Beans Beans Are Good For Your Heart

We all know what we should be eating: tons of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, a little soy here, a little lean meat there, lots of fish (as long as it's wild, sustainable, and low in mercury), a couple of eggs a week (free range, organic only), beans a couple of times a week, and only a wee little bit of sugar (if you must have any at all). Caffeine and alcohol should be consumed in moderation (ha!). Oh, and everything you eat should be locally grown on a family farm--or better yet, in your own garden--and preferably organic.

Sigh.

It's so hard to keep up and eat well all the time.

Now, during the summer it's easy to eat lots of fresh produce and buy it locally. It's easy, year round, to eat whole grain carbs and watch our protein intake. (It's not easy, ever, to stay away from sweets, alcohol, and/or, as in the case of many of my friends, caffeine.)

One thing I struggle to work into my diet, though, is beans. Unless you grew up eating them regularly, they're just not the first thing you think of when it's time to make dinner. I have been trying to make them more often, but, really, how much hummus does my family want to eat? So last week, determined to do something with the can of black beans in my pantry, I threw together dinner on the fly. I rarely cook south-of-the-border inspired cuisine, so I was thrilled that this dish worked. And we all loved it! I hope you enjoy it too.

Oh, and if you have some avocado or tomatoes lying around, dice them up and add them once the dish is removed from the heat. I am betting they'd be fabulous in this salad.

Warm Black Bean Salad with Caramelized Corn and Poblano Pepper
Serves 4

2 Tablespoons safflower oil
3 cups frozen corn kernels (or fresh corn sliced off 3-4 ears)
1 small onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium Poblano pepper, seeded and diced
1 can black beans
Juice of one lime
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Smoked paprika (regular sweet would be a fine substitute)
Dash Tabasco
4 cups baby spinach

Heat safflower oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add corn, onion, garlic, and Poblano pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes or til the corn starts to brown.

Add the beans and saute til they're heated through. Add the lime juice, season to taste with salt and pepper, add a pinch or two of the smoked or sweet paprika, and, if you like it a little spicy, add some Tabasco. Remove from heat and give it one more good stir. Serve warm on a bed of spinach.