer the oven method because it is a little more forgiving if I happen to walk away from the kitchen and leave them unattended.  On the stove top, nuts quickly go from toasted to burned, so you have to stay with them to avoid burning.  Stove top method:  Coarsely chop the nuts and toast them in a skillet over medium-low heat, shaking the pan frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes.  Oven method: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coarsely chop the nuts and spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the nuts until fragrant and lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. 

Chef Del Sroufe teaches cooking classes at local venues like Whole Foods, Community Recreation Centers, and The Wellness Forum.   Sroufe is the author of The China Study: Quick & Easy Cookbook, The China Study Family Cookbook, Better Than Vegan, and Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook, a vegan cookbook companion to the acclaimed documentary Forks Over Knives. Learn more at www.chefdelsroufe.com.