Call it a salad, a salsa, a dip. Doesn’t matter. What DOES matter is that you enjoy lots of this zesty creation, because it is 100% nutrient-rich. As a registered dietitian, I especially love it because it uses FOUR forms of fruits and vegetables – and ALL are nutrient-rich: Fresh, frozen, canned and 100% juice.

 This salsa/salad is:
*Excellent source of vitamin C, A, numerous other vitamins & minerals and powerful antioxidants

*Excellent source of fiber

*Only 110 calories in ¾ cup

 Plus, this recipe makes a Big Batch – perfect for your summertime cookouts, parties and family reunions!  Serve with cut up fresh veggies like red, green and yellow bell pepper wedges, whole-grain crackers or blue corn chips and baked scoop corn chips. I know there’s a lot of chopping and prep for this salad, but it’s worth every minute!

Zesty Black Bean & Corn Salad with Lime Dressing

Bean & Corn Salad       
2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 bag (16 oz.) frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed (roughly 3 cups)

1¾ cup chopped red onion

1½ cup chopped green onion

1 very large red bell pepper, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, finely minced

2 cups chopped tomato

2/3 cup chopped cilantro

Lime Dressing

3/4 cup fresh lime juice

Zest of 1 large lime

1½ tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Combine all dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour over salad and toss lightly to thoroughly coat all ingredients. Chill several hours before serving.  Refrigerate leftovers in covered container.

 Makes almost 12 cups (about 16 servings, ¾ cup each)

 Nutrition information for ¾ cup: 110 calories, 5 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 325 mg sodium, 38 mg calcium, 5 g dietary fiber.