Mary Beth Johnson is a photographer, blogger, and journalist with a passion for finding beauty in unexpected places and celebrating the everyday. Originally from the east coast, she now lives in Oklahoma with her husband and three children (dubbed “schooners”). From an office full of fingerprints and walls scattered with imperfect artwork, she’s writing her first book, a memoir of her parents’ journey in raising 14 children, and her own lifestyle blog, Annapolis & Company.

The weather is still clinging to warmth here in the south, so anything I can find for dinner where I don’t have to turn the oven on is a winner in my book. I saw these sweet potatoes with a fresh corn and black bean salad and knew it would be a perfect meal for ushering out the hot days and welcoming in more of the cooler ones. There is the surprising combo of sweet and tangy flavors when you take a bite into these, plus the spiciness of the chipotle that you can adjust to your palette.

I didn’t use fresh corn, but a frozen blackened corn from Trader Joes that added even more flavor. Fresh would be amazing, though, so use it if you can! I also always keep a good supply of canned black beans in my pantry for occasions such as these, but you could go the extra mile and soak your own the night before and cook it over the stove with onion and cilantro before adding to the corn mixture. There is nothing better then black beans bubbling on the stove and just talking about it makes me want to get a pot started.

Source // Alaska From Scratch

*All photography is my own.// post by, Annapolis & Company

***  Any suggestions made on this blog are very specific to Young Living essential oils and should not be used with oils from another source. Statements made on this website about Young Living Essential Oils have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Anyone suffering from disease or injury should consult with a physician. If you are currently on medication, please DO NOT STOP. This is just how I make & do things. you must make informed decisions for yourself and your own family. 

“We are starting our journey with Essential Oils and have done our own research on the purity of oils.  I am confident in using oils in our recipes because we only use Young Living.  They are  beyond organic and never use pesticides, herbicides or any harmful chemicals. Their soil has never been exposed to them as well.  I don’t suggest ever using any other oil for ingestion because I don’t know of their purity. “