I came across this recipe today looking over a friend’s Facebook page…and it looks *amazing* to me! I want to try this out sometime in the upcoming week. I *love* fresh cilantro (so much, in fact, I grow it in my garden).
BLACK BEAN SALAD
1/4 c smoked tomato vinaigrette (such as Drew’s)
1 can (15 oz) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp ground cumin
2 c fresh corn kernels (about 2 large ears)
2 oz smoked mozzarella, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
3/4 c coarsely chopped avocado
1/2 c finely chopped red onion
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1. In a large bowl, combine vinaigrette, beans, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn and pan-roast, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir corn and remaining ingredients into black bean mixture and toss together.
3. Chill until ready to serve. Divide evenly into four salad bowls.
Serves 4
Here’s the dirt:
324 calories
9 g fat (2.7 g saturated)
554 mg sodium
42 g carbs
11 g fiber
13 g protein
TIP: If you use frozen corn kernels, make sure they’re thawed and dry so they don’t stick to the pan.
-Erica
A Food Addict - by Rooks Fitness 
I’ve never thought to roast the corn! I make a version of this that I modify slightly to fit in more veggies. I dice bell peppers (red and green), jicama, and sometimes even carrots. Instead of red onions, I use either vidalia or 1015 sweet onions OR green onions. What I find to be very helpful is making the vinaigrette instead of buying it, since so many come with added sugar. I dice a garlic clove, add a couple of shakes of salt & peper, and mix with the juice of several limes. I then use canola oil to thicken. I also get a full bunch of cilantro, and chop half roughly to mix into the beans, but mince the rest and shake it in with the vinaigrette. That really distributes the cilantro taste to the whole salad. If you make enough dressing, you can use a little bit when you roast fish or chicken, too.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing that vinaigrette recipe! I will definitely have to try that…it sounds delish (especially with all that cilantro)!
-Erica
This salad looks so amazing! I love cilantro as well, definitly one of my favorite herbs!
My ex- hates cilantro. He would always complain at Don Pablos (or any mexican restaurant) that it came on *everything* they served. 😀 The funny thing was, as he was griping and asking for NO cilantro, I was usually picking off the leaves and eating them by themselves. Love that stuff! LOL
Thanks for stopping by!
-Erica