Heirloom Carrot and Bean Salad

I never truly understood heirloom vegetables until a conversation with my grandfather yesterday. Sure, I buy heirloom vegetables because the color and taste of these vegetables don't hold a candle to conventional varieties. For instance, this recipe I created pre-grandpa talk.

I called him merely to ask about the name of the green beans that grandma used to plant because my recent approach has been, "hello mr. farmer, do you have those really good green beans? No, not any of the ones you have here, the really good ones" (as everyone in line takes me aside to ask where they can get "the good ones" and the farmer is giving me the EYE). He said they were called cornfield beans or greasy cuts. I did some research and realized these beans were basically passed down from family to family to family (you get my point) and would just disappear if the seeds weren't saved. Hence, heirloom beans. It's like the endangered species of the plant world. Isn't that bittersweet?
Long story short, I asked him for the seeds for my wedding present. He laughed that grandpa laugh, reverent and steady, and said "I'll see what I can do."


1 cup vidalia onion, diced
2 1/2 cups multi-colored carrots, cut into 1 inch rounds
3 cups white beans {I used a combination of heirloom beans** (previously cooked) and canned butter beans, drained}
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp whole grain mustard
1 tbsp dill
Fresh squeezed lemon

I used a cast iron skillet for this recipe.

Cook onions with a drizzle of olive oil for five minutes. Add carrots and cook for another five minutes. Meanwhile, whisk next four ingredients together in separate bowl.
Pour carrot and onion mixture into bowl. In same skillet, add beans and saute for three minutes. Add marinade mixture and stir until coated. Add carrots and onions back into the bean mixture and stir for three minutes.
Serve warm or room temp.

**I'm madly in love with this company. Just a lil' side note.