Black Bean Salsa

Every year, the most popular New Year's resolution is to lose weight, be healthy, work out more, or all of the above.  Admittedly, I go through the same vicious cycle every year.  It's like this horrible checklist that replays itself. 

1. Eat really healthy and work out January-May (during the week at least)
2. Eat pretty healthy and work out some June-August
3. Get busy with school/basketball and start to slip during September-October
4. Pig out November (Thanksgiving is a month of calories in itself, but family and food are more important to me than some scale)
5. Double pig out December
6. Regret it December 26-30
7. Pig out December 31st with the thought in the back of my mind, "I'll start tomorrow" 

Whew!  Exhausting right?? Well if I'm going to be completely honest with you, the fabulous readers, I would have to tell you that the cycle will probably repeat itself this year, at least in some form.  But one thing I can tell you is that I'm all for trying!  Goals are a great thing to have, and I love a good routine.  I am thankful for my job in that I have a good breakfast and lunch routine.  It's dinner and parties that become the problem.  Dinner because my husband is a meat and potatoes man.  Will he eat a grilled chicken salad? Yes. Once or twice a week max.  But every other meal he would love to have some meat thrown in the mix.  I married the son of a cattle farmer.  The things we do to ourselves... And I really love my salads, but come on! Who really likes salad for the 5th time in a week when your husband's plate consists of steak and potatoes??  That's what I thought!

So I figure if I stay on track for breakfast and lunch, and stick with moderation for dinner, I am on the right path.  I try to throw in some healthy alternatives every chance I get.  I am a self proclaimed lover of all things containing cream cheese, especially dips.  It's a curse I tell ya!  So sometimes when I need to bring something to a party in which I know all the food will be pretty bad, I bring this salsa.  It is great with baked tortilla scoops, or homemade pita chips.  And it is totally interchangeable too!  If you don't have a green pepper, use a red pepper.  If you don't have a red pepper, use a yellow pepper.  If you don't have a yellow pepper, use a chili pepper...Seriously I could go all day.  But please, if you use a chili pepper, listen to some of their music too.  It's fabulous.  I have been known to throw in black eyed peas (Mazel Tov!) and avocados if they look good in the store.  Pretty much anything you can get your hands on or what is on sale at the time.  I think my favorite part of this salsa is how many things I have found that it is great on.  Examples include: spreading it on a block of cream cheese (heavenly), mixing it with salad and chicken for a twist (fiesta!) and for lunch today, throwing it and some grilled chicken in a tortilla (holy burrito!)  So this salsa is definitely mutipurpose, and quite good for you.  Leave me a comment if you can think of another way to use the salsa, I'm always open to new ideas!

Black Bean Salsa
Printable Recipe

Yield: about 6 cups
Ingredients:
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bag frozen corn
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced, or one can (4 oz) diced jalapenos
1 medium sized red onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 pkg Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix

Directions:
1.  Chop all of your vegetables and place in a large mixing bowl.  Add in tomatoes and corn. 
2.  Sprinkle with packet of Italian dressing mix and stir to combine.  Refrigerate at least one hour if possible.