Fresh Corn Salad with Avocado

Fresh Corn Salad for your summer table? To that I say, “Oh hell yes.”

I dunno about you but firing up the oven in summer conjures up one word: torture. So when temps skyrocket, I constantly turn to no-cook, grill, or Instant Pot recipe options. They don’t involve heating up the whole house, especially when that house is a very small, hundred-year-old+ cottage with virtually no insulation and no air conditioning.

Enter my Fresh Corn Salad. It’s light, crunchy, and satisfying. Plus, it makes use of produce that’s abundant in summer: sweet corn, tomatoes, and green beans!

Is Corn “Paleo”?

Now, let’s get a couple things out of the way. Corn is a grain, not a vegetable. It is gluten-free. It’s technically not strict paleo, but neither is my nutrition philosophy or this website. Remember that I’m in the process of rebranding and focusing on a personalized, bioindividual approach to nutrition.

It appears that in some people, their bodies confuse corn with gluten because the protein structure is similar. I usually recommend that when you’re coming into a real food approach, you do a 30-day elimination where you temporarily remove foods like grains (including corn), dairy, legumes, etc. and work to reintroduce them systematically. So if you’re unsure, take it out for a while, bring it back in, and see how you feel.

I’ll spare you the tumble down the rabbit hole and just leave it at this: Corn may or may not work for you and that’s okay.

Yes, There is Nutritional Value to Corn

Corn may not be a powerhouse plant, but it’s not exactly devoid of nutrition either. A 100 gram serving contains over 30% of your daily value of Vitamin B6; 26% of thiamin; and 18% of niacin. The same serving size is also rich in magnesium, selenium, zinc, manganese, iron, and copper. (Though that’s likely highly dependent on the soil it was grown in.)

I know that a lot of folks get freaked out about the carbs in corn but consider this: The glycemic load of corn is about 52. That’s lower than two other grains that people commonly eat, white rice and gluten-free oats. And it’s less than that of pineapple, watermelon, sweet potato, and white potato.

Keep it in perspective: Enjoying some locally grown, organic, non-GMO corn in the summer when it’s at the peak of freshness isn’t exactly the same as sitting down and demolishing a bag of corn chips that was fried in shitty, rancid industrial seed oils.

How I Make This Fresh Corn Salad

It really couldn’t be easier to make this summer salad.

I start with fresh corn that I cut off the cob. Yes, this is a raw salad. I don’t cook the corn but if you wanted, you could lightly grill the shucked corn until it’s slightly cooked and charred but not mushy.

From there, it’s as simple as tossing together the rest of the veggies: green beans, tomatoes, onion, and parsley. When you’re chopping, try to keep the pieces about the same size as the corn kernels so you get a nice uniform consistency in your Fresh Corn Salad.

Then, you’ll add the simple dressing ingredients of fresh lime juice, avocado oil, salt and pepper. If you don’t have avocado oil, a mild-tasting extra virgin olive oil will work. I give it all a good stir and then gently fold in the avocado so it doesn’t get too smashed.

What to Serve With This Fresh Corn Salad

Any kind of grilled protein would go perfectly with this Fresh Corn Salad. My mind immediately drifted to grilled salmon, but these would also be nice:

• Paleo Mediterranean Turkey Burgers
• Grilled Pork Belly with Chimichurri
• The Perfect Burger

Fresh Corn Salad with Avocado (Gluten-Free, Plant-Based)

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American, Gluten-Free, Plant-Based

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 86 kcal

Author: Steph Gaudreau

Fresh Corn Salad with Avocado for your summer table? Heck yes! Crunchy sweet corn, savory tomatoes, earthy green beans, creamy avocado, and zesty lime get friendly in this raw salad perfect for hot weather. It's gluten-free, plant-based, and comes together in just minutes! Learn how!

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Ingredients

• 4 ears sweet corn shucked, kernels cut from cobs
• 4 oz green beans chopped
• 4 oz cherry tomatoes chopped
• 1/4 red onion small, diced finely
• 1/2 bunch parsley chopped
• 2 limes juice
• 2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 avocado large, peeled, pitted, and diced

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the corn, green beans, tomatoes, onion, and parsley. Add the lime juice, avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well to combine. 

2. Gently fold in the avocado using a spatula so that it doesn't get too smashed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. 

Recipe Notes

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Nutrition Facts

Fresh Corn Salad with Avocado (Gluten-Free, Plant-Based)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 86 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Sodium 297mg12%

Potassium 224mg6%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 510IU10%

Vitamin C 17.3mg21%

Calcium 20mg2%

Iron 0.7mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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