YUM: Black Bean & Corn Salad

I will be the first one to admit that I am no cook. I rarely make food any more, and I've been lazy and taking advantage of either getting delivery (gotta love New York) or heating up something pre-made from Trader Joe's. But since I've been on a quest to become healthier, I realized that making my own food is very important. And since the summer is no time to be slaving over a hot stove, I decided to go with something easy yet refreshing.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 6 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

• Place lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small jar. Cover with lid, and shake until ingredients are well mixed.
• In a salad bowl, combine beans, corn avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Shake lim dressing, and pour it over the salad. Stir to coat vegetables and bean with dressing, and serve.

It was very simple to make (except that I am so slow at chopping vegetables) and was a big hit! I added a bit more lime juice, and loads more cayenne pepper. The above makes 6 servings, and it's even yummier the next day, so it's perfect to save in the fridge. 

~from allrecipes.com