White Bean, Sundried Tomato, & Olive Salad

It's going to be a short little post today. I'm sitting here with my big mug of jasmine green tea as the rain is falling from the sky and the trees are whipping around like crazy. I'm checking things off of my must-do list and planning out the menu for my upcoming raw food class, which is super exciting. This pretty little salad reminds me of something I would eat in Italy. It's simple and really flavorful. My husband loves sundried tomatoes (so do I), so I like to add a lot. Serve it over a pile of salad greens for lunch, and it would also be great with some cooked wheat berries, farro, or barley mixed in to make it a complete meal.

White Bean, Sundried Tomato, & Olive Salad

2 cups cooked white beans, drained and rinsed of cooking liquid (or use two cans of beans, rinsed and drained very well)
1/2 to 3/4  cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
1 red bell pepper or roasted red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 cup sundried tomatoes, rehydrated in a bowl of warm water for 20 minutes, chopped
1 large fresh tomato, seeded and cut into chunks, or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
lots of fresh basil, roughly chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, black pepper, and dried basil to taste

1. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and plenty of sea salt, black pepper, and dried basil to taste. Toss gently and serve.

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