Secret 2 for making Everyday Healthy Quick is to learn how make something once and use with variety throughout the week.  As organic corn is season, plentiful and affordable, I chose to make this vegetable the feature of my bean salad dish. (see previous post for initial inspiration) This past week and a bit I have put the salad to the test to see if it is worthy enough (aka delicious and convenient) for the everyday.

I had both delicious successes and some not so delicious creations. Yet, making mistakes is an important part of the journey – it means you are trying something new and going beyond your comfort zone. I'll share my favourite creations with you over the coming week :-). As much as possible  have kept the ingredients to the Everyday Pantry Shopping List to make healthy eating convenient.

Psst... the more we incorporate organic whole foods into our everyday the more we can avoid the harmful effects of free radical damage and let our natural GLOW shine through. And while you're making change delicious for yourself - you'll be doing the planet a favour as well ;-)

Corn and Bean Salad Base
Corn LOVES...Black Beans and Bell Peppers

Ingredients

2 cups black beans
1 cup red kidney beans
1/2 cup onion
1 1/2 cups corn
1 bell pepper, chopped

Note that in the base I used all vegetables that can easily be stored like onion and bell peppers. I purposely left out vegetables like fresh cilantro, lettuce and avocado which will make the life of the salad much shorter. Also by making your base with few ingredients you have the opportunity to 2 or 3 new ingredients each time so you can experience variety in flavour. 

Basic Cumin Vinaigrette

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
sea salt to taste

(feel free to make double or triple the above and use again for convenience)

Corn LOVES…Basil, Cilantro, Quinoa and Tomatoes

1 1/2 cups bean salad base
1 1/2 cups green or red lettuce, chopped
1/4 cup quinoa (black or white)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/4 avocado, cubed
1/4 cup (approx 5) basil leaves, julienned (aka minced)
1 cup chopped cilantro, lightly packed

For those who don’t like the taste of cilantro simply leave out and use basil instead ;-)
Next time, I would add more corn for a more prominent flavour.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste

 Method

(1)  Toss all ingredients together and mix with leftover cumin vinaigrette or try the balsamic vinaigrette above.

Julie’s Kitchen Tip

Dijon mustard would have gone deliciously well in the vinaigrette, but I didn’t have any on hand. Feel free to experiment yourself. You can try tossing everything in the salad except the quinoa. Once tossed, lay your mixture on the bed of quinoa and drizzle with vinaigrette. This way, the quinoa flavour is not lost in the mixture and provides a nice contrast of textures in your mouth for a more fulfilling meal.

May you be inspired to make your everyday healthy delicious.

Bon Appetit