Black Bean Salad

This salad is a perfect compliment to anything you throw on the grill this summer. It can also be enjoyed all by itself if you do not enjoy meat. 

It benefits from a couple of hours in the refrigerator prior to being consumed. 

Ingredients:

15 oz canned black beans rinsed

2 tomatoes, minced

1 green pepper, minced

Corn from one corn of the cob, lightly cooked

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1 avocado, cubed

1/3-1/2 cup salsa, I like Trader Joe's Spicy Smokey Peach Salsa.

1/4  cup olive oil

Juice from 1-2 limes

1-2 teaspoons Ground Cumin

1 clove minced garlic

1/2- 1 teaspoon Chipotle in Adobe sauce or another pepper to your liking.

Directions:

Mix the vegetables except from the avocado which is cubed and added just before serving.

In a separate container mix  the rest of the ingredients and pour over the vegetables. Mix well. 

Let sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours prior to serving. 

Strawberry and Rhubarb Crisp

Sweet strawberries and tart rhubarbs are a perfect pair. My favorit is the two under a layer of a crisp oatmeal and walnuts. Add some ice cream or whipped cream with a dash of yoghurt and you got the best dessert of the year.  

Best of all, it is easy and quick to make.

As always the proportions are not written in stone.  Please feel free to improvise.

Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 cup oat meal

1/2 cup walnuts or any other nut of your liking. Or drop nuts all together and increase the oats.

1/4-1/3 cup dark sugar or any other sugar that you like

1/4 cup flour

1 ts cardamom or cinnamon 

1/4 cup olive oil or any other oil that you like.

2 tbs butter

1 1/2 pounds rhubarb cut in 1-1 1/2 inch pieces

1 pint strawberries cut in 2- 4 parts.

1/3 - 1/2 cup dark brown sugar  ( more or less to your liking)

lemon juice from one lemon

1 ts cardamon or cinnamon

2 tbs flour 

Directions:

Mix the first 6 ingredients. 

Crumble in the butter.

Mix together the fruits sugar, lemon  juice, flour and spices.

In a pyrex pan  add the fruits and cover with the oat mixture.

Bake on lower rack for approximately 30 minutes at 350 degree Fahrenheit.  

Cover with parchment paper or tin foil to prevent burning. You want the fruits to be bubbling before 

removing from oven.