Italian Bean and Tuna Salad

This Mediterranean salad offers three types of beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, thinly sliced red onion and tuna tossed in a basil vinaigrette and served on a bed of lettuce leaves.

Recipe Ingredients:

Basil Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup tarragon wine vinegar
3 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh, or 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
3 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1 to 2 cloves garlic

Bean and Tuna Salad:
1 (15-ounce) can baby lima beans, rinsed, drained
1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed, drained
1 (15-ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed, drained
8 cherry tomatoes, cut into fourths
1/2 small cucumber, cut lengthwise into halves, seeded, sliced
1/3 cup chopped green or red pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tuna steaks (about 16 ounces), broiled or grilled, or 1 can (12 1/4 ounces) white tuna in water, drained, flaked into 1-inch pieces
Lettuce leaves
Basil or parsley sprigs

Cooking Directions:

1. For Basil Vinaigrette: Mix all ingredients; refrigerate until serving time. Mix before using. Makes about 2/3 cup
2. Bean and Tuna Salad: Combine beans, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, and onion in large bowl; add Basil Vinaigrette and toss. Refrigerate mixture at least 4 hours for flavors to blend, stirring mixture occasionally.
3. Add tuna to mixture 1 to 2 hours before serving time.
4. Spoon salad onto lettuce-lined plate; garnish with basil.

Makes 6 servings.

Tip: Bean salad can be made and refrigerated 1 day in advance; add tuna as directed above.

Recipe provided courtesy of The Bean Education & Awareness Network.