Free Diet Menu - Three Bean Salad

Three Bean Salad is sold in cans at some supermarkets but can be difficult to find, particularly for those of us who live in a densely populated area.

2 cups of drained green beans
2 cups of drained red kidney beans
2 cups of drained yellow wax beans
1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar
Splenda to suit personal taste

Simply mix together all of the ingredients and chill thoroughly. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use within two days.

Total calories - about 600 calories. Makes about 13 servings - about 46 calories per serving. That's about 1/3 the calories as traditional Three Bean Salad!

Menu Serving Suggestions - Enjoy with a small roasted chicken breast with skin removed.

These days, making rice is only a few minutes away. Instant rice has a different flavor from the raw rice which requires a lot more time to cook. We have a rice steamer that does the job quite well in about 30 minutes. But when we are pressed for time, or when we just want to enjoy the flavor of instant rice, we're happy that it's so easy to prepare - and that it's readily available.

Recipe Ingredients

1 cup of instant rice, prepared
1 medium can of pinto or black beans, liquid drained (can should serve three)
2 slices of your favorite low fat cheese
1/2 cup of your favorite Mexican salsa OR 1 medium can of Mexican style chopped tomatoes

You can also add chopped raw onions and pickled jalapeno peppers to the dish after it's done. Also, we used a reduced fat Colby Jack cheese which contained 50 calories per slice.

Heat the beans in the microwave until steaming hot. Add the rice and stir. Now add the salsa OR the tomatoes, and stir. Transfer to two serving bowls - the more rustic, the more appealing to the eyes where beans are concerned. Top each serving with a slice of cheese. It should melt rapidly but if not, return to zap a few seconds in the microwave.

You can also add your favorite Mexican seasonings to this recipe such as chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin and cilantro. This recipe goes well with a wedge of golden cornbread and reduced fat margarine. This recipe feeds two generously for about 375 calories each.

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Three Bean Salad, a Low Calorie Recipe