Black Bean Salsa

Black bean salsa is a delicious and easy high protein, low fat, slow-carb food, that you can make for yourself at home in 10 minutes. It uses pre-prepared ingredients, requires no cooking, and offers a deliciously refreshing way to enjoy your legumes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 x 15-ounce cans cooked black beans
• 2 large tomatoes

• 2 small bunches of scallions/spring onions

• 1/8 to 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to season

Method:

Tip the cans of beans into a sieve, and rinse thoroughly under the tap, until the water runs clear.  This helps avoid the ‘gassy’ effect of the beans, by removing some of the indigestible oligosaccharides that have leached out of the beans into their water they are tinned in!  So do this step thoroughly, then put the beans in a large bowl.

Dice the tomatoes.  You can go to the fuss of de-seeding them and peeling them, but you waste a lot of juice and nutrients this way, and the seeds add to the texture.  Wash the scallions, trim away the root, and slice finely, making sure to get a mix of white and green flesh.

Add the chopped cilantro, reserving a little to garnish the top of the salsa with.  Then add the lime juice, vinegar, and a good rub of salt and pepper.  

The whole lot now needs mixing thoroughly, and a clean-scrubbed pair of hands are the ideal tools for this.  Afterwards, test the seasoning – because it’s served cold, you may need slightly more salt than you think, but no need to overdo it.  Once it is just right, you should ideally leave it to sit at room temperature for at least an hour, or several hours in the fridge, allowing the flavors to mingle and combine deliciously. Mmmm!

Variations:

You can easily make this black bean and corn salsa, with the addition of a 17 oz bag of defrosted sweetcorn kernels.  It won’t be a slow carb meal any more… but it will be very tasty and beautiful, with the pretty contrasting colors.

Other optional extras take the flavor off in different directions, for variety… diced mango and roasted pimento peppers make a gorgeous sweet-smoky salsa, a terrific starter for a Mexican-themed meal, served with tortilla chips.

Alternatively, add a lot more cilantro and substitute the scallions for a medium white onion, finely chopped – this makes for a sharper taste, lovely as a side dish with a creamy sauce dish.  A shredded jalapeno pepper adds even more kick!

Enjoy your black bean salsa any way you choose, this is a healthy way to get a generous helping of vegetarian protein with a delicious flavor.