Salsa is so fantastic. It’s completely customizable, and goes with everything! Plus, it’s a great alternative to a lot of dressings that can pack on the calories and artificial ingredients, so pack on the salsa instead!
These are a few recipes for exceptional salsas. Usually the ingredients are pretty cheap (especially if you can find them locally grown). Most salsas are also naturally fat-free, so you can feel good about adding them to your dish.
Fresh Salsa
Ingredients
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped yellow or white onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
This one is a pretty standard salsa, great for soups, chips and cooking with. It’s got a very clean and refreshing taste to it.
Nutrition Per serving (about 1/2 cup): 25 calories (0 from fat), 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 150mg sodium, 6g total carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 1g protein
Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
The tropical flavors of pineapple and lime combine with red onion, cilantro and serrano pepper for a salsa that’s great with grilled pork, skirt steak, shrimp or tofu.
Nutrition Per serving (1/4 cup): 25 calories (0 from fat), 2g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g protein, 6g total carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 40mg sodium
Peach and Cucumber Salsa
Ingredients
3 peaches, pitted and chopped
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped basil
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste
Make this refreshing summer salsa, perfect for serving with grilled fish, up to 4 hours in advance. Simply cover and chill it until ready to use.
Nutrition Per serving (about 1/2 cup): 30 calories (0 from fat), 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 1g protein, 7g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 100mg sodium
For all of these recipes, you simply combine the ingredients into a bowl and toss them together. You can’t get much easier than that! Also note that all of the peppers call for you to seed them. The area around the seeds are the hottest part of the peppers, so if you like it extra spicy, feel free to leave them in. I’ve included a video below of Jamie Oliver showing you a couple of ways to handle and prep your peppers in case you are unfamiliar with using them fresh.
Happy Eating, Everyone!
Please feel free to post any questions or your own suggestions in the comments below. Also, be sure to share this page with anyone that you think would benefit from it. I want to help put cooking, and fresh foods back into our daily routines.
Don't Eat Dirt 