Recipe: Corn and Black Bean Salad

Here's a recipe that I like to make at least once a month. It's perfect for a "Meatless Monday" night dinner, too! It stores well and gets its silky smooth flavor from pureed avocado. You can serve this atop any salad greens you like, but a bed of arugula will give this hearty salad a peppery kick.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion

• 1 medium ripe avocado, pitted and roughly chopped

• ¼ cup cilantro leaves

• ¼ cup lime juice

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 clove of garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 8 cups mixed salad greens

• 2 medium ears corn, kernels removed, or 2 cups frozen corn, thawed and patted dry

• 1-pint grape tomatoes (halved)

• 1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, rinsed

Directions:

Step 1

• Submerge sliced onion in a medium bowl of cold water and set aside. Using a blender or mini food processor, combine avocado, cilantro, lime juice, oil, garlic, and salt and process until velvety smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed.

Step 2

• Combine salad greens, corn, tomatoes, and beans in a large bowl. Add the drained onions to the bowl along with the avocado dressing. Toss to coat. Serve as desired.

Tip:

If you want to boost the protein of this recipe, add 3 to 6 ounces of grilled chicken, shrimp, or beef.

Nutrition Facts:

Serving Size: 2 cups

Per Serving Breakdown: 322 calories; protein 10.6g; carbohydrates 40.8g; dietary fiber 12.9g; sugars 11.4g; fat 16g; saturated fat 2.4g; vitamin a iu 3893.9IU; vitamin c 44.9mg; folate 259.7mcg; calcium 112.5mg; iron 3.8mg; magnesium 78.9mg; potassium 1238mg; sodium 406.7mg; thiamin 0.4mg.

Exchanges: 2 1/2 fat, 2 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1/2 lean protein