Cucumber Bean Salsa

I love the spring… But, I also find it can be a difficult time of year to cook.  You see, by this time of the year, the weather is turning warm, and I am starting to crave lots of fresh fruits and veggies. The problem is that none of those fruits and veggies that I so desperately want for dinner are in season quite yet.  It’s still a bit early!

At my house, we do our best to eat local organic produce… We belong to a CSA and I make frequent trips to the local farmers’ market, but neither of those are up and running until at least mid-May.  In the meantime, I do my best to continue to use the veggies that I have stockpiled in my freezer from last season. But, fresh and frozen are not the same thing. And, when I really crave fresh veggies, I figure that’s a craving that is worth giving in to.  So, I supplement with organic produce from the grocery store.

I don’t know about where you live, but my local grocery store doesn’t exactly have the widest selection of organic fruits and veggies… And, the ones that they do have tend to sit on the shelves a while, so they’re not always real fresh. So, when I do end up buying produce at the store, I have to go with what’s readily available.  And, that can change from week to week.

That was the inspiration for this simple cucumber bean salsa.  I knew I needed a fresh side dish to go with our dinner one night earlier this week. I had some tortilla chips at home, so I figured I could make a quick and easy salsa with whatever looked good at the grocery store.  This week, I found nice English cucumbers, and some red bell peppers.  I decided to pair them with some black eyed peas I already had in my pantry. I already had a big bag of limes, so I knew I could make a quick citrusy vinaigrette to tie it all together.

My hubby and I enjoyed eating this salsa with some nice salty tortilla chips… But, you could actually serve it as a side salad, as well.  Either way, it’s fast and fresh… And, you can probably find the ingredients at your local grocery store!

Cucumber Bean Salsa
Serves about 4 – 6

• 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• Pinch of Kosher salt
• 1/2 of one large English cucumber, diced
• 1/2 of one large red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup black eyed peas, rinsed and drained

Squeeze the juice of the lime into the mixing bowl.  Add the olive oil, ground coriander, and salt.  Whisk to combine the dressing.  Add the cucumber, bell pepper, and black eyed peas.  Toss to combine with the dressing.  Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container.