Fresh Vegetable Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

My husband and I try to always eat our veggies. But we tend to always fall back on our standby, spinach; we eat salads with most meals, and after awhile, eating the same thing day in and day out starts to get old. We were watching the Food Network the other day and saw this delicious, simple veggie salad Giada was making, and decided to try it out. A perfect side dish for summer.

Photo courtesy of Nicholas Draney Photography Anytime Vegetable Salad Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis 2 cups shelled edamame soy beans 8 ounces thin green beans, trimmed 8 ounces yellow wax beans, trimmed (I omitted, couldn't find any at the store) 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil or tarragon leaves 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Cook the edamame in a large pot of boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water, then drain well and pat dry. Repeat with the green beans and yellow beans. Combine the vegetables in a bowl. Add the vinegar, oil, herbs, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper to a glass screw-top jar. Seal the jar and shake vigorously to mix the vinaigrette. When you're ready to serve, shake the jar again to re-mix the vinaigrette and pour it over the vegetables. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired. Alternate Method: Whisk the vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 3/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Add all of the beans, tomatoes, basil, and thyme, and toss to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with more salt and pepper, and serve.