Black Bean Salsa!

This recipe has become a favorite of the extended Byrd and Smith family. It came to us in a wonderful cookbook Beka discovered when she and Eric lived in Kentucky. She loved it so much she bought copies for Mama and I - thank you, Beka Honey!

Here's the darling cookbook:


The Black Bean Salsa is my favorite recipe from this book, and has become even more of a favorite as I am focusing on eating fruits and veggies, particularly raw fruits and veggies. I'm sharing an adapted form of the salsa that we have come to love.


So, here's what you need -

2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained.
1 canful of frozen corn
2 large tomatoes
A purple onion
Cilantro
Lime Juice
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
2-3 avacados (if they're small, go with 3)

If at all possible, chop and combine everything except the avacado the day before you plan to serve the salsa. Amazing things happen in the refridgerator at night.

Open two cans of black beans and dump them in a strainer in the sink, followed by a canful of frozen corn. The corn will thaw nicely while you rinse the beans. If yours doesn't look quite like this, that's okay. I used two canfuls of corn... for some reason. It was still fabulous.

Next, chop the tomatoes. If you can see the recipe, it says "seeded and chopped." What you can't see is where it says in my mind-writing (that's as opposed to handwriting), "Yeah... right... seeded!"


Toss the tomatoes in a large bowl.

Next, take a gorgeous purple onion, chop it up, and toss it in the bowl as well. If you dread chopping onions, refer to Pioneer Woman here.


Then comes one of the stars of our show - the cilantro. Yumm!

Unfortunately, as a fledging food photographer, I could not capture the beauty of my cilantro in a picture. But roughly chop some cilantro. The original recipe calls for 1/8 cup. I used 1/3 of a cup this last time I made salsa, and it was lovely. Go with what works for you, and throw it in the bowl.

Next comes the lime juice, another ingredient that really makes the recipe. Use 1/4 cup.
Then mix in 2 T olive oil, 1 t salt, and 1/2 t black pepper.

If you've planned ahead and it's the day before you're going to eat the salsa, cover it and pop it in the fridge now.

If you haven't planned ahead, or you just can't stand to wait, go ahead and chop up the avacadoes. I find it easiest to cut them from top to bottom, pop out the seed, scoop out the flesh (it should all come out in one piece if you scoop it out with a spoon), and then chop away (big chunks!). Again, my beginner food photography skills leave us without a demonstration.

Mix up the avacado with the rest of the salsa, and enjoy!

Here's a recap of the recipe for your copying and pasting pleasure -

Black Bean Salsa
2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained.
1 canful of frozen corn
2 large tomatoes - chopped
A purple onion - chopped
1/3 cup Cilantro - chopped
1/4 cup Lime Juice
2T Olive Oil
1t Salt
1/2 t Pepper
2-3 avacados (if they're small, go with 3)