Kidney bean, sugar snap pea and kale salad w/ miso dressing

I’ve been thinking about how to introduce this salad to you guys for over a week. I’ve been trying to think of proper metaphors and witty jokes, but all to no avail. Womp, womp… I’m just going to have to be straight with you and tell you that this is one of the best salads I’ve ever made or tasted, and that I really strongly urge you to make it.

Beans are an incredible source of nutrition: They are particularly high in protein and iron, which makes them an excellent substitute for animal meat. They are also very high in fiber, which aids digestion, has been proven to help lower cholesterol, and keeps you feeling full and energized throughout the day. Another great benefit of beans is that they easily adapt to almost any and all flavors.

Enter miso. Miso is the wonderfully umami Japanese seasoning I first told you about in my pork and vegetable soup post. Along with a few other classic Asian ingredients, miso gives this salad an irresistible flavor, and does a great job of binding the beans, sugar snap peas and kale together.

(Yield: 4 large or 6 small servings)

Salad ingredients:

1 c dry kidney beans or two 14 oz cans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp salt (only if cooking your own beans)
1 c sugar snap peas
1 c packed thinly sliced kale, stems removed
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Dressing:

1 tbsp white miso (shiro miso)
1 small garlic clove, grated
1″ ginger, grated
1 tbsp finely diced yellow onion
1 tsp honey
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

Cook beans (if using canned, skip to next paragraph): Place beans into a medium pot and add cold water to cover by about 4″. Let sit at room temperature overnight and at least for a few hours. Then stir the beans with your hand to release any dirt and drain water. Replace with new water, add 1 tsp of salt, cover tightly with a lid, and place on the stove over high heat. Once boiling, turn heat down to low, crack lid, and simmer until beans are tender - about 30 min. Then drain and let come to room temperature. Beans can be cooked a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator.

Assemble the salad: Place the sugar snap peas into a medium bowl and cover with about 1 cup of boiling water. Soak for 2 min, drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking process.

Capture

Cut peas on a diagonal into 1/2″ pieces and combine with cooked beans, kale and sesame seeds in a large bowl. To make miso dressing, stir all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until combined.