southwestern corn and black bean salad

this past weekend welcomed the month of june, and along with the beginning of june came some very hot temperatures.  boy, it was hot!

when the weather is that hot outside, i tend to gravitate toward simple meals that are hassle free and can be thrown together in just a few minutes.  on sunday, ryan grilled burgers for dinner, and i was looking for an easy side dish to go along with our burgers.  i threw together several ingredients that we had on hand, and the result was an awesome salad with a southwestern flair.

served cold, this salad is super refreshing on a hot day.  it has just the right amount of kick to it from the spices while still being really light.  it's healthy because it is loaded with veggies too!  i have a feeling that this salad is going to become a staple in our house this summer as a side dish for dinners on hot summer nights.

southwestern corn and black bean salad
prep time: 5-10 minutes
yields: 6 servings

ingredients:
1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup orange bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

directions:
drain the corn and the black beans in a colander, and rinse thoroughly with cold water.  in a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss well to incorporate.  refrigerate until ready to serve.  serve cold.

enjoy!

love, laurie