OK, so it's not fresh sweet corn season any more. That time came and went very quickly and very early in the summer.

Which is a total bummer.

But, thanks to the modern age of food preservation, it also doesn't really matter that much. Thank goodness.

Thus, on yet another warm August Monday, we can enjoy corn, no matter what form it comes in. If you have fresh, then great. If you have frozen, that's great too. Heck, even canned works in this recipe, which adds the heartiness of black beans with the filling nature of whole-wheat pasta for a nice little main course for your Monday meal.

Serve it with a green salad, steamed veggies and a side of brown rice and quinoa and take the leftovers (if there are any) with you to work on Tuesday.

Black Bean and Roasted Corn Pasta Salad

3 ears fresh corn, cut from cob (about 2 1/2 cups kernels or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn, thawed)

8 ounces whole wheat fusilli pasta, cooked, drained and cooled

1 can no-salt-added black beans (about 1 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained

1 tomato, diced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

3 tablespoons sliced green onion

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread corn kernels in a single layer and roast 18 to 20 minutes or until starting to turn golden. (Alternately, grill corn on the cob, allow to cool and remove kernels.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine roasted corn with pasta, beans, tomato, cilantro, green onion, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, tamari and lemon zest. Toss well and serve.

— Recipe from www.wholefoodsmarket.com

by Sarah Henning

Good news, folks. Because of our crazy warm winter and spring, it's already sweet corn and tomato season, even though it's mid-June.

That's right, at Bismarck Gardens you can find some of the best sweet corn around. Though the specialty farm shop in north Lawrence doesn't normally open until July, it's open early this year, thanks to the weather. Couple that corn with the tomatoes that are already showing up at the Lawrence Farmers' Market and you've got yourself a mid-summer meal in June.

This simple little Meatless Monday dinner is a great showcase for those two summery items. Simply take already made pie crust, fill with a mixture of tomatoes, corn, feta and yummy summery basil and call it dinner. With a side salad or vegetable, it's a fun way to get into summer cooking nearly a week before the summer solstice.

Savory Corn, Tomato and Feta Hand Pies

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn (from 2 or 3 ears)

2 tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped

1 cup feta crumbles

1/4 cup chopped basil

All-purpose flour, for dusting

2 recipes prepared pie crust (or two rolled out 9-inch crusts)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add onions and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add corn and tomatoes and cook 5 minutes more. Remove from heat, stir in feta and basil and let cool.

On a floured surface, roll out dough until about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into twelve (5-inch) circles, rerolling dough as needed. Spoon about 1/3 cup filling into the center of half of the circles; brush edges with water. Top with remaining six circles, crimping edges to seal. Brush with remaining oil and cut three small slits in the top of each pie. Bake on a large, parchment-paper-lined baking sheet until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Serves 6.

Note: Use premade pie crust dough or try this recipe. If you don't have a 5-inch cookie cutter, use a small bowl or make smaller pies.

— Recipe from www.wholefoodsmarket.com.

by Sarah Henning

OK, so it’s not corn season yet. But it’s SOOOO hard to wait for that unofficial sweet corn season starter date, July 4.

That said, this week’s Meatless Monday uses just a little bit of corn, something you can either get from the freezer section or from one of the early ears from some warm climate. The corn, combined with lime juice, black beans and couscous makes for a yummy, filling meal with a summery overtone. Yum!

Southwestern Couscous Salad

1 cup whole wheat couscous

1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1/4 cup lime juice

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 zucchini, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears corn)

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Toss couscous with remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Serves 8.

— Recipe from www.wholefoodsmarket.com.