The Frugal Foodie: Summer Slump Salsa

As a stay at home mom, my days aren’t exactly glamorous.  I fill my days with shuttling kids in my minivan, deciding who gets the one last red freezer pop, or reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar for the 2,354^th time.   My last semi-thought provoking conversation was a debate with seven-year-old girls.  Who is cuter: Zach or Cody from “The Suite Life?”  Things like the invention of Easy Mac or the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser a few years ago rocked my world.  To say my daily life is a bit lacking in excitement would be an understatement.  

I look to cooking to add flavor to my world.  Trying new tastes allows me to indulge my adventurous side, and the part of me that wants to hop on the plane to Munich for Sauerbraten, San Francisco for a Dim-Sum lunch or Alabama for some good down-home BBQ.  Or, the side that wants to hide in the closet with a bottle of Jamaican rum after a hard day of being Mom.

For awhile I was on a roll: everything I made was fresh, exciting, and tasted great.  Then we went on vacation.  When I returned home, my cooking mojo had all but disappeared.  I tried a few new things.  A pork chop marinade that was alright but not spectacular.  A colorless pasta dish that was ho-hum.  Yet another vegetarian orzo dish that excited me but my family politely described as “fine.”  You know you’re in a slump when your husband suggests that you return to making some of your regular recipes again.

And so with that, I give you one of my summer standards.  With fresh sweet corn in season, it’s a great time to give it a try.  I usually make a few extra ears of corn so that I can cut some off the cob to make this.  This one is so easy to make, you just chop and jump.  The cilantro gives it a fresh taste, and as a bonus it’s nearly fat-free.



Black Bean and Corn Salsa (a.k.a. Cowboy Caviar)

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn kernels (I use either fresh or frozen; not canned)
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp. lime juice
8 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
½ t salt
½ t ground cumin

It’s this simple: chop and dump. Refrigerate overnight to let all flavors blend.

Until my next adventure – FF