Dinner last night was angel hair pasta with pesto, Caprese salad, and cannellini bean salad. It was a good combination.
First, let me say, if you haven’t tried Classico Pesto, consider it. This little jar isn’t very expensive, but it’s tasty. Although the ingredient list gets a little foreign, it’s very similar to the version I make at home when there’s basil to spare.
Now to the salad. There’s all kinds of disagreement as to the precise squish factor your cannellini – large Italian white – beans should have. I have no problem with the version canned by Bush. These are firm enough for me. They’re in the canned bean aisle at Pick n Save.
The salad can be made with all kinds of things, including roasted red peppers if you want a little more color, but here are the basics:
Dice a stalk of celery
Dice some red onion (you get to be the boss as to how much!)
With those in a bowl, add a couple of tablespoons of good olive oil, a half teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and a tablespoon or so of white wine vinegar. (I’ve been known to substitute a splash of lemon juice if I’m out of vinegar.) Sprinkle in a little salt.
After you’ve mixed that all up, fold in the rinsed beans, and chill. Add chopped parsley and pepper if you’d like before you serve.
This is a great summer salad, especially on nights you want to go meatless. This morning it was a decent breakfast, though I’m already sporting onion breath. 
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