Resources

Sometimes, especially for beginning vegetarian cooks, the thought of cooking beans from scratch is too daunting to even consider recipes that include beans. But don’t let lack of bean cooking experience slow you down with this recipe. Freshly cooked beans are of course great to use, but canned beans can work for this (and many recipes). If using canned beans find a brand that is organic and not cooked to a mush. Eden brand is good. And stay tuned, in a post coming soon we’ll go into the different techniques for cooking dried beans from scratch, how to store them and also we’ll give a number of recipes as well.

Yields – 6 servings

Cook Time – 15 Minutes

Rest Time – 20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked black beans
• 1 cup corn kernels (may use frozen)
• ¾ cup chopped red bell pepper
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons tamari
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 6-8 Butter lettuce leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Step 1

Drain the beans from all cooking liquid. If using canned beans, drain and rinse them. Place the beans in a medium mixing bowl.

Step 2

Heat a skillet over medium high heat until a bead of water dropped onto the surface dances across the surface. Add the corn to the skillet and cook, tossing frequently, until the kernels have begun to brown slightly. Pour them into the bowl with the beans.

Step 3

Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Set aside for at least 30 minutes before serving. Better yet, keep the beans covered and refrigerated for 24-48 hours, tossing occasionally, allowing the flavors to marry.

Step 4

Spoon the servings of beans into lettuce cups and serve as a main course or salad.