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Wondering what to bring to that next BBQ?

 

Three bean and avocado salad with lime vinaigrette

NOTE: This recipe updated 7/1/19. Use 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil. Add slowly to taste.

This crowd-pleasing dish is chock full of flavor, with the lime and cilantro lighting it up just enough. And the great pop of color from the red, yellow and green peppers, three colors of beans, corn, cilantro and avocado make it beautiful to serve. The textures make for a surprise in every bite. Part of my reboot has been a new focus on healthy eating. I have a new appreciation for clean, pure foods and the nuanced flavors of fresh spices and herbs, not to mention the wonderful texture of whole grains. This recipe hits all the buttons!

It’s Keto, Paleo, Whole30, Vegan and just plain ole good.

I’ve been making this salad for years since a friend first gave me a simple version on a tiny notepad. I still have that tattered little slip of paper. I’ve tweaked it and enhanced it over the years and finally have it where I want it. You may want to tweak it too. I don’t use tomatoes, because they don’t hold up as well, but you may want to try cherry tomatoes.  I brought it to a pool party last week and served it as a dip with some really healthy chips and 5 people asked me for the recipe! So I decided it would be easier to tell them to jump onto secondmojo.com than to repeat the recipe or try to jot it on a cocktail napkin.

It’s the perfect healthy, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan dish to bring along.

You’ll be the star when you show up with a scrumptious dish that’s vegan-friendly, gluten free and great for clean eaters too. Trust me, the guests will thank you. I bring it as a salad or a dip, served with some good quality chips. But bring some small plates and forks ‘cuz they will eat it by the plate full.

Packed with  flavor, this salad is a nice, clean dish that’s perfect for summer, and yet still hearty enough for cooler weather. The lime makes it super refreshing, and the beans and corn bring on enough fiber for it to stand alone as a meal, or as the perfect side to grilled chicken or fish or just about anything else. Heat a tortilla in a small pan and wrap some salad and a little rotisserie chicken, melt some cheese on it and you’ve got a quick lunch or dinner. Bam! I make a big pot and use it all week long, as a side dish, plop a little on my salad, or even use as a light snack in place of dinner some nights. Or you can just bring a little out at cocktail time.

Don’t add the avocado until an hour before serving.

You’ll probably have most of the ingredients on hand for this “no cooking required” recipe.

You can use whatever combination of beans you have on hand. I use Black Beans, Red Kidney Beans, and Great Northern Beans. I happen to love Butter Beans and will sub out for the Great Northern if I’m serving this as a salad. (They are a little clunky for a dip). It’s super portable, and more forgiving than dips with sour cream, mayo or other daily. Nothing like watching those babies bake in the sun!

Serve in a wrap with Chicken and cheese for a quick lunch or dinner

Culantro vs Cilantro – Oops.

Cilantro

I’m going to say this just in case I’m the only idiot who thought they were the same thing for years. Honestly, I thought culantro was the Spanish spelling of cilantro. It’s not. But, in my defense, they are similar in taste and aroma but culantro is much stronger and a little sweeter, and can easily hijack the flavor of your dish. So double check.

Culantro

MOJO HACKS

  • Pick up a small juicer if you don’t have one so you can wring out every bit of goodness from your lime. My hands just won’t do anymore.
  • Prep and mix everything but the avocado as much as a day ahead. The flavor only gets better.
  • Reserve a little lemon juice to squirt on the avocados and them fold them in an hour or so before serving. This will help retain their color.
  • Reserve a little of the cilantro to sprinkle over it before serving.
  • Stop by the dollar store and get a festive covered dish. When you’re ready to slip out of the party, no washing dishes!
  • When they ask for the recipe, and they will- no need to write it down. Send them to secondmojo.com/three bean and avocado salad share it with them through the links below – either on your social media or by email. Thanks!  Sharing is caring.

 

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