It's Too Hot to Cook

When the heat index in Minneapolis is about the same as the temp in Phoenix, it's too hot to cook. One of my stand-by dinners is a roasted chicken from the supermarket. Or sometimes we cook marinated chicken breast on the grill but today it's too hot for grilling, too.

This side salad is a summertime staple here. It's low calorie, high fiber and bursting with flavor. Another plus- it keeps several days in the refrigerator.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

6 servings

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups sweet corn (an 11 ounce can or corn kernels from two ears of local sweet corn)
1 red pepper, diced
1/4 cup chopped green onion
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Combine the black beans, corn, red pepper and green onion in a medium bowl. Whisk the lime juice, soy sauce, olive oil and cumin in a small bowl. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss. Cover and refrigerate several hours before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

Note: At the peak of summer, I prefer to use local sweet corn. From late July to early September, we eat corn-on-the-cob almost every day. For the recie, I cook two extra ears and cut the kernels from the cobs. I've also used frozen corn and canned. I prefer the crunch that canned corn provides over the frozen.