Kidney Bean Salad

Once upon a time when I was in college, I had a very bad breakup with a boyfriend who happened to be a raging alcoholic. I quit my bartending job, and moved home to my mom's house where I promptly decided to clean up my life. I quit drinking completely and I became a vegetarian. It lasted about 3 months. I discovered that I can't do soy and that makes vegetarianism difficult, and just because he was an alcoholic didn't mean that I was.

During that brief period of vegetarianism, my mom made me this delicious kidney bean salad which was passed down from her mom. It's super easy and I had to call my mom today to get the recipe (becaues, yes, it's Legume Wednesday!) I just couldn't bear to cook anything in the oven and the stove after slaving all day on the July Daring Baker Challenge. In fact, the Brain and I are ordering pizza in tonight. We're celebrating that I passed my math test. Woohoo!

But I digress. This lovely kidney bean salad is cool and refreshing. When my mom made it for me I knew it wasn't super duper healthy, but I also knew I was getting protein from the beans and it wasn't going to make me sick like the tofu, soy milk and vegetable protein stuff was. And best of all, it can be made from pantry items. Although truth be told, I didn't have any sweet pickles in the house, so I just substituted a couple spoonfulls of sweet relish. Delicious.

Kidney Bean Salad

from Grandma Shazam

1 (15oz.) can light red kidney beans, drained

2 stalks celery thinly sliced

several sweet pickles, chopped (to taste)

a little less than 1/2 cup Miracle Whip

Mix everything together in a bowl. Chill well, and serve.