11. Marinated Green Bean Salad

This salad is great for a picnic since it contains no dairy and is even better served at room temperature than cold.

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh green beans
2 tbs flat leaf parsley, chopped
8-10 basil leaves, chopped
1 tbs fresh oregano
OR equivalent amount of mixed dry Italian seasoning
5 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Kalamata olives (optional)
Goat cheese (optional)


Make Ahead Preparation:

Put herbs, onion and garlic into a large bowl.

Rinse the green beans and snap off ends. Drop them into boiling water just until they begin to get tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and add them to the bowl while still hot.

Mix all ingredients together. Let cool. When room temperature, refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 4 or 5 days.

Last Minute Assembly:

Add the olive oil, salt and pepper just before serving, tossing well to combine. Salad can be served cold or at room temperature.

If desired, you can also toss in some crumbled goat cheese and Kalamata olives.