Marinated Balsamic Bean Salad

This flavorful chilled salad is wonderful year around, but is especially nice during the hot summer afternoons. And it keeps wonderfully well in the fridge! Adapted from a recipe by Cooking Light, 1997. Prep time includes chilling.

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  cup frozen whole kernel corn or 1  cup  yellow wax bean
• 1  cup  frozen cut green beans
• 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans (or other favorite red beans)
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans or 1 (15 ounce) can black soybeans
• 1  cup  diced red onion
• 1⁄2 cup  balsamic vinegar
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 2  tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3  tablespoons  minced fresh basil or 1  tablespoon dried basil
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
• 2  garlic cloves, minced

Directions

1. In a colander in the sink, add the corn, green beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans; rinse them well then let drain.
2. In a large bowl combine the onion and remaining ingredients and the mixture in the colander and stir to coat.
3. Transfer to a container with a cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, stirring or shaking occasionally.
4. Note: also good with yellow wax beans and a bit of black olive added - I omit the corn and substitute the yellow wax beans.