Black beans and mango combine in a delicious, filling salad

Canned beans are a fantastic convenience food. For a little over a buck, you can stock your pantry with a shelf-stable protein source that works in main dishes or in side dishes.

Mango is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, and it makes the salad feel bright and tropical. I add yellow pepper and corn, which make it pretty.

Texture (and niacin!) comes from a light sprinkle of cashews and just a few smashed corn tortilla chips, which you can buy or make by roasting corn tortillas in the oven until crisp, about 15 minutes at 350 F.

I use shredded kale for this salad, but use any hearty dark green - you get more vitamins with the darker greens, and the bold flavors and textures on this salad need a green that can stand up to them.

Swap out the fruit or other ingredients to match your pantry - as long as you have some kind of canned beans, you can make some version of this hearty and versatile salad work.

Black Bean and Mango Salad

Start to finish: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

6 cups shredded kale, or other dark leafy greens

1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained if canned

1½cups cubed fresh mango, about 1 large mango

1 cup organic frozen corn, thawed

1 cup chopped tomato, about 2 Roma tomatoes

½yellow bell pepper, chopped

½large avocado, cubed

2 green onions, chopped

¼cup cashews, chopped

8 baked organic corn chips, lightly crushed

Chopped cilantro or parsley, for garnish

For the dressing:

¼cup prepared tomato (or tomatillo) salsa

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼teaspoon salt

¼teaspoon black pepper

Lay greens on a platter or individual plates. Place on top of greens: beans, mango, corn, tomato, bell pepper, and avocado. Sprinkle on green onions, cashews, crushed corn chips and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour on the salad. Serve.

Nutrition information per serving: 296 calories; 114 calories from fat; 13 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 393 mg sodium; 42 g carbohydrate; 11 g fiber; 13 g sugar; 9 g protein.