The perfect summer salad is elements of green, sweet, creamy and crunchy with a dressing. No more, no less, and it must be quick to assemble.

The five elements in this bean salad are green spinach, sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy butter beans and mushrooms, crunchy green beans with fresh dill.

Health benefits:

·       When eaten with a whole grain such as brown rice or whole-wheat pasta, butter beans offer as much protein as meat and dairy foods with far fewer calories.

·       Like other beans, the butter bean is high in dietary fibre. Fibre is beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels, and also in regulating blood sugar levels. The beans also contain insoluble fibre which is helpful in preventing digestive disorders.

TOMATO & GREEN BEAN SALAD

PB, V option

2 cups (200 g) mushrooms

400 g tin of butter beans, drain

1 cup (200 g) cherry tomatoes

handful of green beans

fresh dill

extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon

1 ball of vegan buratta

Using a paper towel, dab the dirt off the mushrooms and slice in half. Heat a frypan and sauté in a little extra virgin olive oil until the mushrooms become lightly golden. Blanch the green beans in a pot of boiling water with a pinch of sea salt until tender-crisp but bright green, for about 3-5 minutes. Drain and plunge straightaway into a bowl of icy water to stop the cooking process. Layer the butter beans, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and green beans onto a platter with fresh dill, squeeze with a little lemon juice and drizzle a extra virgin olive oil over the salad, top with a burrata ball.