Blueberry, Corn and Wild Rice Salad

ANOTHER SPOONFUL OF SUMMER

Blueberry, Corn and Wild Rice Salad
Cook's notes: Wild rice is native to North America and has more nutritional value than oats and wheat. Did you know that even today, uncultivated Minnesota wild rice must by law be harvested in the traditional Native American way, and only by those licensed to do so? As a timesaver make wild rice the day before.
The recipe serves 4 and was adapted from firstnations.org

Ingredients:

• 7 ears sweet corn, husked (2 cups frozen corn)
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 1-pint blueberries, rinsed and dried
• ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 small cucumber, finely diced or one avocado diced
• 1 cup diced grape tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-1/2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Optional adding 1/2 cup toasted almonds

Salad Directions:

• In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add corn. Cook covered for 5 minutes, or until tender. When cool enough to handle, cut corn from cobs or use frozen corn kernels thawed and steamed. In a serving bowl combine corn, blueberries, diced cucumber or avocado, red onion, cooked wild rice, and cilantro if using.
• For the dressing: In a screw-top jar combine lime juice, oil, honey or maple syrup, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cover; shake well to combine. Add to salad and toss. Cover the salad and refrigerate for several hours before serving. 

Take Note: The dressing makes an ample amount. Only use enough to lightly toss with salad rather than drenching it. The dressing refrigerated will last several days and can be used on a green salad. 

Cherry Tomatoes
by Anne Higgins

Suddenly it is August again, so hot,
breathless heat.
I sit on the ground
in the garden of Carmel,
picking ripe cherry tomatoes
and eating them.
They are so ripe that the skin is split,
so warm and sweet
from the attentions of the sun,
the juice bursts in my mouth,
an ecstatic taste,
and I feel that I am in the mouth of summer,
sloshing in the saliva of August.
Hummingbirds halo me there,
in the great green silence,
and my own bursting heart
splits me with life.