Tropical Black Bean and Corn Salad

In spirit of Cinco De Mayo, I made a festive black bean and corn salad for the BBQ that I was hosting. This wasn’t just any black bean and corn salad; I jazzed it up with some mango, pineapple, and avocado… and it hit the spot on this sunny day. This is a no-cook salad, perfect for the super hot days coming up, where you don’t want to turn on the oven/stove!

Of course it can’t be a holiday without a festive cocktail, so I served up some lower sugar margaritas and freshly made mojitos! We fired up the grill to grill chicken for fajitas and

called it a great day.

This salad is filling because it's full of fiber (with two kinds of beans) and healthy fats (avocado and olive oil). It’s a great way to sneak fruits into your diet, even for those who don’t care for fruits! It is great on its own or served alongside a protein (chicken, fish, or pork) or atop a salad for some extra-staying power. It can be made a day in advance (I just left out the avocado until the day of so it didn’t brown) and will keep for a few days.  Cold salads always taste better as leftovers anyways!

Tropical Black Bean and Corn Salad

Serves 12

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 ½ cups of frozen corn

½ cup sweet onion, diced

1 mango, diced

1½ cup chunk pineapple (fresh or canned)

1 jalepeno, seeded and chopped

1 avocado, diced

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp olive oil

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

¼ tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a large serving bowl. Toss together and chill for at least 20

minutes.

2. Serve cold and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts: ¾ cup salad

140 calories, 6 g fat (.5 saturated), 20 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 5 g protein, 200 mg

sodium.

Nutrition Bonus: 25% DV for Vitamin C