Ok, Ok...I know it's supposed to be a "Bowl of Cherries"!
It's getting warmer. Some places it's downright HOT. Do YOU want to slave over a hot stove or turn on the oven? Yeah, me neither.
I so love this particular salad. I consider it a full meal because it incorporates so many delicious and filling veggies AND legumes. BONUS! You get to top it with whatever you like. You can change up the ingredients to suit YOUR tastes! Change out the black beans for garbanzo beans. Add cilantro. Skip Cilantro. Add cubed avocado. Add cheese crumbles. Serve it over taco chips, grab a spoon and go to town.
It's flavorful. It's yummy and it's not expensive. I got this recipe from a Better Homes and Garden magazine years ago. I have modified it for our family, as you should too! I usually wait to make this recipe until the tomatoes are truly in season. I love using organic veggies whenever I can. Have fun my friends!
3 large Heirloom tomatoes. (tip: don't put tomatoes in the fridge. It kills the flavor. Leave them on the counter, unwashed, until ready to use)
Half of an English cucumber
One whole red onion
1 crushed garlic cube (from a frozen cube)
Olive Oil
1 can of organic corn, drained
1 can of organic black beans, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper to taste
In a large glass bowl, pour in a few tablespoons of olive oil and add one frozen cube of crushed garlic. The garlic will slowly soften as you prep your veggies.
Drain the can of corn and add to the bowl.
Drain and rinse your black beans and set aside to let the water drain out of the beans.
Chop up three large heirloom tomatoes into bite sized pieces and add to the bowl.
Slice one large English Cucumber in half, saving the extra in a ziploc for later, and halve the half. Then slice those two halves into two or three long strips. Slice the strips cross wise into bite sized pieces. Add to bowl.
Halve a medium red onion and chop of one end. Peel off the outer papery skin and slice the onion length wise without slicing through the root end. Turn onion and slice cross wise into bite sized pieces. Add to the bowl.
Add your corn and beans to the bowl.
Add salt and pepper to taste
Add any chopped garnish you may like, such as cilantro.
Toss the salad gently with a spoon and taste to adjust for seasoning.
Serve with chips and cubes of fresh avocado.
Enjoy!