Summer Bean Salad (w/Shrimp)

Ok, so I officially have a go-to summer treat for you readers!  I found this recipe from the magazine Eating Well's 2010 summer edition and let me tell you, it is tasty.  The perfect light meal for a hot day - this fills you up with the protein from the beans and the lightness of the olive oil/lemon dressing keeps you from feeling bogged down.  The best part - it honestly takes no more than 30 mins to make.  (You know that's an uber-win in my book).  This honestly doesn't even need the shrimp so don't let that scare you away from trying it!

Things to note:

- In my opinion the salad itself can stand on it's own.  It's seriously that good.  Optional idea would be to add quinoa to bulk it up.  I have to give credit to Chris for this one as the boy has become obsessed with the stuff.  It really was a good idea.

- We cut the recipe in half to accommodate for just Chris and I (plus lunch tomorrow), but the recipe below makes 6 servings.  Keep that in mind and cut the recipe in half if need be.

- The original recipe calls for White Beans (aka Canelli Beans) but I only had black beans in my pantry.  Both would clearly work, so pick your preference.

- Try your best to use fresh herbs, but keep in mind dried herbs work just as well.  I ended up using dried herbs, but I can't wait to try it with fresh ingredients.

- Last but not least, while the original recipe calls for a grill I just cooked my shrimp in a pan.  It turned out just as well.  I may or may not have underestimated the amount of shrimp we would eat... keep in mind I wouldn't touch the stuff before I changed my diet so I'm still learning here.  (And yes, Mom, I do eat... *Tangent alert*  As a child I was one picky eater.  As in I would only eat hamburgers... even at a Mexican restaurant.  As a result, I still get shock from my family when I eat food that isn't in the form of a patty covered in ketchup.  Anyway.....)

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons packed fresh oregano, minced
• 2 tablespoons packed fresh sage, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed
• 15-20 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 24 raw shrimp (21-25 per pound), peeled and deveined

Directions:

1. Combine lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, oregano, sage, chives, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the dressing in a small bowl. Add beans, tomatoes, onions, and celery to the large bowl; toss well.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high or place a grill pan over medium-high heat until hot.
3. Thread shrimp onto 6 skewers. (If using a grill pan, you don’t need to skewer the shrimp.)
4. Oil the grill rack or the grill pan. Grill the shrimp until pink and firm, turning once, about 4 minutes total. Serve the shrimp on the white bean salad, drizzled with the reserved dressing.