Red Pepper, Black Bean & Feta Salad

Good With: Spicy Chicken or Pork dishes, Rice dishes, Nachos
Prep Time: <10 minutes
Cooking Time: N/A
Cost: $1.37 per serving
Adapted from a recipe in the Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet by Nava Atlas

For something you can whip up in less time than it takes to watch the original Thriller video, this salad is huge on flavor. Red bell peppers are one of my favorite raw vegetables to eat, and their fresh, crisp flavor really goes great with the other ingredients in this salad. Plus, if you’ve got the ingredients for this than you’ve got just about everything you need for Black Bean and Feta Tacos and that’s nothing but a bonus.

Ingredients

Makes: 2 large servings

1 can black beans (16oz), drained
1 red bell pepper, matchsticked
1/4 cup vinaigrette
1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Preparation Instructions

1. Combine beans, bell peppers, vinaigrette and cilantro in a mixing bowl and toss well, until vegetables are coated.
2. Divide salad in to bowls and top with feta cheese.

Yaaaaaargh: Make an easy balsamic vinaigrette at home by pouring equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar into a container with a lid and shaking it until they combine. Dip your finger in and taste, then add more oil or vinegar as needed. It’s an extremely cheap substitute for store bought balsamic vinaigrette and once you’ve experimented a few times to get a ratio that suits you just right, you may find yourself preferring home made to the store bought stuff.