Corn & Black Bean Salad

This is a favorite summertime salad of mine! Roasting the corn on the grill provides the best flavor, in my opinion, but you can also microwave* fresh corn. Watch the cooking time to maintain a nice, crunchy texture. Beans are a really important food to eat regularly if you have pre-diabetes, diabetes or high cholesterol.  Here are some of the great nutrients in this salad: soluble fiber, protein, B vitamins and many minerals (folate, manganese, magnesium and iron to name a few).  ENJOY!

corn & black bean salad

·         1 (19 oz.) can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained**

·         1 ½ cups cooked fresh corn (grilled or microwaved)

·         1/3 cup diced red onion

·         1/3 cup fresh, store-bought salsa

·         Zest of 1 lime & Juice from 1/2 lime

·         1 teaspoon olive or canola oil

·         1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

·         Pinch of salt and black pepper

In a medium-large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, red onion, and salsa.

Add lime juice and zest, oil and cilantro. Stir to combine.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir and let stand for 15- 30 minutes for flavors to blend. Serve.

Makes 4 cups.

*To microwave fresh corn, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, then wrap it in waxed paper. Microwave on HIGH 1 ½ - 2 minutes per ear of corn (i.e. 6 - 8 minutes for 4 ears of corn), depending on how well you like your corn cooked. I like it crunchy, so I go with the shorter cooking time.

**I recommend rinsing and draining the beans to remove most of the gas-producing effect of the beans. It also removes 40-50% of the sodium if you are using regular beans. I recommend low sodium beans because you are then in control of how much salt goes into the dish. Add just enough salt to enhance the flavor without overdoing it.