Dense Bean Salad Wellness Seeds (Printable)

A filling blend of chickpeas, kidney beans, fresh veggies, and nutritious chia and hemp seeds.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beans & Legumes

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
03 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Seeds

09 - 2 tablespoons chia seeds
10 - 2 tablespoons hemp seeds

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
17 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

# Step-by-Step:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the chickpeas, kidney beans, and black beans.
02 - Add the diced red bell pepper, chopped red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and chopped parsley to the beans.
03 - Sprinkle the chia seeds and hemp seeds evenly over the salad mixture.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, sea salt, black pepper, and ground cumin until well combined.
05 - Pour the dressing over the bean and vegetable mixture, tossing thoroughly to ensure even coating.
06 - Allow the salad to rest for at least 10 minutes, enabling chia seeds to swell and flavors to meld.
07 - Serve the salad chilled or at room temperature, as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling enough to be lunch, yet light enough that you don't need a nap afterward.
  • The seeds add a subtle crunch and nutrition boost that makes you feel like you're taking care of yourself.
  • Everything comes together in under 20 minutes, no cooking required.
02 -
  • The chia seeds need those 10 minutes to do their thing—if you serve it immediately, they're just crunchy seeds, but wait and they transform into little texture bombs that bind the salad together.
  • Rinsing the canned beans isn't optional; it removes the starch that makes salads weep and separate.
03 -
  • Taste the dressing before it hits the salad—this is your last chance to adjust for salt or acid, and it matters more than you'd think.
  • The red onion mellows as it sits with the acid, so don't be shy with it even if you usually avoid raw onion.
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