Easy Black Bean Salad

As mentioned in previous posts, beans are considered an extremely frugal food with high nutritional value for your food dollar.  While frugalistas recommend eating beans at least three times a week, we don't.  We average about once a week.  Dried beans are the best value coming in at about 90¢ per pound for store bought packaged beans depending on the size of package and variety of bean.  A one pound package of beans will yield 4 to 5 cups of beans or about 2 to 3 (14 oz) cans of beans that would cost at best 69¢ per can or $1.38 to $2.07.  Dried beans are as easy to cook as pasta they just take a bit longer so nix those cans that aren't eco-friendly and save some money cooking beans from scratch.  If you home can, consider canning a couple of batches for the convenience of ready to use. 

I can't recall when I first had black beans but they were love at first bite.  Along with other beans that I home can,  black beans are one of my favourites.  Home canned beans are convenient because they are ready to use.  If I run out of home canned beans then I resort to cooking them from scratch as was the case with this easy black bean salad.

Black beans have a rich, earthy flavour that makes them quite lovely for salads and dips.  This tasty salad is ever so easy to make.  I garnished the salad with a dab of sour cream and sprinkling of green onions.  It made for a colourful presentation.

Easy Black Bean Salad

1 c dried black beans*
1 c niblet corn
1 c salsa
sour cream
green onion

Rinse and check beans for stones.  Place in saucepan and cover with water to about an inch above the beans.  Bring to a boil then boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and cover.  Let sit 1 hour.  Drain and cover with fresh water.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer.  Cook beans until tender, about 40 minutes.  Drain and cool.  Cook niblet corn, drain and cool.  Stir beans, corn and salsa together.  Chill.  Garnish with a dab of sour cream and green onion slices.

* 1 c dried beans = 2½ c cooked beans