For Meatless Monday: Corn and Avocado Salad

Time to remind you about one of my favorite global movements, MEATLESS MONDAY. The US Meatless Monday campaign was launched in 2003 and now, the "cut out meat one day a week" program is strong in 23 countries! I am proud to be a supporter. You should know that going meatless one day a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel. Going meatless is easy. It's healthy, delicious and saves money. I'm in favor of every one of those things. How about you?

My daughter shared this delicious meatless recipe with me, one she found in Real Simple magazine. We made a few changes, substituting black beans for pinto beans and using only 1 bag of romaine. I also think the salad would be wonderful without adding any romaine at all. And I should mention a few words about cilantro. It seems to bring out strong reactions in a lot of people. Either you love it or you hate it. If you are in the hate camp, leave it out and try adding parsley instead. Or only add a little. It's up to you!
Cool Southwestern Salad With Corn and Avocado
Serves 4
The Ingredients.
1 bag romaine lettuce
1 cup corn kernels (cut from 1 to 2 ears, or frozen and thawed)
2 avocados, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper
Tortilla chips
The Directions.
1. In a large bowl, combine romaine, corn, avocados, beans, onion, and cilantro.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Drizzle dressing over the salad and gently toss. Serve with the tortilla chips.
The Verdict.
This salad has a bright, fresh taste, perfect for a hot summer night (and we've had enough of those this year!).