I love salads. I mean I really love salads. When I am enjoying a well-made salad, I appreciate how each forkful is packed with different flavors and textures: crisp veggies, crunchy croutons, salty nuts, sweet berries, creamy cheeses, pickled beans, tangy dressings…the possibilities are endless! I particularly love that I can make a nourishing meal from a healthy, protein packed salad and not feel a twinge of guilt over what I’m eating.

Because I eat a lot of salads, I need to think outside the box and not default to the usual salad recipe of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and dressing. Sure that’s easy to throw together, but is it satisfying? No. Will my taste buds be happy? Eh. Since I am spending a lot more time at home these days, I am loving that I can craft a lunch or dinner that is a salad lover’s dream. I am trying new flavor combinations, utilizing vegetables that are in season and upping my game. I am trying not to make the same salad each day and only use the ingredients we have on hand, to avoid going to the store. It’s been a fun and delicious challenge!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I did. In fact, after I made this salad and finished taking pictures, my 13 year-old son and I stood at the counter and ate the salad for our breakfast. The next day, I chopped up the left overs of this salad, and added them to my husband’s scrambled eggs and rice. He devoured the entire dish. Yep, this salad is “that” good!

With love and healthy thoughts,

Jane

GREEN BEANS, SHALLOTS AND ORANGE SALAD

Makes enough salad for 2 people for a lunch/dinner or 4 people for a side salad. To make this a hearty, protein-packed meal add beans, fish, chicken or eggs to this dish.

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed and washed

• 1/2 cup sliced shallots

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 healthy pinch kosher salt

• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

• 3 tsp sesame seeds

• 3 clementines or 2 navel oranges segments (SAVE THE JUICE)

• Drizzle balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place the green beans in a roasting pan, try not to overcrowd them.

3. Sprinkle the sliced shallots on top.

4. Drizzle with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and sesame seeds.

5. Mix well with your hands to get the oil and spices on each bean.

6. Roast in the oven for 7-8 minutes.

7. Remove from oven, and set aside.

8. Using a sharp knife, cut out the clementine or orange segments (see video here). Make sure to save the juice.

9. Arrange the roasted green beans and shallots on a plate, sprinkle with the orange segments. Drizzle a bit of the reserved citrus juice and balsamic vinegar over the top of the salad.