I’ve been craving a cookout recently! Like the kind with hamburgers, hotdogs, brats, and all the sides. Cookouts scream summertime and are a great way to create community in your neighborhood. But one of my favorite summer sides is Cowboy Caviar! I can’t seem to get behind potato salad, broccoli salad, or macaroni salad. Something about the mayonnaise makes my stomach churn just thinking about it.

But Cowboy Caviar is the perfect blend of protein, Tex-Mex flair, and fresh citrus. Not to mention it’s super light and laden with veggies. You can rest assured that you’re getting plenty of nutrients in every bite. Next time you’re invited or hosting a cookout this summer, be sure to whip this up. Serve it with tortilla or pita chips and wham-bam-boom, you’re party is complete!

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Cowboy Caviar

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
juice of 1-2 limes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large Roma tomatoes, diced
1 (15 oz.) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (11 oz.) can sweet corn, drained
1/2 red onion, diced
1 cup bell pepper, diced
chopped cilantro, to taste

1. Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Dice tomatoes, red onion, and bell pepper.
3. Open, drain, and rinse black-eyed peas and black beans in a colander. Transfer diced veggies and rinsed beans to medium-sized bowl. Drain corn and add to mixture.
4. Mix thoroughly and add chopped cilantro. Let the mixture marry for a couple hours in the fridge before serving.
5. Enjoy with with tortilla or pita chips.

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On a completely different note, I came across this song on the radio and resonated with the lyrics, so I thought I’d share it with you. If you don’t like country, move along. It’s called “Six Feet Apart” by Luke Combs, and it speaks to the season we’re walking through. Makes me wonder how I’m gonna explain “social distancing” and “quarantine” to my children one day. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there! But seriously, I know it’s summer and most states have opened back up, but please be wise and continue to take precautions. This is not over yet despite the country’s disregard for reading the news or wearing a mask in public. Ignoring the problem doesn’t fix it, it just makes you feel better in the short term.

Take the long view.

Soapbox, over and out!

What are your favorite summer sides?