This great bean salad has so many wonderful flavors and textures. It has become a staple in my house. The recipe is one of many that come from “Strong Women Eat Well” (written with Judy Knipe and described above). I hope you enjoy it!

(For more deliciously nutritious recipes, be sure to go to Recipes.)

Ingredients

1 15-ounce can black beans

1/2 cup diced red onions

1/2 cup diced green or red bell pepper

1/2 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded, and minced (optional)

1/2 cup quartered grape of cherry tomatoes

1/2 an avocado, cut into dice

2 T chopped fresh coriander (optional)

Dressing

2 T fresh lime juice

1 tsp sherry vinegar

1 1/2 T extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Drain the beans, rinse them very briefly under cold water, and drain again. Transfer them to a bowl, add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper (if using), tomato, avocado, and coriander, and toss lightly.

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well mixed. Add the dressing to the bean mixture and stir gently. Cover the salad and allow the flavors to blend for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator. Bring the salad back to room temperature before serving.

Nutritional information per serving:

246 calories
9.7 g total fat
(1.5 g saturated fat)

32 g carbohydrate
10.5 g protein
11.5 g fiber
642 mg potassium

Portions:
1 Vegetable, 2 Protein, 1 Extra