Side Bite: Summer Bean Salad with Chili Lime Dressing

Hi Busies!  Even though this is a bean salad, I’m going to start with a rant about how amazing TOMATOES are right now!  ? ❤️ There’s nothing better than a ripe, juicy tomato, and I had the perfect one to include in this summer bean salad that I made for a barbecue with some of Drew’s colleagues.  I get irrationally excited by finding the perfect tomato – you know, the one that is just the right amount of squishy, and when you pick it up you can just tell it’s bursting with juicy tomato-ey goodness?!  I was very tempted to slice it up, sprinkle it with sea salt, and eat it all myself, but for the sake of this salad, I somehow restrained myself.  

The beauty of a salad like this is that you can add or remove whatever you like.  Something delicious in season that you found at the farmers market?  Add it!  Hate onions?  Leave them out!  Adding 1 cup of cooked quinoa turns this into more of a standalone side dish (or even a healthy, filling lunch!), or leave the quinoa out and serve with tortilla or pita chips as more of a dip.  Bonus points if you have leftover slow cooker black beans to use instead of canned!

start by draining and rinsing the beans…

…add in the chopped cilantro, onion, and dressing…

…stir in the avocado and that’s it!

Bean salads like this are my go-to summer side dish, especially for bringing something to an event.  They’re easy and quick to throw together, and make a healthy and colorful addition to any spread.  What’s your favorite way to use tomatoes in the summer?