Power Foods! - Green Bean, Corn, and Tomato Salad

Don't you just love summer salads ? It's Meatless Monday here and we're really trying to keep to a few meatless meals a week. I'd love to say that we succeeded this evening, but I had such a hankering for a pork tenderloin and a couple good sides. Soooo... I will be doing meatless later in the week.

YOU, HOWEVER! You could easily make this a side for your next meatless meal ... and I know we will be adding it to the roster! It was delicious ... and I didn't even have the golden tomatoes that the recipe called for, so I subbed in a golden sweet pepper. Worked just fine! The dressing is an easy red wine vinegar and olive oil toss, but the sweet corn creates a sweetened touch that is just so summery and wonderful! My only other touch was to sprinkle on some red cayenne pepper with the kosher salt and black pepper at the last minute before tossing things lightly.

Easy, healthy, and full of good stuff! What could be better? There were no leftovers ... guess we'll have to make this one again! Good thing the green beans and tomatoes are comin' on big time!

This recipe comes from a new cookbook in which I've bookmarked at least a dozen recipes. I can't wait to get at them ... all full of great vegetables, fruits, and nuts.

Green Bean, Corn, and Tomato Salad

a recipe from power foods -150 delicious recipes with the 38 healthiest ingredients

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 ears of fresh corn

1 ½ lb. fresh green beans, washed and tipped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

¼ c. olive oil

3 tbsp. red wine vinegar

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

1 yellow tomato, sliced into ½-inch chunks

2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

Kosher salt

Making the Salad:

1. Bring a big pot of water to a boil and cook the corn for about 7 minutes. Remove the corn and drop it into a  big bowl of ice water.
2. Drop the prepped green beans into the same boiling water and cook for about 7 minutes – until tender crisp. Drop the beans into the ice water to stop the cooking.
3. Cut the corn kernels from the corncobs and run the knife down the cobs to bring out the sweet juices. Place the corn and juices in a salad bowl.
4. Drain the beans and let them dry on some paper towels. Slice in half on the diagonal and add to the corn.
5. Smash the garlic cloves and add them to the beans and corn.
6. Toss 3 tbsp. of the olive oil into the mix and set the bowl aside to let the garlic spread its essence.
7. Prepare the onions and tomatoes.
8. Just before serving, toss the red wine vinegar, tomatoes, and onions into the salad.
9. Sprinkle on kosher salt and drizzle the rest of the olive oil.
10. Serve with a nice crusty bread and red wine.

Note: An addition of a sprinkling of red cayenne pepper and some black pepper works well here. Adding sliced sweet red pepper works well, also!