The red hues of the peppers and onions are a nice contrast to the color of the black beans, and the taste of this vibrant salad retains the Latin flair that is associated with black beans.

Ingredients:
1 cup dry black beans
5 cups water
3 bay leaves
1 cup finely diced red onion
1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 to 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
Salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Sort and rinse the beans, then soak overnight in water. Strain and rinse again just before cooking. Boil the 5 cups water with the black beans and bay leaves. Reduce the heat and cook until tender. This should take from 30 to 45 minutes. They should not be allowed to lose their shape. Drain the beans and remove the bay leaves.

Toss the vegetables with the black beans and season with the cilantro, cumin, vinegar, cayenne, and garlic. Toss again and add salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe makes 4 cups (4 servings) Black Bean Salad.

Nutrition information per serving:
139 calories
0.8 grams total fat
0.1 grams saturated fat
0 milligrams cholesterol

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