Fresh Pico de Gallo and Black Bean Salad

You know the other day, when I had to apologize for being absent? Well, my promise has come to fruition. Here are the recipes. I made a wonderful, healthy, fresh dinner that night that completely knocked my socks off. AND, the salad tasted better the next day. And it was full of protein and good for me brain food.

And, it was Mexican food...so...how could you top that?


Black Bean Salad

1 cup chopped tomato (seeded)
1 can drained and rinsed black beans
1/2 a medium red onion, chopped
1 cucumber, seeded, peeled, and chopped
2 ears of corn, cobs thrown away after removing the corn.
1 Tablespoon fresh, chopped, cilantro

Dressing:

3 cloves of garlic
juice of one lime
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon honey
Smoked Chipotle Tabasco, to taste ( I liked 3 dashes).

Toss salad ingredients together.

To make dressing, pound garlic in a mortar and pestle, add salt and make into paste. Continue to pound in oil, lime, and honey until well incorporated. Add to salad and stir.

Season with Tabasco.

Fresh Pico de Gallo

1 cup finely diced tomato
1/4 cup sweet orange peppers, finely diced
2 scallions, thinly diced and separated out
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Chipotle Tabasco, to taste (again, I liked a few dashes).

Add the vegetables

Smash the garlic and salt into a paste, add to Pico.

Season with Tabasco.

Serve with tortilla chips. Or, in absence of that - we ate it bruschetta style on bread.