Lunch: Three Bean Salad with Chicken

In order to really like this meal, you've got to already have an inclination for traditional three bean salad. This is a simple, light meal that gets better as the week goes on and the marinade has time to deepen. This recipe is a combination/alteration of various ones I saw doing research on this typical summer picnic dish.

Three Bean Salad with Chicken
makes 4 lunches

1/2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, well-rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, well-rinsed
2 radishes, thinly diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 tbsp. fresh parsley
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Sherry vinegar (or red wine)
2 tsps. dijon mustard (I used a tsp each of a smooth yellow dijon and a grainy one)
1 1/2 tsps. sugar
salt
pepper

Heat about 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan. When the oil has become heated, add the chicken. Cook through, approximately 10 minutes. Let cool for a long time, at least 1/2 hour.

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for about 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, immediately drain and wash in cold water to stop cooking.

In a mixing bowl, combine kidney beans, garbanzo beans, radishes, bell pepper, onion and parsley. Combine, then add cooled green beans. Combine again.

Make the vinaigrette by combining 1 tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp Sherry vinegar, the two different mustards, and sugar. Whisk, then pour over salad and mix. Dice chicken and add, stirring again.

Costs
Green Beans $1.12
Garbanzo beans $.79
Red kidney beans $.79
Radishes $.79
Sherry vinegar $6.15
Red onion $.60 (I only used half)
Green pepper $1.13 (again, only used half)
Chicken breast $1.66

Total: $13.03

Cost per lunch: $3.26


Nutritional information per serving: 348 calories (59 fat calories), 7g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 46g total carbohydrate, 13g dietary fiber, 5g sugar, 25g protein, vitamin a (10%), vitamin c (40%), calcium (10%), iron (21%). Also a good source of vitamin B6 (46%) and Manganese (50%).