Two Summer Salads

I am slowly reclaiming my kitchen after a month of almost no cooking. Here are two easy salads for these hot summer days.

Black Bean Salad

This is a salad everyone likes in our house. I sometimes add a diced avocado and some corn kernels to it, too. Increase the dressing accordingly if you do so.

• 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1/3 c green onions, sliced
  
• 2 tbs red onion, finely chopped
  
• A colorful combination of peppers, diced
• 2 tbs cilantro, finely chopped
  
• 2 tbs lime (or lemon) juice
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• A small garlic clove, minced
  
• Salt and pepper

Put the first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Make a dressing using the rest of the ingredients and toss.

Fire Roasted Vegetable Salad

Fire is the best taste enhancer and this salad is a testimony to that claim. You can also add chopped onion and parsley if you wish, but it tastes just fine without them.

• 1 medium eggplant
• 1 red pepper
• 1 green frying pepper
• 2 tomatoes
• 2-4 tbs vinegar
• 6 tbs olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Fire roast the eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. Put the peppers in a plastic bag and set aside for 20 minutes. Peel the charred skin of the vegetables and wash them. Squeeze the eggplant to remove any juice. Finely chop the vegetables and mix with vinegar, olive oil, mashed garlic to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy.