This has been an unusually mild summer. I’ve hardly had the air conditioning on all summer except for a few nights. There’s been a calm breeze and sometimes even a bit chilly at night. Still, with longer days, slaving away at a stove to make dinner isn’t exactly ideal. Sometimes raw is the way to go.  I’m not talking crazy fancy, restaurant raw food but a simple chopped salad. One of the best things about fresh produce is it needs very little seasoning to make it spectacular.

This salad in particular is one of my favorites. The only thing that comes out of a can is the black beans. You could cook your own dried beans, but we’re trying to stay simple here. Fresh chopped raw corn, beans, diced cucumber and slivered scallions are all brought together with a light lime vinaigrette. Feta makes a great addition, but the salad would be just as great without it if you want to stay vegan. Feel free to add your other favorite summer veggies too!

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad with Feta (Serves 4)

• 4 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob
• 2 15-ounce cans of black beans
• 3 kirby cucumbers, diced
• 1 1/2 c scallions, thinly sliced
• Juice of 4 limes
• 1/4 c red wine vinegar
• Pinch of sea salt
• 8 oz feta, crumbled

In a large bowl toss together corn, black beans, cucumbers and scallions. Add lime juice, vinegar and pinch of salt and mix well. Taste and add additional salt as needed. Add in crumbled feta and mix until combined. Enjoy!