Mary'S Bean Salad - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Salad
2 (14 ounce) cans cut green beans, drained
1 (14 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (14 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1/2 of a red bell pepper, cored, and finely diced
1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
Marinade
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup vinegar (apple cider and or or rice wine vinegar works great)
1/2 tablespoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional, it only adds a mild spice)

Preparation

1.\tIn a colander, drain the beans and rinse under cold water. Shake the beans to release all the water and let drain for a few minutes (be sure to rinse ALL the juice off the beans until the water runs clear and they're not sticky). Put all the beans in a large glass or plastic bowl.
2.\tCombine the granulated sugar and water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave 3-4 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from microwave, and then add salt & chili flakes (if using). Stir to incorporate, make the sugar is fully dissolved and then set aside.
3.\tPrepared the bell pepper, onion, and celery then add to the bowl with the drained beans.
4.\tAdd vinegar to the marinade, stir to combine, then pour marinade over the salad and give it all a stir. Transfer the salad to a half-gallon Mason jar, or 2 quart size Mason jars (or, any other clean glass container you like).
5.\tSeal the jars with lid(s) and shake to distribute the marinade over the top of the beans. Leave on countertop for a few hours, then refrigerate. If the marinade doesn't cover the beans completely, then you'll need to shake the jar(s) every once in a while to redistribute the ingredients.
6.\tLet sit for a minimum of 24-hours before serving.
7.\tThe salad will keep 4-6 weeks stored in the refrigerator. Serve using a large slotted spoon to allow the marinade to drain back into the jar.
8.\tNote: Once the bean salad is gone, I like to use the left over marinade as a dressing on green salad or pasta salad.