Guest Cafe Chef, Teresa Tysinger

Jan here, introducing a guest on this side of the Cafe counter! Teresa Tysinger is an author who has just released her debut novel, Someplace Familiar. Be sure to check out the description and links below.

Meanwhile, like the rest of us here at the Cafe, Teresa has another part to her life - she's a wife and mom, and loves to cook!

Please welcome Teresa!


Quick, Easy & Cheap Three Bean Salad

By Teresa Tysinger

As a mom, wife, author, and full-time communications director there are three words that are music to my ears when considering dinners for my family: quick, easy, cheap. Any recipe that can accomplish that triple threat is a winner in my book!

Thankfully, recipes that fit the quick-easy-cheap bill often are child-friendly, too. My daughter is eight years old. Sharing mama with a novel-writing schedule can be hard for a little one to understand, so finding ways to spend quality time together is a top priority. At this particular age, she is eager to be by my side and help whenever I’ll let her. So, the kitchen has become one of our favorite spots to hang out together.

One of our favorite dinners to make together lately is a Three Bean Salad. Chock full of high-protein beans, it’s a great meatless meal option—something that cuts down on the cost, too. I’d love to share the recipe with you!

THREE BEAN SALAD

1 can Dark Kidney Beans, drained/rinsed
1 can Light Kidney Beans, drained/rinsed
1 can Cannellini Beans, drained/rinsed
½ cup chopped bell peppers (sweet red, yellow, orange are my favorite!)
½ cup chopped celery
2-3 chopped scallions
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and let set for at least half an hour so flavors marry. We prefer this at room temperature.

TIPS:

·         If you can find it in your grocery store, I often use 3 cans of a three-bean blend instead of individual cans of each bean. Black beans are also a good option! Use any you most enjoy.

·         Like other veggies, throw them in, too!

·         Apple cider vinegar works just as good as red wine vinegar.

·         You can bulk this up into a “meatier” meal by adding chopped grilled chicken or steak.

SOMEPLACE FAMILIAR

Someplace Familiar is my recently released debut novel. A contemporary southern romance, here’s a little bit about the book:

Artist Livy Johnson needs a fresh start. That's what a broken heart and forgotten dreams can do to a person. On little more than a whim, she reclaims her grandmother’s old home in quaint Laurel Cove, North Carolina and vows to restore its original charm. When she literally collides with childhood friend, Jack Bowdon, Livy wonders if she’s back for an entirely different reason.

Jack can’t believe his childhood crush is back. As the owner of Bowdon's Supplies, and once again the town's most eligible bachelor, he offers to help Livy with repairs. Together they embark on the project—and an undeniable whirlwind romance.

But it’s not all smooth sailing. Can they survive the destructive pain of their pasts to discover God’s grace waiting to renovate their hearts?

Available in print and eBook on Amazon (link: http://a.co/69rUUlb)

ABOUT TERESA

Teresa Tysinger is a wife and mother transplanted from North Carolina to North Texas. When not working as the Director of Communications for a large downtown church, she writes charming southern romances inspired by grace. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Religious Communicators’ Council, and the Association for Women in Communications, Teresa has spent over a decade committed to telling stories of faith through written word. She also offers graphic design and marketing services to other authors through her freelance business, Good Day Publishing. She loves coffee, caramel, and stories with happy endings.

Connect with Teresa:

Facebook - Teresa Tysinger, Author
Web - www.teresatysinger.com
Newsletter - Join the Community!
Pinterest - @TeresaTysinger
Twitter - @TMTysinger

Thank you, Teresa! And thanks for coming by the Cafe!