Italian 3 Bean Salad

3 Bean Salad is delicious. A staple of picnics and potlucks, it can be a satisfying side because of the high amount of protein and fiber - it's just chock full of the stuff!

It can be quick and easy too if you're using canned beans, though I like to go a more wholesome route and do it with dried beans from scratch. There's something about the aroma of a pot of beans that I love.

So pack a picnic basket full of this and a sandwich (plus maybe a bottle of wine) for a lovely day out. Enjoy!

Serves 8 as a side

Ingredients

Using dried beans: ½ pound each of chickpeas, kidney beans, and green beans, cooked according to package directions.
Using canned beans: one each 15 ounces cans of the above.
1 small or medium onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
3-4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
optional: splash of lemon juice

Directions

1. Using dried beans: ½ pound each of chickpeas, kidney beans, and green beans, cooked according to package directions.
Using canned beans: one each 15 ounces cans of the above.

2. Whether using canned or home cooked beans, drain them well. Combine all in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion and celery. Mix well.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together 3-4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of dried oregano. Begin with the lesser amounts of vinegar and olive oil. Add your vinaigrette to your beans and mix thoroughly. Give it a taste, adding additional vinegar and oil as needed. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Allow to chill at least overnight for the best flavor.