Tomato & Asparagus Mung Bean Salad

Salads are a playground for flavor! Check out this protein and nutrient packed rainbow for your next meal or side dish.

Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 5 mins
Serving size: 1 bowl

Ingredients

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes - sliced in half
• couple sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1lb asparagus - ends trimmed then cut into 1-2 inch piece
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked sprouted mung beans
• 4 cloves garlic
• heaping 1/2 cup fresh herbs - basil, chives, thyme, oregano, parsley
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 Tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 Tsp lemon juice
• 1-2 Tsp VitaFiber IMO Syrup
• sea salt and black pepper - to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper- spread the sliced tomatoes on one and the chopped asparagus on the other.  Season with salt and pepper, and crush one clove of garlic over each cookie sheet.  Over the tomatoes, sprinkle the fresh thyme leaves.  Place cookie sheets in the oven and roast ~20 minutes, until the tomatoes are blistery and the asparagus is soft.
3. Meanwhile, cook sprouted mung beans according to package instructions.  Mine go like this: Bring 4.5 cups of water to a boil.  Add 1 1/2 cups mung beans, and gently boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 5-8 minutes.  Drain off any excess water.
4. Immediately after the 5-8 minutes of resting time, remove the lid and crush the remaining two cloves of garlic into the mung beans.  Fluff the beans with a fork, and allow the garlic to be lightly cooked from ambient heat.
5. Chop the herbs and whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing.
6. When the veggies are done roasting, transfer to a large serving bowl.  Add the mung beans and herbs.  Stir to combine evenly, then toss with dressing to desired consistency (you may have a couple tablespoons left over).  Before serving, top with diced avocado and crunchy toasted pine nuts.
7. This tastes best at room temperature or warm, but it can be served chilled too!