Black Bean Fiesta Salad

[cjs]

This is a really good summer salad!!! Will add the tweeking at the end.

(Lorraine, this would be a perfect 'take to work' lunch - know you're always looking for ideas!)

Black Bean Fiesta Salad
from Simply the Best (W.W.book)

3 T. Lemon juice
2 T. e-v olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. grd. cumin
1/2 tsp. freshly grd. black pepper
19-oz. can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernals
2 stalks celery, diced
1 gr. bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup (3 oz.) reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, oil, garlic, cumin and black pepper.
Add the beans, corn, celery, bell peppers and onion; toss to coat.
Serve, topped with cheese.

After I had the dressing ingredients in, it needed something more, so I added (to taste) dried basil, parsley & oregano (since it's so good, next time I'll add fresh!) and 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar. Made all the difference.

Also, I had corn to grill - so omitted adding the corn and instead grilled, cut the corn off the cobs and added (hot) to the salad. The warm, grilled corn just added a great flavor!

The salad serves 8 and is 3 points.
This one will be made a lot this summer. Served it with a grilled sirloin - marinated in (I used half since I just had a small steak - could have used a third )
1 1/2 T. prepard mustard
3 T. each: red wine, low-sodium soy, lemon juice, worcestershire

Yum!!
the meat/marinade worked out to 5 points.

with a slice of sourdough bread, it worked out to 12 points and we were pleanty satisfied.

[Harborwitch]

That sounds really good. We always keep black beans in the pantry - they make a wonderful salad!

[esgunn]

It sounds great. There is a salad I love at one of the local restaurants. It is a black bean salad with grilled salmon. Might have to use this recipe and add the salmon! Yum.

[Mare749]

That sounds really good Jean. Similar to one I use in the summer, only this sounds even better. And I really like how you "tweak" it. I'll bet all those things really made a difference. Thanks for sharing this.

Maryann

[Old Bay]

I love that salad--the grilled corn is a touch of tweeking in the right way. I eat this kind of stuff all the time. For me, I would add a chopped jalapeno or serrano pepper--I just like that accent.

[Roxanne 21]

I know this is probably a DUMB question but here goes!!

We do not have black beans here---would kidney or cannellini work as well?

This recipe looks like a keeper---thanks again, Jean

[cjs]

Bill, we're on the same wavelength!! I wrote on the recipe to add a jalapeno next time - I think it needs it too

Roxanne, I'm going to have to call your mother to send you a few packages of dried black beans, I guess They would be easy to send.

Until then, tho, why not try whatever beans you especially like - I would.

[Roxanne 21]

[Lorraine]

Thanks, Jean. I must confess, tho, I don't think I've ever had a black bean in my life. Time to try something new!!! I'll send the recipe to his nibs, he loves beans!!!

[Half_Baked]

I have this chilling in the frig right now. I spent all morning making yog/cuke salad, barley, wild rice and brown rice. I grilled 4 chicken breasts last night and Mr HB picked an armful of lettuce from the garden.

My frig is full of healthy lunches. Whew! I binged this weekend and have to straighten my happy azz up.

I added the balsalmic per Jean's suggestion. It just needed something. Next time I taste, I'll add some herbs because it's just not right...maybe some more jalapeno?