Spice Rack Challenge: Minted Bean Salad

Mint is supposed to be invasive.   I can remember as a kid having one whole corner of our backyard covered in mint, and we'd make mint tea by putting some sprigs of mint and tea bags in a gallon jar and leaving it out in the sun for the day.    However, as a grown up I have tried and failed to grow mint many times.   I love mojitos, and so I have planted mint in the yard with the hopes of cocktails to come, but to no avail.     I have had some luck with growing mint in a container, however.    It does tend to return every year, which is nice.    Right now, I have about 5 healthy looking sprigs growing in my patio garden container, along with lots of parsley, so I decided to make a bean salad.   I really like making bean salads on the weekend for lunch during the work week.  A couple weeks  ago, I cooked up a big pot of dried Michigan Great Northern beans and froze them in sandwich sized bags.   Put up this way, they have much less sodium than canned beans, and a pound of dried beans cost $1.69, which is 4-5 cups cooked beans.   It's a great recipe - cheap, good for you and filling!

Minted Bean Salad
For the salad
2 cups cooked white beans, such as Great Northern
1/2 chopped red pepper

For the dressing
Juice of one lemon
1/4 c olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs mint, minced
1/2 c parsley, minced
1/4 c. snipped chives

2 t. kosher salt

Stir together beans and pepper, set aside.  In a jar with a lid, add dressing ingredients and shake.  Pour over top salad.   Tastes better the next day!