4-Bean Salad with Herbed Tahini Dressing

We served this one as the main dish at a Justice in a Changing Climate supper/planning evening and everyone had seconds.  Easy prep on a hot day because the only heating is to thaw the frozen edamame and steam fresh green beans which I did the day before when I cooked green beans for dinner.  All other prep is chopping and mixing.

Swaps:  I did swap honey out, using agave instead to make it strictly vegan.  I also added 1 small zucchini to up the green veggie quotient since this was the main dish for dinner.  You could easily add other fresh veggies from your fridge:  corn, broccoli, even a handful of finely ribboned dark leafy greens.  For my fresh herbs, I chose 1/2 cup minced parsley and supplemented with 1/4 cup (total) minced oregano and marjoram from my garden.  I think fresh tarragon or dill would also be delicious for that 1/4 cup.  I didn't bother with the sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Tahini Tip:  For those who have never made a tahini-based dressing, tahini is ground sesame in oil (like peanut butter); it comes in tall, thin jars and the oil floats to the top during storage.  Shake vigorously to get the paste and oil to recombine.   Do not store an opened jar in the refrigerator. Another property of tahini... because it is oil-based, when you add a water-based liquid, the paste comes back out of solution and it looks like it has curdled.  Just stir briskly as you add your water-based liquid (in this case, lemon juice), and the sauce will get creamy again.

Quantities:  I made 1.5x the recipe and it served 7 people as a main course.  We ate it with crusty bread and a delicious tart pickled watermelon rind salad made by Glenda; ask her for the recipe.

Thank you to eatingwell.com for the basic recipe:  4-Bean Salad with Herbed Tahini Dressing

Submitted by Jane Smith