Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Sean and I will be seeing my parents this weekend to celebrate my birthday...so of course that means delicious foods!  I decided I wanted to make some awesome tasting and healthy snacks for this weekend, the first of which is corn and black bean salsa.

So, if you know me personally, you may or may not remember the original recipe here from the days when Sean and I tried to keep a blog together.  It's a very similar recipe, however, I have made some modifications to it.

Lots of veggies!

Ingredients

• 4 tomatoes
• 1 large red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 4 Jalapeno peppers
• 1 habanero pepper
• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 avocados
• 1 cup lime juice (I used lime juice concentrate)
• 2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic (I used minced garlic in water, since it was what I had on hand but if you want to use fresh, you can.)
• 2 cans seasoned black beans
• 2 cans white and gold corn

Normally, I chop all the veggies and cilantro by hand, toss into a bowl.  This time I decided to use my Ninja blender to make the chopping much quicker.  Before putting the veggies into the blender, I cut them into fourths or slices.

Tomato cut into fourths for easy chopping in the blender.

I did not want to overload the blender, so I put in there just a few veggies at a time.

One onion and two tomatoes ready to be chopped!

All chopped up!

, After the tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, and onions are all chopped up and in a bowl (trust me, you'll need a big bowl, this makes a lot), dice the avocados and add to the mix.  Drain and rinse the cans of corn and black beans, add to the dish.  Add the garlic and lime juice and stir.  If additional seasonings are desired, feel free to add them.  To this batch, I added dashes of ground white pepper, ground chipotle pepper, cumin, paprika, and cayenne, just to add a little bit more spice.  (Sean likes foods really spicy.) 

So much yum in one bowl!

Let sit for a few hours, or overnight, so all the flavors can mix, and enjoy!  Great with chips for a snack or on top of chicken, this salsa is light and refreshing and perfect to enjoy when the weather starts to warm up.

Motivation

I was afraid stepping on the scale Tuesday morning.  I felt like I was going to regret the way I ate from Saturday through Monday.  Despite trying to not overdo it on Easter weekend, I was surrounded by too much food and drink and found myself tempted to overeat.  Trying to resist was difficult, but I kept reminding myself what I was doing it for.  Not only that, but Monday night, my friends and I found ourselves with a reason to celebrate, and so we did, with beer, bourbon, and chicken wings.

However, stepping on the scale each day so far this week, I found myself more motivated.  It wasn't that bad.  Limiting myself was a good thing.  I did well.  I want to keep it up.

It also felt good today to have two of the friends and Sean say that they've noticed my weight loss this week.  It was nice to have someone recognize it, even when I don't see.

Motivation, for me, is the little rewards I see on a daily basis.  The scale, the compliments, and when MyFitnessPal tells me that I've logged in 25 days in a row.  (Although, truth be told, it is easy having the app on my phone to scan most items...)  Motivation is the ache after a good work out, and the sense of accomplishment at the end of the night when I know I maintained my calorie limit for the day.  I know I'm not going to lose 25 pounds overnight.  But the small changes make a world of difference for me.

Fresh Start

So - trying to start over with this...again.  But this time, I'm sticking to my workout and diet routines so I'm determined to stick to this as well, not only to share my oh so yummy recipes, but to also keep myself motivated.  Granted, it's only been a couple of months since I started over again...but let me explain what's been happening that's inspired me.

January 16, I broke my leg.  Ouch, right?  Sean (my fiancé, for those who don't know) and I had decided to make the healthier choice to walk to a nearby restaurant for a friend's birthday.  It had been a gross rainy day, so that evening muddy puddles loomed all over the sidewalks and streets.  Normally, knowing that I've been cursed with clumsiness, I would fight Sean on walking and insist we drive.  But not that night.  No, I sucked it up, figured I'd be eating something way too caloric, and really needed the walk.  However, I slipped in mud that night, and found myself not walking without the aid of crutches or an Aircast Walking Boot for a couple of months.

Originally on crutches and in a cast, and given strict instructions to remain off my leg as much as possible, and to keep it elevated, I felt immobile and down that I could not work out like I had hoped.  I had contacted a personal trainer the week before, only to have to postpone beginning working out.  I feared that I would not find any means of losing weight.  Determined to look good for the upcoming wedding, however, I made a choice to completely alter my lifestyle.  I need to be more active.  I need to eat right.  The first step I took was making the choice to eat more fruits and vegetables, and choosing foods with lower fat, sodium, and cholesterol, but high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  I started eating more vegetarian options, cutting my meat intake to once or twice a week, and having fish about once a week.

While I was sitting around with my leg elevated, I started using Sean's dumbbells to work my arms and attempted to use my stability ball whenever possible to try to do crunches.  After getting the ok from the doctor to work out again on March 19, I contacted the personal trainer and began working out with her that week.  I work out with her twice a week, and then on my own 2-3 times a week.  I have gone from dreading the gym to looking forward to it every afternoon.

I'm excited by my changes, and I hope that I can reflect that through this blog.