Black Bean Salsa

Black Bean Salsa uses mostly pantry ingredients, and the hardest part is opening the cans. I usually have fresh limes around, but in a pinch you can use a tablespoon or two of bottled lime juice. Or red wine vinegar. There is no substitute for chopped fresh cilantro, though. You can leave it out if you have some of those cilantro-tastes-like-soap people at your house.

I keep our Black Bean Salsa in the refrigerator in a quart-sized glass jar. The recipe makes almost exactly one quart–but you may need to go ahead and eat a couple of bites to make it fit. It will keep in the fridge the better part of a week.

We eat most of it with tortilla chips. But Black Bean Salsa is good with quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, nachos, and even spooned over a boneless, skinless chicken breast you’ve seasoned with a little chili powder and broiled or grilled. Black Bean Salad makes a taco salad easy. Just add lettuce, chicken or beef, and shredded cheese. I’ve even added leftover Black Bean Salsa to a pot of taco soup. And with both beans and corn, Black Bean Salsa is a complete protein even before you pile it on a tortilla chip.

Other than pizza sauce, this may be as easy as eating your vegetables gets!

Black Bean Salsa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can tomatoes and chilies, drained
1 can white corn, drained
½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lime

Toss all ingredients together. Chill. Keeps in the refrigerator for about a week.