I often make a nacho plate for dinner, as it’s pretty quick and easy, and the kids love it. Refried beans, hamburger scrambled with taco seasoning, tortilla chips, melted cheese, and sour cream — yum! What’s not to love? I made this dish recently, using Beyond Meat Feisty Crumbles, a plant-based protein, and it was pretty good. My daughter noticed the “meat” was a little different, but the dish overall passed the “kid test.”

My dilemma with this dish, though, is that it’s pretty heavy on the carbs, and not so much with the veggies. So, I decided to pair it with a corn salsa, and it was a hit with the family. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of frozen corn, rinsed and drained
• 15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 2 small tomatoes, chopped
• 1/8 cup of olive oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice (or 2 fresh-squeezed limes)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• spices (garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cilantro)
• Optional Veggies
  • 1 avocado, diced – since avocado is prone to browning, I like to chop it up right before serving so it’s fresh and green
  • 1/4 cup hot peppers, chopped (jalapeño peppers or Mezzetta mild pepper rings)
  • 1 cucumber, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 2 cups broccoli “trees”
  • Adding cukes, carrots, celery, and broccoli to a salsa might seem a bit weird, but when you’re trying to get as many veggies in as possible, it’s a great way to add lots of color, variety, and crunch.

Instructions

• Place the corn, beans, and chopped veggies into a serving bowl
• Whisk the olive oil and lime juice together, adding the salt in as an emulsifier
• Pour the lime and olive oil mixture into the serving bowl and mix gently
• Add garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, and cilantro to taste
• Top with diced avocado and serve