holiday fare

Summer means plenty of hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad. But does it have to? I love all of those things once in a while. I've been incorporating more veggies in my diet and less meat. More whole grains, including beans. In the winter time, that usually means a vegetable soup for lunch. Cold weather fare, not suitable for summer.

So I've been experimenting with a lunch time salad. It helps to have something healthy in the refrigerator, ready to go when I break for lunch. I can stay in writing mode and not in cooking mood and just grab and go. The whole grains keep me from having hunger pangs late in the afternoon. The kind that lead to unhealthy snacks like cookies and candy.

This is my new lunch. It's colorful, healthy and suitable to take to a picnic. It goes great with hamburgers and dogs. No one has to know it's good for them.

1 cup cooked brown rice
1 carrot, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can corn,drained
1 can black beans, drained
Italian dressing to taste

That's it. Simple, fresh and yummy.