Southwestern Corn Salad

Corn, tomatoes, peppers  are all end of summer vegetables. So, you may be asking “how can you make an end of summer salad in the dead of winter?” The answer – freezing and no, I don’t mean the freezing temperatures of January and February. I mean freezing foods at the peak of ripeness in summer. Here are my bags of peppers diced, cut into strips, and even halved ready for the freezer.

My Southwestern Corn Salad is made with corn and peppers I froze during the summer along with tomatoes from the grocery store. I know, I know, tomatoes in the winter are practically tasteless, but mixed with a delicious southwestern dressing, they taste ok and they add a pop of color to the salad.

Start by making the embarrassingly simple 3-ingredient dressing. Stir together canola-based mayonnaise, white vinegar, and a teaspoon or so of taco seasoning. Canola oil is a good source of plant-based omega-3 fats – healthy fats for the heart. Omega-3 fats help lower blood pressure and limit platelet clotting reducing your risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Now add frozen corn, chopped tomatoes, and diced peppers to a medium sized bowl. Can you believe those peppers are frozen? I thawed a few frozen pepper strips and diced them. If you like things a little spicier feel free to add in some jalapeños or other hot peppers.

Now just stir the vegetables and sauce together.

Southwestern Corn Salad
½ cup canola based mayonnaise
2 Tbs white vinegar
2 tsp taco seasoning (mild, medium, or hot your choice)
4 cups frozen or fresh corn
2 tomatoes, diced
¾  cup frozen or fresh diced green peppers (add jalapeños if desired)
 
In small bowl, stir mayonnaise, vinegar, and taco seasoning together. Place corn, tomatoes, and peppers in medium sized bowl. Just before serving toss vegetables with dressing. Note: frozen vegetables may release more liquid than fresh, so dress just before serving to prevent the salad from getting too liquidy.