Black Bean Asparagus Salad

Description: I never would have thought to combine black beans, asparagus, and fresh parsley. All I can say is WOW! This salad is very fresh...gets you in the mood for spring and fresh vegetables. Recipe from 2009 Taste of Home Annual Recipes/Iola Egle of Bella Vista, Arkansas. Thank you Iola for a great change of pace! Cook time excludes chilling time.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cups water
• 30 ounces black beans (rinsed and drained if using canned)
• 1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Steps:

1. In a Dutch oven, bring asparagus and water to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and cover and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.
3. Rinse in cold water and pat dry.
4. In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, black beans, red pepper, onion, and parsley.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
6. Pour over vegetables and toss to coat.
7. Cover and refrigerate salad for at least 2 hours before serving.