Avocado and Bean Salad

1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled and pitted

about 3⁄4 cup small white limas. Cook the beans the night before.(dry)*

3 tablespoons diced red bell pepper

1 stalk finely sliced celery

1 - 2 chopped green onions

Good Seasons Italian Dressing

Make up a batch of the Italian Dressing according to package directions and marinade the beans and vegetables for 8 hours or overnight in the fridge. Serve in the hollow of the avocado. Peel and pit the avocado just before serving.

* I have been making this bean salad with edamame (cooked soy beans). Rinsed canned small red or kidney beans work fine too.

Another variation-- a nice summer salad:

After marinading the beans in the salad dressing, and in addition to the vegetables, we have been adding chopped cucumber, blanched broccoli, raw zucchini and cooked pasta and chopped parsley, increase the amount of olive oil when blending all this together.

-Kate