Fiesta in a Bowl! Black Bean & Corn Salad

with Tequila Lime Vinaigrette

Usually I have a lot to say about a recipe, but today I’m rushing through lunch and need to get back to work. I just have a whole lot of sweet corn from my mom and dad I need to use up and a black bean and corn salad seemed like the right thing to do. I did it backwards and threw the salad together last night and just whipped up the dressing for lunch today.

This salad is so amazingly tasty, colorful, and very, very good for you! And i t’s a great way to use up some of those abundant summer vegies.

Ingredients:

Salad:

• Fresh sweet corn, cooked & cut from the cob: about 3 cobs. (You could also use canned or frozen corn–probably about 1 15-oz. can would be equivalent)
• Black beans, cooked and drained — I cooked my own, but probably used about the equivalent of 1 can of black beans
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped fine
• 1/2 an onion, chopped fine
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped fine
• 1/2 to 1 cucumber, chopped (I used half a cucumber, but it was a VERY large cucumber!)
• 1/2 a green bell pepper, chopped (or for even more color use part red/part green)
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Cherry tomatoes, halved — toss in as many as you want to add color and flavor!
• Toasted pine nuts
• Goat cheese crumbles

Tequila Lime Vinaigrette (from Cooking Light Magazine):

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons tequila
• 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• Dash of salt

Directions:

1. Prepare the vinaigrette: Toss all ingredients into a food processor and whir till blended. Or you can just whisk them all together in a bowl. I used watermelon-infused tequila (made by soaking watermelon cubes in tequila for several  days). Cover and chill until ready to use.
2. Prepare the salad: Mix together all ingredients except the pinons and goat cheese in a bowl. Toss with enough vinaigrette to cover–save the rest for another salad!
3. Garnish with fresh cilantro, pinons and goat cheese. The soft flavors of the goat cheese and the pine nuts with the sweet tangy vinaigrette, the spice of the jalapeno, along with the corn and beans and tomato is such a good combination!