Corn and Beans Salad

We were invited to a friend's backyard picnic for fireworks, food and festivities last night.  My mother taught me to never arrive to a shindig empty-handed, so I searched for a picnic salad to take that would contain some protein since I wouldn't be eating any hamburgers or hotdogs.  What I found was called Picnic Caviar.  I made a few minor modifications to the recipe and created a masterpiece!  Everyone loved it!  It was a hit!  So, here's how you can recreate my masterpiece, that I have renamed Corn and Beans Salad (Picnic Caviar sounded way too haughty and nondescript):


1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon Splenda
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced garlic (from the jar)
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can pinto beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can corn (drained)
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion 
1 small banana pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped


Whisk together the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  (Hint: I used my food processor to chop up the peppers, onion and cilantro.  Fast and easy!)  Season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.  

This is the all-bean version.  Just replace the can of corn with a can of red beans.