White Bean Salad w/ Oven Roasted Tomatoes

How is it possible that it took me this long to discover the deliciousness of oven roasted tomatoes??  I mean, honestly.  They are so good, and so simple to make.  If you haven't tried them yet, you will be pleasantly surprised.


In keeping with my promise of giving you more healthy recipes this year (even though I've obviously dropped the ball several times already), I bring you a delicious side dish/lunch option: White Bean Salad with Oven Roasted Tomatoes, from the blog Pink Parsley.  I've modified it just a bit based on the ingredients that I had in my fridge.


You'll need:


1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs sugar
salt and pepper
2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans (or great northern beans)
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
arugula, for serving


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Cut the tomatoes in half and place them cut side up on a baking sheet.  You probably want to line that baking sheet with foil, since things are going to get a little messy.


In a medium bowl (or large measuring cup, or whatever), whisk together the olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper.  Pour the mixture over the tomatoes.  Roast for 45-60 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to caramelize.  You'll notice that the edges start to shrivel up.  Let them cool to room temperature.


Meanwhile, combine the 2 cans of beans, almonds, lemon juice and zest, and cheese in a large bowl.  Once the tomatoes are cool, stir them and their juices into the bean salad.  Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.


You can eat this salad as is, or serve it on a bed of arugula.  Personally, I could eat all of this as is.  However, nestling it into a bed of arugula is faaantastic.  The peppery flavor of the arugula goes with the sweetness of the tomatoes and brightness of the lemon juice really, really well.

Enjoy!! =D