Black Bean & Corn Salad ♥
Summer in a bowl, just fresh vegetables and a can of black beans, brightened with a cumin-lime vinaigrette. So good! A great salad for dinner or a potluck and just to keep in the fridge.
Well, hello, friends. It's been awhile, more than three months truth be told although not without reason. Since New Years, I've been caring for our 90-year old father, first long distance and then in March, he came to live with us. Oh, the time it's taken to get him settled in, making our home senior-safe with ramps and grab bars, finding/working with new home health caregivers and doctors – we love Dr. Milta Little! – and the thousand-and-one details that insist on instant attention.
Day to day, time moves in a sort of slow motion now. Often I just like to sit with my dad in a sunny spot outside the kitchen, just "being" – watching the birds at the feeders, basking in the sunshine, knowing he'll soon nod off but glad he's safe and comfortable and finding a measure of pleasure in another day.
And I cook. A lot, as one must since, get this? Three meals a day don't put themselves on the table! As I too settle into this new rhythm, I've learned the wisdom of routine. Every week I make bread and a pot of soup and a salad for the fridge. This way there's always something handy for a quick lunch or when a day is kidnapped by a trip to the emergency room, say. It happens but supper's covered.
Mostly, I'm revisiting the hundreds of tried 'n' true recipes from KitchenParade.com and A Veggie Venture. But every week, new recipes emerge too. This salad totally got me last week, it's made of staple ingredients, chances are good you might have all of them on hand right now. I loved the mix of vegetable crunch and bean softness. Glorious, this.
I'll be back when I can. Thank you for your understanding, I know I can count on that.
RECIPE for BLACK BEAN & CORN SALAD
Hands-on time: 45 minutes
Time to table: 45 minutes
Makes about 8 cups
Time to table: 45 minutes
Makes about 8 cups
SALAD
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups fresh corn, about 2 ears worth (how to cut corn kernels off the cob, step-by-step photos)
2 cups diced cucumber
2 cups diced celery
2 cups green pepper
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 large jalapeño, minced
2 ounces (55g) feta, crumbled
CUMIN-LIME VINAIGRETTE
Zest and juice (about 4 tablespoons) of 2 limes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 - 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch sugar
SALAD Chop, chop! Cleaning and slicing and chopping vegetables takes a few minutes, just put on some tunes and enjoy the beauty of the vegetables.
VINAIGRETTE In a small bowl, whisk the vinaigrette ingredients, toss with the salad ingredients.
MAKE-AHEAD TIPS Serve this salad immediately or make it a few hours ahead, either way.
LEFTOVERS This salad keeps just beautifully! We happily ate it for several days. On the second day, I even served it to friends who came for dinner.
ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
FROZEN BLACK BEANS I used beans I cooked in the oven last year and then froze in single-can equivalents, technique to come!
FETA I so adore good feta! It's a staple in my fridge, it adds such depth and contract to salads, just a bit at a time. Still, this salad is excellent without it too which would make it a vegan salad.
SALT I actually used 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. At first, I thought, whoah, waaay too much salt. But later, as the salad melded, it seemed just perfect.
ABOUT THAT SUGAR So yeah, I've been adding sugar to the strangest things since my 90-year old father came to live with us earlier this year. Sugar was one of the great suggestions we've received from wonderful physical therapy and occupational therapy professionals from Nurses & Company here in St. Louis. A tiny bit of sugar makes food taste better to seniors, so I've been adding a touch here and there, even to salads. And truth be told? We kinda like it too. That said, the sugar is entirely optional.
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MORE FAVORITE SUMMER CORN SALADS
~ Corn & Cucumber Salad with Fresh Blueberries ~~ Succotash Salad with Green Beans, Lima Beans, Corn & Tomatoes ~
~ Whole-Grain Salad with Beets, Beans & Corn ~
~ more corn recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture
~ Fresh Corn & Tomato Salad ~
~ Garden Pasta Salad with Mint Vinaigrette ~
~ Green Bean Garden Salad ~
~ more salad recipes ~
~ Favorite Summer Salad Recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column
SEASONAL EATING: THIS SAME WEEK ACROSS THE YEARS
Eggplant, Tomato & Mozzarella Sandwiches Southern Farm-Stand Stew (< this week's healthy favorite!) Fresh Tomato with Fresh Mozzarella Artichoke & Pepper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Zucchini Timbale with Cheese (Crustless Zucchini Cheese Pie) My First Panzanella Clean-out-the-Fridge Noodle Bowl Spring & Summer Sliced Salad What Is This Pan? Carrot & Sesame Salad Jicama Slaw Cucumbers in Vinegar Zucchini Carpaccio Cowboy Coleslaw Farro with Beet Greens How to Keep Fresh Vegetables Fresh Longer Raw Eggplant Salad Tossed Caprese Salad Falling In Love with Green Beans: Favorite Recipes Creamy Feta Mousse with Greek Salads < just gorgeous! Crustless Quiche with Greens & Garden Vegetables Vegetables 101: What Is a Tomatillo?A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2016
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2016
Bless your heart ...
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you post again. And thanks for the update -- you've taken on a lot. All good, but it'll keep you busy. Don't worry, we'll all be here -- hungry! -- waiting for the day when you can post more regularly. --John
ReplyDeleteIt's so good to know you are ok.
ReplyDeleteMy you treasure each moment of each day----they go by so incredibly fast.
We too can take the time to look over your past recipes to see all the gems we passed by. You never know when a recipe is going to catch our eye.
It made my day to have an email and recipe from you! God bless you for being such a caring, wonderful daughter. Take care of YOURSELF and your amazing little community will be here for you :-)
ReplyDeleteWow---It sounds like we're living the same life, only my father is still 7 hours away and I'm traveling. Hopefully, this period of extreme need for assistance will pass after he recovers from his recent surgeries. My dad is 90 also. I do enjoy the time spent with him talking and cooking him new and different recipes. Thanks so much for the update and the recipes.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the other comments. You have taken on a huge and wonderful adventure, each day filled with wonder, struggle, small touches of sadness and making memories that you will always treasure. It's the hardest job you will ever do and you will never regret it. My husband and I did this for my Mom, so I've had some experience. Remember to take good care of yourself.
ReplyDeleteAlanna, it's so good to see you! I'm so glad to hear that you're doing well, and what a blessing to have this time with your Dad! Thanks for sharing, and please take care of yourself.
ReplyDeleteI so very much remember when I sat with my Dad in a spot just "being".
ReplyDeleteSpecial times.
Take the time to look after yourself too along with the rest of your duties.
We will wait for you.
Alanna, It was serendipitous to find your post today. We are in the process of preparing our home for my 90 year old mom to move in with us. I'm looking forward to spending time being with her and rediscovering old family recipes together. I will enjoy following your journey and wish you and your family all the best. ~ Michele
ReplyDelete