The centerpiece of many a summer meal for me is a hearty salad that doesn't require any cooking, and that can be made ahead to pull out of the refrigerator after a busy day enjoying the outdoors. "Corn and Red Bean Salad" (page 62) falls right into that category. Corn and kidney beans are mixed with fresh chopped veggies (celery, green onions, and parsley) and tossed with a flavorful vinaigrette style dressing. I noticed right away that the dressing called for a ¼ cup olive oil, so the first thing I did was figure out a way to work around that. I ended up replacing the oil and white wine vinegar with the juice of one lime mixed with two tablespoons of salsa. This not only worked well to moisten the salad, it also added exceptional flavor. I still included all the spices called for in the original dressing, but I also added fresh minced garlic (the salad was crying out for this!), and a few sliced jalapeño olives (I do like things a bit on the spicy side). The recipe notes suggest adding cooked brown rice to make this a one-dish meal, which I did. With a big wedge of watermelon on the side your meal is complete! Sunday, August 5, 2012
Corn & Red Bean Salad
The centerpiece of many a summer meal for me is a hearty salad that doesn't require any cooking, and that can be made ahead to pull out of the refrigerator after a busy day enjoying the outdoors. "Corn and Red Bean Salad" (page 62) falls right into that category. Corn and kidney beans are mixed with fresh chopped veggies (celery, green onions, and parsley) and tossed with a flavorful vinaigrette style dressing. I noticed right away that the dressing called for a ¼ cup olive oil, so the first thing I did was figure out a way to work around that. I ended up replacing the oil and white wine vinegar with the juice of one lime mixed with two tablespoons of salsa. This not only worked well to moisten the salad, it also added exceptional flavor. I still included all the spices called for in the original dressing, but I also added fresh minced garlic (the salad was crying out for this!), and a few sliced jalapeño olives (I do like things a bit on the spicy side). The recipe notes suggest adding cooked brown rice to make this a one-dish meal, which I did. With a big wedge of watermelon on the side your meal is complete! 
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I just purchased this cookbook (should arrive Thursday) and I was very excited to stumble upon your blog. You are providing such a great resource becuase I love reading recipe reviews, seeing a real picture of the item, and seeing healthy tweaks. So what you're doing here is perfect! I look forward to reading more.
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Jennifer
Hi Jennifer! I'm so glad you stumbled upon my blog, and I hope you find lots of inspiration here. I would also be interested in hearing about the recipes you try once your book arrives. Thanks so much for your nice words! :)
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