Corn, Tomato and Green Bean Salad

This time of year, my thoughts are taken over by the fresh flavors of summer. Two of my favorites are tomatoes and corn and with the Fourth of July right around the corner and summer BBQs and get togethers in the plans, this is the perfect salad for company or anytime you want something simple and delicious.

One of my all time favorite and simple salads is this one, a Simple Fresh Corn and Tomato Salad, where the two flavors are mixed with fresh basil and shared on my old blog GettingRAW.com.

Here I've decided to update it with the addition of blanched fresh green beans and sliced red onions and with the omission of salt and oil. I think it just keeps getting better, if that's even possible.

I used fresh sweet corn here and I even cooked it but that's not even necessary. Fresh raw corn is delicious and while uncooked it remains a vegetable and not a starch in our digestive systems.

I also used two different corn strippers and have provided my reviews of how they worked for those considering such a tool. Just be really careful because I can't tell you how many friends have reported slicing their fingers with these super sharp tools. But if you want to make it even easier, you can use frozen corn.

Corn, Tomato and Green Bean Salad

Ingredients

4 ears of fresh sweet corn, shucked and silk removed, approximately 3 cups

1 lb fresh green beans, stem ends snapped off

1/2 small red onion, sliced in very thin rings and then cut in half

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or even quarters if big

1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Cook the corn, if desired, about 5- 7 minutes or until tender. Remove corn from water and set aside to cool for cutting.

Place green beans in the pot and cook until tender, approximately 8 minutes. While green beans are cooking prepare a bowl of water with ice. Once green beans are done, submerge in the ice water bath to stop the cooking.

Remove corn kernels from the cob (options shown below) and place in a large bowl. Add the green beans and put the sliced onions in the ice bath while preparing the rest. This crisps up the onions while also mellowing the flavor.

When ready to serve, add all the ingredients to the bowl and toss with the balsamic vinegar.

This salad is really a winner! Enjoy!

Corn Stripper Review

I have two different strippers that I have bought over time. 

The first is the Good Cook Professionals Stripper.

This slides down over the cob and removes the corn from both sides at once. The downside is that it doesn't really adjust to get wider as you go down the cob and it works even worse with the cob inverted so it tends to cut the kernels in half and not get them all removed.

     The second one is the Kuhn Rikon Corn Stripper.

It's a little more expensive but is very easy to use. This one is razor sharp and comes with a blade cover for obvious reasons. This one cuts close to the cob and just zips the corn right off the cob. The corn comes off in sheets and is less ripped up. You get more of the whole kernels this way. This is the one that can really cut your fingers so be very careful!

I also stumbled across this great photo (sorry not sure of source) showing an easy way to both remove and catch the kernels. Had I had a Bundt cake pan handy, I certainly would have given this a try. 

This shows another simple utensil for removing corn from the cob- a sharp knife.

So I hope that was helpful. Any other good ideas out there for removing corn from the cob? I'd love to hear.

I'll be sharing this over at Gluten-Free Cats' Raw Thursday as well as Healthy Vegan Fridays and was even featured at 5 Ingredient Mondays over at Sift Stir and Savor.

Meanwhile, I hope this finds you enjoying the summer harvest of amazing produce. 

Until next time…. take care.

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Mango Black Bean Salsa/ Salad

Few things are as tasty as a fresh salsa. Summer time produce makes this salsa extra special. It's a combo of ripe tangy mango, sweet corn, black beens, vine ripe tomatoes, bell pepper, lime and cilantro. Avocado is a nice bonus item as well. Serve with chips (low salt and baked) or lettuce leaf of choice or just toss it in a big salad as a dressing.

Like any medley, this salsa benefits from time to mingle, so make ahead if you like to let the flavors marry, just omit the mango until ready to serve. When you're ready to eat, add in the chopped mango and a squeeze of lime to awaken the flavors.

Mango Black Bean Salsa

This recipe adapted from Dr. Fuhrman's Immersion Excursion Recipe Book found here.

Ingredients

1 cup sweet corn, organic frozen is fine (fresh is approximately 3 ears, husk and silk removed)

2 mangoes, peeled pitted and diced

4 green onions, sliced

2 vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 bell pepper (red or orange suggested)

2 cups cooked black beans (or 2 15 ounce cans, low sodium and well rinsed)

3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 1/2 limes- reserve extra slices for serving)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1-2 cloves minced fresh garlic

1 pinch chili powder

1 avocado, diced (optional)

Directions:

Defrost corn by running in a bag under hot water or if using fresh decided if you prefer to cook it first. It's not necessary. Raw corn is quite good. Frozen corn is flash cooked before frozen so not a raw food. Either way, prepare your corn.

Add all the ingredients to a medium sized bowl and toss well. Let sit a minimum of 15 minutes for flavors to mingle. Remember to leave out the mango and avocado if not using right away. 

I always think these taste better the next day so don't be afraid to make this the night before and stir occasionally.

For a salad, chop up some romaine to serve as a bed or go ahead and toss it all together. If you expect leftovers, keep the salsa separate until ready to eat. Same goes for the avocado.

This is one of our favorite salads so I'm sure you will see a lot more variations on salsa coming up.

This was my submission over at Gluten Free Cat for Raw Thursdays (even though the beans are cooked, it's easy to just leave them out for a tasty salsa/ salad!) Also submitted on Healthy Vegan Fridays. 

Happy Summer! Hope you enjoy!

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Quick Black Bean Salad

This is one of those recipes to squirrel away for when you need something quick and amazing to bring out for a get together, potluck or Summer BBQ. It's a crowd pleaser for sure and also handy to keep in the fridge to eat as a salad or pair it up with chips as a salsa. I also like to load these kind of salads up into a romaine or endive leaf as well and skip the chips. So versatile!

Lime and cilantro are two of the key flavors with a simple drizzling of balsamic vinegar over a diced vegetable medley of corn, tomatoes, onions, water chestnuts and black beans. No salt or fats and very easy to like so even those that are not watching their health will enjoy this. Just don't tell them it's good for them.

Quick Black Bean Salad

This recipe is adapted from Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell B. Essselstyn, Jr.

Ingredients:

2 15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 large tomato or 2 medium tomatoes (I added some small heirlooms for color as well.)
1 16 oz package of frozen corn or fresh is even better if you have the chance!
1/2 Vidalia sweet onion, chopped
1 6 ounce can of sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1/2 a bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, juiced and zested
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Add all but the lime, cilantro and balsamic to a bowl and mix well.

Add the rest and then mix it all again.

Serve on a bed of lettuce as a salad….

Or pair it up with some salt free organic chips for a dip.

It's one of those things that gets better once the flavors marinade so you can make it ahead and keep in the fridge. Just know that the water chestnuts will turn a little brownish from the balsamic vinegar once it sits together a bit.

So there you have it. A simple versatile recipe to please a crowd or just one. I hope you give this a try.  I have a feeling this will be in our regular salad rotation from now on.

This will be my submission for Healthy Vegan Fridays, which if you haven't checked out by now, is a great assortment of recipes.

I hope you are enjoying some of these simple yet healthy dishes. Drop me a comment and let me know if I'm on the right track. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time….

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Summer Vegetable Soup

Welcome to another Super Soup Sunday. 

Sunday, the day where we get a jump on the week by making a luscious soup that will get us through a few meals in the upcoming week. I am really liking this new routine. Even though it sometimes takes some time to prepare, it feels like I am taking the pressure off myself for the next few meals to come and that brings a welcome sense of relief.

Last week's Quick and Easy Black Bean Soup required very little effort and was made from ingredients that could be kept on hand in the pantry and the freezer for a meal and soup in a pinch.  This week, I am doing the opposite.

This Summer Vegetable Soup is made from almost entirely fresh in-season Summer ingredients. It didn't dawn on me until I took the ingredient line up photo that I missed an opportunity here to make it all fresh. I had chosen to use some frozen roasted corn. Darn! While the roasted corn added a different flavor, and saved me some work, fresh corn would have been lovely.

Also this soup uses very little seasoning other than fresh garlic, fresh basil, onion and lemon, pepper and if you choose, salt. It's truly a soup that benefits from farm fresh seasonal ingredients. It just tastes like summer.

We are fortunate that we still have some of the last fresh lemons on the trees as well. One of the benefits of living in the California desert. That and the fact we have summer vegetables already.

Summer Vegetable Soup

Recipe adapted from the cookbook, Forks Over Knives, The Cookbook

It serves approximately 6.

Ingredients:

6 medium tomatoes, chopped
3 ears of corn, kernels removed from cob (about 2 cups)
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium yellow squash, diced
1 large onion, diced
6 cups low sodium vegetable broth or fresh no salt stock
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
zest and juice of one lemon
pepper to taste (salt to if you must)

Directions:

Sautee the onions in a couple of tablespoons of the broth over medium heat for about 7-8 minutes.

Don't let them dry out, add more broth as necessary. Add the garlic and sautee another minute.

Add tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, just until tomatoes break down a little.

Add the zucchini, yellow squash, corn and vegetable broth.

Bring the pot to a boil on high, then reduce to medium and cook 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add the freshly chopped basil, lemon juice and zest and pepper and salt to taste.

And Enjoy!

Fresh Summer Vegetable Soup

This is another entry for Healthy Vegan Fridays.

Cooking Tip:

About this time, you might notice that you have left over broth. This seems to happen a lot as often 6 cups of broth is required for soup bases and a carton has 4 cups. I make broth cubes with the left overs and keep them in a bag in the freezer to use for sautéing vegetables. Also they come in handy to flavor the dog's dry food. What can I say, my dog is very spoiled. :-)

Left Over Broth Cubes

Personal Note:

I saw this quote over on FB this week, and it's stuck in my mind. It applies to me and this blog. I am definitely starting before I am ready and quite honestly if I waited until I was ready, I probably would never start. This is all a learning curve for me and quite frankly that's the point. 

So please bear with me as I improve my skills as I go along. This refers to camera operation, lighting, writing, cooking, media, graphic design, the list goes on and on. I am by no means a professional blogger, chef, or whatever and nor do I profess to be.

I am someone who is trying to heal myself with nutrition, learning new habits and tastes that I hope will last a lifetime and by sharing this adventure, I hope I can also inspire others in the process.

It's just me doing my thang.

So until next time… just be. (deep breath) ;-)

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