Perfect summer mint and mixed bean salad that'll make you say MMmmmmmmmm.

Have you ever seen/tasted/done/read something and thought to yourself, WHY ON EARTH have I never done this before? Why have I never had these flavours explode in my mouth? This happened the other day as I sat outside the serpentine gallery, melting as I sat in the sun on the framework by Sou Fujimoto and then just like that, this little bean salad was enough to knock me off my feet. Simple but refreshing. Of course being an eager little foody beaver I had to make it as soon as I got home...thank me for this later.

Ingredients:

200g fine beans, chopped in half
160g hard shelled peas
1 small red onion, finely chopped into cubes
1 tin of kidney bens in chilli sauce
4 cherry tomatoes, chopped into small cubes
Mint leaves, finely chopped

Juice of half a fresh lemon
Table spoon of white vinegar
Salt & pepper to season

1. Put the peas in to a bowl, pour in boiling water, cover with a plate and let it sit for 1 minute. Drain out the water and leave to sit in cold water for a few minutes until peas have cooled. Drain water and add to salad bowl.

2. Do the same with the fine beans, except leave to sit in bowling water for 5 minutes. Add to the salad bowl.

3. Add the chopped onion, tomatoes, mint, lemon juice and vinegar to the salad and mix until well combined. Add salt and pepper to season (don't be afraid to season well!)

4. Let the salad sit for roughly half an hour to marinate before serving.

5. Whether you serve it as a  perfect side with pasta, or as a salad with grilled chicken breasts on top...ENJOY.