Black Bean and Pepper Salad with Cilantro and Lime

Categories: Beans, January2012, Peppers, SBF1, Salads

Ingredients

• Ingredients:
• 1 can black beans, rinsed well and drained
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• (could use any combination of colors for the pepper, or use 2 red peppers)
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• Dressing Ingredients:
• 2 T lime juice (fresh lime juice recommended)
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. ground Chipotle pepper (I use Penzeys)
• (you could use green Tabasco in place of the Chipotle pepper)
• 1/2 tsp. mild chile powder (New Mexico chile powder is best)
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• zest of one lime (optional, but recommended)
• Vege-sal or salt to taste
• fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Put black beans in a colander placed in the sink and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears. Let beans drain, preferably 30 minutes or so, until beans are no longer wet. (If you’re rushed for time, you could blot them dry with paper towels.)

2. Mix dressing ingredients. Put beans and dressing into a plastic bowl with a snap-on lid, put lid on, and turn bowl over a few times until the beans are well coated with the dressing. Let the beans marinate in the dressing for an hour or so if you have time, or at least while you chop the other ingredients.

3. Chop peppers and onion into pieces about 1/2 inch square. (I was aiming for the beans, peppers, and onions to be approximately the same size.) Wash cilantro and dry well (I used a salad spinner) then chop coarsely.

4. In large bowl, gently combine beans, peppers, and onion. (If mixture seems dry you can add a tiny bit more olive oil and lime juice at this point.) Season to taste with Vege-sal or salt and fresh ground pepper. Stir in cilantro and serve.

5. This will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator, although it’s best when the cilantro is still crisp. However, I taste-tested it on my friend Robin when it had been in the refrigerator overnight and she gave it a very enthusiastic thumbs up.

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