This blood sugar friendly bean and marinated artichoke salad is the perfect side dish, combining protein and fibre-packed beans with a unique tangy artichoke dressing. Ready in under 15 minutes this salad really is an easy way to add more plants, nutrition and fibre to your meals.
This bean and artichoke salad is an easy and delicious way to add extra nutrition to your meals. Not only is this dish flavourful but it’s also packed with fibre, while still being easy to prepare. Whether you’re looking for a healthy lunch option or a side dish to serve at dinner, this salad is sure to impress.
In this recipe, we’ll be exploring the health benefits, preparation tips, and ways to customise this salad to make it your own.
The Health Benefits of Bean and Marinated Artichoke Salad
When it comes to healthy eating, salads are often recommended as a great way to incorporate more vegetables and fibre into your diet. And this bean and artichoke salad takes it up a level as it is packed with essential vitamins, and minerals, alongside a variety of health benefits. It is:
High in protein – Beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein, making this salad a great option for vegetarians and vegans or those just looking to add more diverse protein to their diet.
High in fibre – Both beans and artichokes salad are rich in fibre, which plays a vital role in maintaining digestive health. But it also helps to control blood sugar levels as they have a low glycaemic index.
Great for blood glucose levels – The fibre and healthy fats in this salad work together to slow down the process of turning carbohydrates into glucose, helping to avoid steep blood sugar spikes spikes
Gut-friendly – This bean and artichoke salad s an easy way to add plenty of plant diversity into your diet which is always good for your gut health.
What you will need to make Bean and Marinated Artichoke salad
Marinated Artichokes
- These are widely available in UK supermarkets and are a store cupboard favourite
- All the hard work has been done for you as they have been prepared, cooked and marinated in oil, vinegar garlic and herbs
- Good source of vitamin C, K, Magnesium and potassium
Tinned Beans
- They are nutrient-dense which means that they contain a good amount of vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre.
- I use a mix of beans for diversity, Black beans, Butter beans and Black-eyed beans. But use whatever tins you have.
Green Beans
- A good source of vitamins and minerals as well as protein and fibre
- Adds a lovely pop of colour and crunch to this salad
For the Marinated Artichoke Dressing
- Marinated Artichokes
- Cider Vinegar
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Parsley
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Equipment
How to prepare this bean and artichoke salad
This salad and dressing really couldn’t be easier to prepare all it requires is a little tin opening, blanching and whizzing for an intensely delicious addition to your meals.
Step 1
Start by lightly blanching (lightly cooking) your green beans in boiling water. Drain and rinse them under the cold tap to stop them from continuing to cook.
Drain your tinned beans and tip them into a medium size bowl. Add your blanched green beans.
Step 2
Next, make the dressing using a hand blender. Add the vinegar, oil, parsley and drained artichokes, plus a couple of teaspoons of the juice from the marinated artichokes, to the small food chopper or beaker. Season well and blitz until you have a smoothish paste.
Step 3
Finally, mix all of the beans and dressing until everything is beautifully coated.
Add the rest of the marinated artichokes before serving.
Tips for the perfect salad
Cooking the green beans – You don’t want to overcook your beans in this salad. Not only will nutrients be lost but their lovely crunch as well. So for a fine green bean, I cook them for 1 minute in boiling water. But if they are slightly thicker then maybe cook them for around 2 minutes.
For the marinated artichoke dressing – You only need to make 1/2 the amount of dressing in my recipe for this bean salad. And if you prefer a looser dressing then simply add some water, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
Other salads you will love
Tuna Pesto Pasta
This tuna pesto pasta recipe is gluten free, nutritious, delicious, diabetes-friendly and will definitely leave you craving for more.
Roasted Peppers and Aubergine Salad
This roasted peppers salad with aubergine makes a healthy and nutritious side dish or light meal.
Customising this salad
This salad is wonderful as it is but feel free to experiment and customise it by using any type of tinned beans you prefer. Just remember the more varieties the more diversity for you and your gut.
Here are some other suggestions you could try:
Swap out the green beans – Use peas, broad beans or edamame
For a more Meditteranean twist – Add some olives, sun dried tomatoes and extra marinated artichokes
Switch the dressing – You may fancy a simpler vinaigrette dressing or just olive oil and lemon juice. Both are tasty alternatives
Add an extra zing – Squeeze over some fresh lemon juice for a little extra tanginess and freshness.
How to store
This bean and artichoke salad is a great meal prep or make-in-advance option. I often keep some form of bean salad available in the fridge to add to my meals as an easy way to add more plants into my diet. I particularly enjoy adding them at lunchtime. It’s great on top of a chopped salad or in a wholemeal wrap for a quick lunch.
Store this bean salad in a sealed container for up to 4-5 days in the fridge.
Diabetes Note
This is a completely carb count free dish so eat as much as you like without having to worry about counting for it!
More Easy & Delicious Diabetic Recipes for BALANCED Blood SugARS:
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Bean and Marinated Artichoke Salad
This blood sugar friendly bean and marinated artichoke salad combines protein and fibre-packed beans with a unique tangy artichoke dressing. An easy way to add more plants to your diet
4
servings10
minutes2
minutes0
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
3 400g 3 tinned beans in water. eg. black, butter, red, haricot
200 g 200 fine green beans
100 g 100 marinated artichokes, drained but keep some of the juice
25 ml 25 cider vinegar
60 ml 60 extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp 1 parsley
Directions
- Start by lightly blanching your green beans in boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
Drain and rinse them under the cold tap to stop them from continuing to cook. - Drain your tinned beans and tip them into a medium size bowl. Add your blanched green beans.
- Next, make the dressing using a hand blender. Add the vinegar, oil, parsley and drained artichokes, plus a couple of teaspoons of the juice from the marinated artichokes, to the small food chopper or beaker. Season well and blitz until you have a smoothish paste.
- Finally, mix all of the beans and dressing together until everything is beautifully coated.
- Add the rest of the marinated artichokes from the jar before serving.
Equipment
Tips and Notes
- Cooking the green beans – For a fine green bean, I cook them for 1 minute in boiling water. But if they are slightly thicker then maybe cook them for around 2 minutes.
- If you prefer a looser dressing then simply add some water, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Diabetes Note – This is a completely carb count free dish so eat as much as you like without having to worry about counting for it!
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