Dear Nidobak [friends],
I hope summer is finding you happy, healthy, and ready to say "yes" to any and all social invitations. Bring an "easy to make" summer salad. You probably have all the makings already in your pantry. Lately, I've become a fan of bean-based salads that I can make the night before, or even an hour before any event. By adding just a few ingredients you will have a beautiful offering for the buffet board that is pretty much foolproof. There's nothing like a fresh picked green salad of lettuces or spinach, but if you have to transport them any distance at all, they do not hold up as well as beans. I would recommend always having two or more cans of black beans on hand. Others are great, but something about the contrast of colors against the black beans (or white beans, for that matter), presents a better showcase for the salad.
SUMMER BEAN SALAD
This recipe is like a clean canvas, you can omit or add to it and make it your own. I will add a lot of "OR" suggestions to help keep the recipe valid.
2 cans of beans, (black, Great Northern, OR garbanzo), drained, lightly rinsed
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped OR bell pepper, any color
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 scallions, finely chopped
OR
1⁄2 red onion
1⁄4 cup cilantro, fine chopped
OR same amount of parsley
1⁄2 avocado, cubed
Juice of one lemon OR lime with equal amount of olive OR vegetable oil (If need be, you can substitute your own favorite Italian dressing or a vinegrette)
Combine all ingredients above gently and refrigerate. You can put the dressing on then, OR bring it along separately.
