I didn’t grow up eating beans – except as part of the Chile con Carne recipe my mother used to make (a recipe from the year my parents lived in Mexico). And they are still not something I tend to make on a regular basis.

There are, however, lots of reasons to eat more beans. They are a great source of protein, as I keep reading about. They are better for the planet – using less water and land than meat and poultry.

Mostly, though, they are really tasty and a great choice for those hot summer days when I don’t feel like standing over a hot stove or having a hot meal. They are also quick to make if you use canned beans.

TUNA AND BUTTER BEAN SALAD
This is a recipe I’ve been making for a while. Butter beans have a sweet flavor so I prefer them to lima beans. The original recipe called for capers; but my husband Lou doesn’t care for them so I substituted green olives. I prefer to use oil-packed tuna for this recipe but you could use water-packed instead.

Dressing Ingredients
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ olive oil

Salad Ingredients
2 cans butter beans (15 ounces each), drained & rinsed.
2 cans oil-packed Italian tuna (6 ounces each), drained
2-3 stalks celery with leaves, thinly sliced
3-4 tablespoons chopped green olives (OR use 1 tablespoon of capers).
¼ cup chopped chives &/or flat-leaf parsley
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Lettuce, cut up

Directions
1. Whisk together lemon juice & mustard. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.
2. Gently toss together beans, tuna, celery, olives & the herbs. Add the dressing & pepper and toss to coat.
TO SERVE, mound lettuce on a plate and top with the salad. 

WHITE BEAN, FETA, AND PICKLED CELERY SALAD 
I tried this recipe only recently (from the New York Times Cooking app). Pickling the celery in vinegar tenderizes it a bit and makes it less grass-y tasting.

Ingredients
4-6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
½ small red onion, cut lengthwise into quarters and thinly sliced
6-8 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cans cannellini beans (15-ounce each), drained and rinsed
7 to 8 ounces feta, crumbled
¼ – ½ cup chopped parsley
¼ – ½ cup chopped mint
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
1. Place celery & red onion in a large bowl. Mix together vinegar, sugar, cumin & salt. Pour over the vegetables and toss well to combine. Set aside to pickle for 15 minutes.
2. Add cannellini beans, feta, parsley & mint to the vegetables. Add olive oil & pepper and toss well to combine. Serve at room temperature.

ONE-POT BEANS, GREENS, AND GRAINS 
This is another recipe from the New York Times. It involves some cooking but is still a good summertime dish since the heat is turned off after the beans are added and it’s eaten at room temperature. I made it with half each of quinoa and white rice. I like it topped with crumbled feta and Lou also adds some sriracha.

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, long-grain white rice or a mix of the two, rinsed
Ground black pepper
1 can (14-ounce) beans (any kind), drained and rinsed
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces baby kale or spinach, coarsely chopped
1 lemon
TOPPINGS (optional): toasted nuts or seeds, fresh herbs, grated or crumbled cheese, soft-boiled egg, avocado, hot sauce

Directions
1. Put quinoa, pepper, & 1¾ cups water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 13 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, put beans in a small bowl. Finely grate the garlic over the beans, add oil & pepper, and stir to combine. Set aside.
3. After the 13 minutes, arrange the greens on top of the quinoa/rice and season well with pepper. Cover and cook until the quinoa is tender (5 to 7 minutes – the quinoa will be translucent and have a thin white tail.)
4. Remove pot from heat, pour the beans over the greens, cover the pot and let sit for 5 minutes.
5. Finely grate some of the lemon zest over the beans. Cut the zested lemon into wedges.
SERVE with the lemon and other toppings.