Is it steamy where you are? It is here! And the AC in our new place is not exactly the greatest, so I am all about cool summer salads, like this Bean, Corn, Tomato and Red Pepper Salad that’s covered in a light but extremely flavorful and zesty lime-balsamic vinaigrette. Yup, summer is HERE!!!

I’ve talked about this so many times already here on the site, but having a ready-made salad that you can just reach for to munch on for lunch or a snack or add as a side for dinner, is life-saving, especially in these times where we can’t just easily grab something when we’re on the go.

What I especially love about this summery bean salad is that it is entirely flexible and comes together in a matter of minutes with mostly pantry, fridge and freezer staples. Here I used a can a black beans and one of chick peas, a bag of frozen corn that I defrosted and some grape tomatoes I had hanging out in the fridge as well as a red pepper that had seen better days and the last of my scallions and fresh parsley, but the reality is that you could use pretty much any combo of veggies/beans etc that you prefer or have on hand.

Same goes for the vinaigrette—I used a mix of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lime juice, with some spices,. but you could easily swap in red wine vinegar or a citrus vinegar and lemon juice instead.

Every bite is full of so many different flavors and textures. My crew loved it and I guarantee you and yours will too! Happy Monday and stay cool!!

Bean, Corn, Tomato and Red Pepper Salad with Lime-Balsamic Vinaigrette

Makes at least 6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the Lime-Balsamic Vinaigrette

• Juice of 1 lime

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Large pinch or two of kosher salt

• Pinch or two black pepper

• 1 garlic clove, minced

For the Salad

• One 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

• One 15 ounce can chick peas, rinsed and drained

• One 10 ounce bag frozen corn, defrosted

• 1 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped into bite-sized pieces

• 1 box grape tomatoes, cut in half

• 3 scallions, sliced thinly

• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

The Recipe

1. To make the vinaigrette: Combine the lime juice, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl and whisk together well.

2. To make the salad: Into a large bowl, add beans, chick peas, corn, red pepper. tomatoes, scallions and parsley and stir together well. Pour the vinaigrette over the whole thing and toss together well. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. You can eat this right away but it’s even better if you give it an hour or so to marinate in the fridge. Cover and chill. Leftovers can be stored for up to one week.

Enjoy!