Do not be afraid...

It's only fiber...

My BFF has been pushing me to add more fiber to my carb-heavy diet, and I know she is right.
However, when a newly minted Vegan starts making suggestions about my menu, naturally, I'm more than a little skeptical.

So, in an effort to get her off my back and to eat the beans that I know are so good for me, I pushed aside all of my baking cookbooks and dusted off this delicious recipe that I first made years ago when my kids were still living at home. They loved it and we ate tortilla chips with it. Yes, chips = carbs. But we were eating beans with the chips so it balances itself out. Doesn't it?

Here it is, Fiesta Bean Salad, isn't it pretty and colorful?

I made this for Mr. Man a few weeks ago and his face just lit up. He likes it because there are jalapenos in it, one of his favorite veggies.

Everything can be found at the grocery store, any time of year, so if you are like me and love to bake but know you have to counteract all of the sweets with something that at least makes you feel as if you are being nice to your body, this is the side dish for you.

Get out the your cutting board and your sharpest knife.

Fiesta Bean Salad

Servings: makes 12

Preparation time: about 10 minutes

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

(about 2 limes)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt

ground pepper

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (yes, make sure you do this or it's ishy)

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced

1 and1/2 cups cooked corn kernels (I just use 1 can)

1 cup chopped red onion

1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

1.) In large bowl, whisk together oil and lime juice; add cilantro, cumin and salt and pepper to taste, mixing well. Stir in beans, bell pepper, corn, onion and jalapeno pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

2.) To serve, garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Serve at room temperature.

Note: Be sure to wash hands after handling jalapeno peppers. the pepper's volatile oils can burn skin or eyes

per serving: About 145 calories, 6 g. pro, 21 g car, 5 g fat, 29% cal from fat, 0 mg chol, 37 mg sod.

More than likely this will be the one and only time I post any type of calorie information. This should be all about baking, but, I do need that BFF to know that I am trying to be better.

This one's for you, CC.