A salsa to end the summer

And just like that, summer is over.

Can you believe it? I feel like I was just sitting by the pool all pasty white on Memorial Day weekend wishing for a tan.

But what a great summer it was.  It was a summer I will remember as one full of firsts for my son (who turned 4 years old in July) including learning to swim and go off the diving board by himself, going to day camp and loving it.

I'll also remember it for the wonderful vacation to Colorado that my little family of three shared.  It was a trip filled with delicious food (of course) and adventure including a white water rafting trip that took us through Class 3 rapids on the Colorado River. It was exhilarating for my adult self and even more so for my son who enjoyed every minute! He was so brave and loved the adventure.

At the end of the rafting trip, we were treated to a fresh taco lunch that included a salsa bar. That is where we encountered black bean and pineapple salsa for the first time. We were ravenous after over two hours on the water and as we settled in the grass to enjoy lunch, Davis and I both commented that we loved the salsa.

I spent most of this weekend cooking after being reunited with my kitchen after being gone for a good portion of August. One of the best parts of returning from vacation is attempting to re-create any amazing food we enjoyed on the trip.

First up to try to re-create: black bean and pineapple salsa.

It's so easy to make, very refreshing and great with tortilla chips or used as a light topping for tacos or fish. 

I pretty much could eat it by the spoonful.

My advice in making this is to take time to chop the pineapple, onion and jalapeno into very finely diced pieces so that they blend nicely with the black beans.  Somehow, it tastes better when everything is the same size in the salsa so that one ingredient doesn't overwhelm the other in your mouth. Also, like most salsa, the longer this sits and marinates, the flavors become even more vibrant and meld together nicely.

This salsa was part of our farewell to summer on this Labor Day and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did today.

Black Bean and Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pineapple
• 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and minced
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (likely juice of one whole lime)
• Coarse salt (to taste

Directions

• In a medium bowl, combine the black beans, pineapple, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro and lime juice. Season with coarse salt.

Recipe from Martha Stewart Everyday Food, March 2011