Beans and Broccoli – a Match made in Superfood Heaven!

Instead of bringing the go to pasta salad to a pot luck gathering, be the one to bring a super nutritious bean and broccoli salad. Pick your favorite pasta salad and substitute beans (kidney beans, black eyed beans, pinto beans, navy beans, lentils, and black beans) for the pasta, which increases the protein and fiber content in your dish. Add the broccoli and you have the ultimate cancer prevention meal!

Rather than adding a high fat dressing to your bean salad with oil and mayonnaise, create a healthier creamy dressing with low fat, plain Greek yogurt, white vinegar, and various herbs and spices such as the Roasted Garlic Yogurt Dressing featured in this week’s recipe.

Check out this zero cholesterol, heart healthy recipe of beans and broccoli salad:

Pinto Bean and Broccoli Salad with Roasted Garlic Yogurt Dressing

Ingredients:

Yield: 12 servings (1/2 cup per serving)

Roast Garlic Yogurt Dressing

•  1 garlic bulb (8 cloves)
•  1 Tablespoon of olive oil
•  1 cup of plain 0% greek yogurt
•  1 Tablespoon of salt substitute
•  1 tsp of cracked black pepper

Bean Salad

• 1 stalk of broccoli, chopped (about 2 cups of chopped broccoli)
• 1 can of pinto beans, drained, rinsed (or 2 cups cooked dried pinto beans)
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 ° F.
2. Cut off the top ¼ of the garlic bulb to reveal the flesh of the garlic cloves.
3. Place the garlic bulb in aluminum foil and drizzle 1 Tablespoon of olive oil on top of the garlic bulb.
4. Warp the garlic bulb completely and place in the oven.
5. Roast the garlic for 30-40 minutes until garlic cloves are soft enough to mash.
6. Mix all bean salad ingredients into a large bowl along with the dressing ingredients.
7. Refrigerate bean salad until ready to serve.

This recipe is delicious as well as helps reduce cholesterol.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:

• Calories: 84 kcal
• Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Carbohydrates: 13 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Sodium: 7 mg