Meet Alex Caspero
Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
The perfect salad for your next cookout! Dilled Bean Salad with Zucchini and Quinoa!
This post may or may not have been written as I watched my 700th episode today of Property Brothers while trying to convince myself that this is the last one I will watch before I actually do real work.
Why did HGTV have to come to Netflix? And why cannot I not stop ogling every property for sale in St. Louis and imagining that BL and I are going to DIY ourselves into a dream home? The relocation struggle is real.
In reality, our current home is covered head to toe in moving boxes and I cannot stop watching home design shows. Which isn’t getting us any closer to the fact that the moving pods come Friday and this house ain’t gonna pack itself. I’m freely trading brownies for anyone who wants to fill the boxes so I can continue my HGTV marathon.
This is also why this salad didn’t get posted on Friday- or Monday. Instead of spending Memorial Day Weekend packing up the rest of the house and being the responsible adults we pretend to be, we headed out on a 4-day road-trip for our ‘Peace Out West Coast, Hello Midwest’ farewell tour.
Beach, Sun, Tacos > Taping, filling and stacking boxes. #priorities
The good news (for you) is that I’m also in the mindset of fuss-free meals: Lots of salads, make- ahead dishes and cheese and crackers. And since 90% of my kitchen will be in storage for the next few months, I’m also going to be sharing lots of one-pot, one-bowl items as well. Minimalist cooks, let’s do this.
If I could put all my favorite things into one bowl, this bean salad might be it. Roasted vegetables, quinoa, beans, and dilly-dressing. So hearty, filling and just as good on day 2 and 3 as it was when I first made it. Since BL will be heading out to St. Louis weeks before I get there, I’m relying on meals that do double-duty to prevent me from calling for take-out too often. Try bean salad first as a side dish, then warmed and tucked into a pita for the next day’s lunch, then tossed with arugula and a little more dressing for dinner the next day. Versatility is the name of this salad’s game.
The inspiration for this salad came from one of my favorite childhood treats: Costco’s bean salad. Perfectly tangy, sweet and packed with three kinds of beans, I wanted to recreate a hearty dish that I could bring to potlucks and cook-outs over and over again this summer.
And while I love the tang of that Costco salad, I knew I wanted this one to have a little more punch- a salad hearty enough to double as a meal. So, I added in some quinoa and roasted vegetables for extra fiber, protein, and bulk. You know it’s good when I eat spoonful after spoonful as I am trying to photograph.
Plus, this salad is a nutrition powerhouse. The quinoa and the black beans contribute to 20g of protein per serving along with iron, calcium, and vitamin C.
So the next time your meat-lovin’ friend asks “but where do you get your protein?”
↓↓↓ this!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
PrintPerfect bean salad for your next cookout! Bring this along and everyone is going to love it! You have to try this dilled bean salad with zucchini and quinoa!
Tag @delishknowledge on Instagram and hashtag it #delishknowledge
(21 comments) leave a comment
can i use dried dill??
Yes! You might have to adjust the amounts a little bit, so taste and see as you go!
I’m a little scared for myself now that I know property brothers is on netflix! i love that show. but i am glad about this salad recipe. I can’t wait to try it. good luck with the moving!
I totally feel you- it’s addicting. I find myself saying “One more episode” pretty often 🙂
Yum! This salad sounds amazing – I love quinoa and beans. And, ugh, there was definitely a period where HGTV took over our DVR (that was before it came to Netflix!). We were gutting our new house, and it was seriously all that my husband and I could think and talk about. Good luck with unpacking! It will eventually get done 🙂
Sounds like a fun project! I know DIY is a lot more of a pain than it looks on TV but after all my marathon watching, I cannot wait to get in there and tear things up 🙂
Those Property Brothers are addictive! Love that show and find myself watching one too many episodes, it’s too easy to do. This salad looks fantastic – love salads that are better the next day and the day after. Pinning! And good luck with the move!
It’s so easy to do! All of a sudden, a few hours have gone by and I have nothing to show for it 🙂 Thank you!
Netflix is just evil. I should be sleeping now, but instead I am on netflix and reading your blog! BTW, love this recipe, you’ve added all of my favorite things (except the meat) in one bowl.
Ha! Don’t you hate that? I could have a reasonable bedtime if it wasn’t for netflix and late night blog reading on my phone!
Good luck with the move! The salad looks delicious too, but I love anything with dill.
Heck yes — your priorities are definitely in the right order!! If you’re about to move away from CA (NOOOOOOOOOOOOO I won’t let you!), then you really need to have fun and soak up every last sun-soaked minute. But if I DO let you move (which I’m not), then I’m super jealous that you get to buy a house!! And I’m totally coming to visit! 🙂
Yes! I believe there is a certain baseball stadium in Mo that has YOUR name on it! You better come and stay with us! 🙂
this looks delicious! i totally want to try this! I love how healthy it is! YUM
Thanks Michele!
Good luck with the move, you are making me nervous though, I am moving soon and am dreading the packing
It really is the worst BUT I am trying to think of all the positivities: cleaning out what I don’t need anymore and then the excitement of creating a new home. Good luck with your move!
Good luck with your move! This salad sounds perfect for making in advance for lazy summer days, I’m totally on board!
Thanks Jess!