White Bean & Broccoli Salad with Parsley-Walnut Pesto

If you happen to have leftover broccoli and potatoes in your refrigerator, the “White Beans & Broccoli Salad with Parsley-Walnut Pesto ” (page 81) can be prepared in no time at all, since the longest part of this recipe is the time it takes to steam these vegetables. (This of course assumes you will be using canned beans – it’s a whole other story if you plan to cook the beans from scratch!) The rest of the salad consists of white beans, kalamata olives, and walnuts, tossed with a parsley-walnut based pesto. The pesto portion of the recipe calls for ½ cup of oil, but as with all my pesto, I substitute the oil with an equal amount of light flavored veggie broth, such as the Frontier brand powdered broth. With nuts already in the mix, there is ample richness and I find I don’t miss the oil at all. Essential, earthy food showcased with a rich and flavorful sauce, this is a filling and satisfying salad that can be the centerpiece of any meal.

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” checklist:

• Substitute the oil in the pesto with an equal amount of light vegetable broth.