Continuing our countdown to Cinco de Mayo, here’s an easy and delicious vegetable  bean salad. It’s finished with yesterday’s Cumin Lime Dressing, which contributes a bright flavor to underscore the freshness of this dish.

I brought a bowl of this to an alumnae potluck last weekend, and waited until the last minute to toss in the cilantro so the green would stay vibrant. A beautiful addition to any table, this can be served as-is for a side dish, over spinach as an entrée salad, or as part of a taco salad with Vegan Taco Meat.

Ingredients

• 1 batch of Cumin Lime Dressing (limes, vinegar, oil, cumin, s&p)
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed well
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in quarters or smaller
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3-4 green onions, minced to half way into green
• 2 large ears of corn
• .5 cups chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Make the dressing and let sit for flavors to marry.
2. Lightly cook the corn to develop sweetness. I microwaved but might be better to boil and blanch. Don’t cook to the extent that you would eat corn on the cob – maybe half that much. When it cools, cut the kernels off with a sharp knife.
3. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix in the dressing, starting with half and adding to your taste.

Substitutions

• Kidney beans for either garbanzo or black beans
• A quarter finely diced sweet or red onion for green onions
• Cherry tomatoes for grape tomatoes (or diced Romas)
• Store-bought cumin lime or lime cilantro dressing