Well, it’s officially September and it’s blazing saddles here in Chicago. That means it’s time to be creative in the kitchen. Read, “how can I cook without cooking?” Luckily, Mother Nature is on our side during the warmer months, providing us with a wealth of fresh produce that requires very little preparation. How kind of Her! So, to keep the sweat at bay, I created this hearty bean salad that’s both refreshing and satisfying.

If you’ve got a can opener and a knife, you’re all set for this recipe. Just pop open a couple of cans of beans, then chop up some fresh veggies and you’ve pretty much got this dish made. Lots of beans and veggies means you know it’s good for you, which is just an added bonus, really. Then, to jazz it all up a bit, I’ve created a tangy, yet sweet vinaigrette made from fresh lime juice and zest as well as honey, mustard and olive oil. That’s it! So easy, just like I promised.

Serve up a big bowl of this tonight for dinner and save the rest to munch on during the week. This salad tastes even better after a day or two in the fridge.

P.S. – If you’re not in the mood to cook an ear of fresh corn, you can substitute thawed corn or canned corn. See, so easy!

Black Bean Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

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• Author: Sara Haas

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Description

This delightfully healthy dish comes together fast and it not only looks beautiful, but tastes great too.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the salad

• 1 ear of fresh corn, shucked and cleaned (or about 1 cup corn kernels)
• 1 can (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (or any other bean will work here too)
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded, stemmed and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded, stemmed and diced
• 1/2 medium red onion, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)

For the dressing

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• sea salt, to taste

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Instructions

To prepare the salad

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the corn and return to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the corn under cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat dry and when cool enough to touch, cut kernels from the cob and add to a large serving or mixing bowl.
2. To the same bowl with the corn, add the beans, peppers, onion, cilantro and jalapeño, if you’re using it. Toss to combine.

For the dressing

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the mustard, lime zest, lime juice and honey. Whisk in the olive oil.

To serve

1. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to evenly coat the beans and vegetables. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Toss again before serving.

Notes

• This recipe makes between 7 1/2 and 8 cups salad.
• You don’t have to let this salad sit in the fridge before digging in, but it does taste so much better when you do!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 201
• Sugar: 7
• Sodium: 140
• Fat: 10
• Saturated Fat: 1
• Unsaturated Fat: 8
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 25
• Protein: 6
• Cholesterol: 0