On Being a Feeder...Southwest Salad

We came home last night from our trip.  Today as I was preparing dinner I was thinking about what Jennifer had said about Jim one day while we were with them and he was cooking breakfast for everyone.  She said, "Dad is a feeder...you know like a little Jewish mother!"  She had said it before, but this time it sunk in.  What she was saying is that Dad loves to cook and feed people.  He is a nurturer when it comes to food.  He shows his love by being a feeder.

I realized I use to be like that but somewhere along the line I lost it.  I feel badly about that.  I have always been a nurturer, but somehow I lost interest in doing it with food.  I want to try to recapture it because I find it a very admirable trait in a person.    Now don't get me wrong,  I do cook and I always have cooked.  Dinner was always sacred in our family and even when my life was at its most hectic we all ate dinner as a family every night and any other meal we possibly could.  And we don't dine out that often.

The problem these past few years I just haven't had my heart in it like I wish I had.  I get it done but it has become a chore.  So this is one of my goals in the next few months.  To get the love back.  To be more of a feeder to my husband who needs nurturing as much as we all do.

So this morning I woke up and decided to make this recipe I haven't made in a long time that is so yummy and a perfect summer healthy dish.  So I actually felt a little twinge of excitement at the thought.  I went shopping and got the ingredients as the cupboards are bare at the moment.  Shopping is on my to do list for tomorrow.  Anyway,  this new ambition to get the love back came then.  I am going to change my paradigm and learn to love it again!  This recipe is great for one or two as it lasts in the frig and doesn't get soggy.  It is actually better after the first day.  Yippe, I mean oh darn, I guess I will not be preparing dinner tomorrow night, we'll have yummy leftovers!

Southwest Black Bean Salad

   

Ingredients

3 cans of black beans.  Cook your own beans if you are so inclined.

2 cups of fresh or frozen corn

Chopped red peppers, red onion, tomatoes, and either jicama or celery.  Use your own amounts depending on how much you want to make.

Chop up some cilantro quite finely.  I used a couple of cups. 

Then I sauteed some garlic, we like a lot but your choice on that.  Mix all this together with salt and pepper.

Dressing

1/2 cup of red wine vinegar  (I used 3/4 cup on all these measurements but had a little too much)

1/2 olive oil

1/2 lime or lemon juice.  I used both and it was great.

1 tsp cumin
add a couple of tsps of sugar if you need it.

I used 3 dashes of Tabasco for a little kick or you can use a little cayenne pepper.  (Optional)

Mix well and pour over salad mixing well and let it stand and soak in awhile.

Before serving mix well again and serve with tortilla chips...I used Dorito chips and garnished with shredded cheddar cheese.   This is packed with healthy protein and lots of veggies for vitamins and fiber, and is very satisfying as well as tasty.  Especially if you go easy on the chips and garnish only with the cheese.

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"Bon" Appetite