Hearty Tuna and Green Bean Salad

Several random and incomplete thoughts about salad:

A salad doesn't need thick creamy dressing and croutons to fill you up.

Yes you can eat it as a main!

Be creative..don't limit yourself to store-bought dressings.

Try to mix textures and colours.

Make it look pretty. It's always more appetizing when food looks good...even if you're cooking for one. For me that's all the more reason to make it special:)

I know I've made a good salad when people who love meat and aren't on diets go for seconds and thirds!

Thank you.....

I love this salad because there are so many things harmoniously taking place. There's a lot of subtle and bold flavours and textures. For instance, the green beans have a subtle flavour but very bold texture and colour, while the frisee is subtle in texture but bold in flavour and so on. Then there's the hearty potatoes, tuna and cannellini  beans that turn into velvet in your mouth...The dressing is the best bit! I rarely use garlic in salad dressings but made sure I used it in this one because it's a very bold and filling salad that welcomes the extra bite! But garlic haters don't be discouraged, it was very much toned down with other components like dijon and honey... an absolutely stellar salad!

Ingredients:
2 cups green beans cut in thirds
1 head frisee
1 can cannellini beans
1 red potato thinly sliced
1 can albacore tuna
1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half
1/4 cup red onion sliced thinly
7 pepperoncini

Dressing:
1/4 teaspoon grated garlic
1/4 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt...or less if you're low sodium
1/2 teaspoon oregano powder

Method:
place potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Once the potatoes are nearly cooked, add the green beans and cook until they're tender yet crisp. Strain and reserve.

In the meantime place the tomatoes, frisee, tuna, cannellini beans and onions in a bowl. Add the potato and beans. whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad. Toss well, place pepperoncini on top and serve.