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Three Bean Salad – Great source of Protein

Three Bean Salad

Three Bean SaladIf you like your beans then you will definitely like this Three Bean Salad which is extremely tasty and a great source of protein. Oh and best part – it is super EASY to make.

As soon as the warmer weather starts to come I think of salads – not your regular green salads, but pasta salads, potato salads etc… But for us that have gone through Gastric Bypass Surgery having those too often with the high carbs is not a great idea. Of course I have had some already here and there, but just very small amounts – I do not deprive myself of anything as long as my pouch allows me to have it.

So I have been looking for some other tasty salad recipes to try and this Three Bean Salad was one of them. I actually made this last night and it was so good that I knew it was worth sharing and so here it is:

What you will need to create this Three Bean Salad:

  • 1 Can of Green Beans (14 1/2 ounce) – Drained
  • 1 Can Kidney Beans (16 ounce) – Drained
  • 1 Can Garbanzo Beans (15 1/2 ounce) – Drained
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Green Pepper (I used a 1 small one)
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Red Onion (I just used 1/2 a medium red onion)
  • 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic (I used the minced garlic from the jar)
  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/4 Cup Cider Vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp Splenda
  • 1 (.7 ounce) packet of dry Italian Dressing Mix

So I gathered all my goodies for this recipe and was ready to give it a try. Note: I was originally going to use fresh garlic, but got lazy and went for the jar of minced garlic instead – lol. I then chopped up my Pepper and Onion and was ready for assembly !!

Now this cannot be an easier – so my kind of recipe !!

Get a bowl and dump in all your drained Beans, then toss in the rest of the ingredients and Mix.

I then put mine in the fridge for a few hours to marinate before I ate it.

I ended up having it for dinner and ate about a cup of it with no problems, it was sooooo good. It has a sweet and tangy flavor and I honestly was nervous about the Splenda making it too sweet and it did not at all. I really enjoyed this and it is a great side dish or a meal like I had it for.

Here is some Nutritional Info for this Recipe:

  • Serving Size – 1/2 Cup
  • Calories 130
  • Fat 4 grams
  • Cholesterol 0 grams
  • Sodium 380 mg
  • Carbs 20 grams
  • Fiber 6 grams
  • Sugars 2 grams
  • PROTEIN 5 grams – Nice !!!

Enjoy !!

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Tomato Bean Soup Recipe

Tomato Bean Soup

Tomato Bean SoupMy sister made me this delicious Tomato Bean Soup last week which was worth the share. It is a great source of protein from all the beans and it was extremely tasty !!

First let me start off by saying that I have such a great sister who happens to love to cook when she has the time. Last week when I was complaining about eating the pureed foods she decided to make me this soup. While it was not pureed when I ate it – it could have been if I wanted it to be. I decided to eat it as is because all the ingredients in it were cooked to where they were extremely soft.

Here is what she used to make this Soup:

  • 1 Large Onion – Chopped
  • 1 Large Carrot – Chopped
  • 1 Celery Rib – Chopped
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3 Garlic Cloves – Minced
  • 4 Cups of Chicken Broth (you can also use vegetable broth)
  • 2 tsp Sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 2 Cans Kidney Beans or Cannellini Beans (my sister used one of each)
  • 1 Can Crushed Tomatoes
  • 3 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese

NOTE: You can add in an additional can of beans to this – which is what we will do next time we make it. Hey the more protein per serving the better right? If you are at the point where you can tolerate Pasta – you can also add some in to the soup as well – 3/4 Cup uncooked pasta would be enough. I also think it would be tasty with some cooked ground turkey too – so many options !!!

In a large pot saute up your Onion, Carrot and Celery in the Olive Oil until tender. Add in Garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Next add in the Broth, Sugar, Italian Seasoning and Red Pepper Flakes. (if adding Pasta add it in now as well). Then add in the Crushed Tomatoes and canned Beans. Bring to a boil and then let simmer uncovered until the beans and vegetables get to your desired likeness. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.

My sister cooked the soup till all the veggies got very soft and the Cannellini Beans broke down a bit and made the soup thicker.

I do not know the exact nutritional info for this – that will all depend on how many cans of beans you use etc.. BUT I do know that it is no less than 10+ grams protein per serving (about 1 Cup).

P.S. – YES that is a Baby Spoon in the bowl – I use the Nuby Baby Spoons when I eat – it helps me from putting too much in my mouth at a time.

Enjoy !!!