Refreshing Bean and Corn Salad

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I know I have been a pretty absent lately and that is because I got too complacent in my cooking! I got in a semi-unhealthy rut and only just recently pulled myself out of it. What better way to get back into clean, healthy eating than to make a delicious refreshing cold bean and corn salad? It is plant-based, protein-packed, fiber-rich, and easy to make! I am seriously considering making this my new pot-luck go to item.

I used all organic or home grown (yay for vegetable and herb gardens!) ingredients to really up the nutrient value and reduce my sugary/processed food intake. When purchasing canned beans, this is very important. Most regular canned beans come packed in corn syrup! Ew! Organic beans come packed in salt water instead. If you want to use dry beans for this recipe, each can equals 1 1/2 cups of soaked, prepared beans. I also used fresh Italian parsley (flat leaf similar to cilantro, not curly) from my garden because parsley is great for detoxifying your digestive system! You can easily use  as a substitute for an equally refreshing, but slightly different tasting dish.

Sweet Coleslaw

One of my favorite sides in the summertime is coleslaw. It is easy to make, since you simply mix everything together and let it sit overnight. This also makes it a great pot luck dish!

The origional dish was brought to the Americas by Dutch settlers who called it koolsla, meaning cabbage salad. Today there are many types of slaw, some of which are mayonnaise based, vinegar based, and red slaw.

My favorite is the classic sweet mayonnaise based slaw that you get in most fried chicken restaurants. Since I can’t eat the chicken, I don’t get to eat the slaw too often. Here is my version of the sweet coleslaw:

Ingredients

1 small onion, minced (or 1 Tbl onion powder)

2/3 cup mayonnaise

½ cup white sugar

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon gluten-free white vinegar (Heinz is a safe option)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

½ teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)

1 small fresh cabbage, chopped to desired size

1 medium carrot, grated

1. Whisk mayonnaise, sugar, vegetable oil, vinegar, salt, and poppy seeds together in a large bowl until smooth.

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2. Add in cabbage and carrot (or coleslaw mix) and toss to coat.

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3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or lid; refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Overnight works best.

Tips:

*You can substitute the fresh cabbage and carrot with a 16 ounce bag of coleslaw mix from the bag lettuce section of the grocery store. It also saves you from having to chop and grate.

*For a tangy version of this coleslaw add 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

*I have in the past used Veganaise instead of mayonnaise for an egg-free version. It works, but the flavor is not quite the same.