Southwestern Lentil Salad

The best thing about salads is you don't have to follow exact measurements. Not even on the dressing. You can get a basic recipe and get creative from there. I love salads for this reason.

This is the recipe I use (more or less) for my Southwestern Lentil Salad. It is healthy and delicious. You can use it as a side dish, or a topping on Mexican food like tacos or burritos. Feel free to make some changes according to your taste.

1 cup dry lentils, simmered for 15 minutes in salted water
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 16 oz package frozen corn
1 15oz can organic black beans, drained and well rinsed
1 green pepper, small dice
1/4 to 1/3 cup minced red onion
1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

Dressing:
1/3 cup vinegar - apple cidar works great or whatever you have on hand
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 or 2 cloves crushed and finely minced garlic
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cumin

Cook, drain, and rinse lentils. Place in large bowl and pour the vegetable oil over and stir until all are coated. This prevents them sticking as they cool. To cool faster add frozen corn next and stir. Add the rest of the ingredients. You can certainly make your black beans from dried. I don't because the 15 oz can is the perfect amount for me and I get them for a huge discount.

For the dressing I usually use more vinegar than oil. You can change the amounts for your own taste. We like it tart and add sugar for a fabulous taste. You can put in less sugar or none. Just make sure to test it for taste. Everything will pick up the flavor. Stir in and it is ready to go!