Roasted Tomatillo Verde Salsa

I’ll never buy green salsa again ’cause it’s so easy to make!

Most people think tomatillos are little green tomatoes, but they are a fruit more related to the gooseberry family. Buy mature tomatillos that have filled their papery-thin husks and are medium-firm.

Make this medium hot salsa for any Tex-Mex buffet. Use it on it’s own with chips or to top off tacos and burritos. Stays well in the refrigerator in a glass jar with a tight lid.

6 tomatillos, husks removed
1/4 cup cilantro
1/2 red onion
1/4 jalepeno pepper
Juice of 1 lime
Salt & pepper to taste

Place tomatillos on a heated grill and turn until slightly charred on sides and softened, being careful not to overheat so they become mushy. Cool slightly and place in a high speed blender with the remaining ingredients and puree.

 

 

Mango Salsa

Salsa goes sweet and hot with mango as the main star.

Like sunshine in a bowl!

Pair this salsa with traditional “red” salsa and guacamole for a Mexican tri-colored appetizer bar.  Serve with organic blue corn chips, rice tortilla chips and my lemon savory crackers for lots of different textures and flavors.

2 mangoes
1/2 red pepper
1/2 red onion
3 scallions
1/2 jalepeno pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more to taste
2 Tablespoons lime specialty olive oil (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Dice mangoes by cutting lengthwise along the pit. Score each half with a sharp knife to make vertical and horizontal cuts in the flesh without breaking the skin. Invert each half and cut off mango cubes.

Dice red pepper, onion, scallions and jalepeno to desired size. Larger makes a chunky salsa and finely diced resembles the consistency of a relish.  Add garlic, cilantro, olive oils, salt and pepper. Stir and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to let flavors marinate.

 

Lemon Savory Crackers (gluten-free)

A few minutes in the oven before serving will crisp these crackers up every time.

Yes, you’ll actually want to make your own crackers when you take a bite out of these. They’re made with almond meal and all-pupose gluten free flour and so easy to make.  It takes less than 15 minutes to prepare before going in the oven. Really!!

2 cups almond meal
1 cup all-purpose gluten free flour
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons olive, canola or grapeseed oil
zest from 1 lemon (can also use lime)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk wet ingredients with zest. Mix wet into dry ingredients and form into a dough. Cut dough in half and roll to “cracker” thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. Remove top sheet and with a pizza cutter or a knife, cut into squares. Bake on a cookie sheet for 12 to 15 minutes, being careful not to brown. Cool and sprinkle with sea salt before serving.

Adapted from the Spicy Cracker recipe from the Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cook Book by Elana Amsterdam

Sweet Potato White Bean Tex-Mex Dip

A crowd pleasing sweet and spicy dip topped off with jalepenos and pumpkin seeds

If you can’t get enough of sweet potatoes like me, you might want to save this dip for yourself!

3 sweet potatoes
1 jalapeno, chopped
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
15 ounces white cannellini beans
sea salt & white pepper to taste

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Place whole sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet and roast for 45 min. to 1 hour or when soft through the middle. Remove skins and puree sweet potato pulp with the remainder of the ingredients. Serve with artisan corn chips and savory crackers.

Garden Fresh Salsa

Use the freshest peppers and tomatoes you can find this time of year in this knock-out chunky salsa!

The Super Bowl is any day now and it’s cold outside. Make your garden come alive by making the freshest salsa for the big game.

2 cups grape or plum tomatoes, chopped
1 tomatillo, chopped
1 jalepeno pepper, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon chill powder or more to taste
sea salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, toss all ingredients and serve with a variety of chips (blue tortilla, multi-grain and rice chips). Best if ingredients marinate a few hours before serving.

Sweet & Savory Pumpkin Seed Crunch

7 spices add pop and medicinal qualities to roasted pepitas

My spin on a seasonal spa food favorite uses cinnamon and six other sweet and savory spices for a delicious and healthy anytime snack.  Keep it local with honey or maple syrup from your area and cut down on refined sugars with juice sweetened cranberries.

Ingredients
2 cups raw unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 tablespoons honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon each: cinnamon, allspice, ground corriander, cumin, nutmeg, sea salt, chili powder or cayenne pepper (not both or this will be too spicy)
1/4 to 1/2 cup dried fruits (raisins, cranberries and/or cherries)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix agave, syrup or honey and spices in a bowl and set aside. Spread 1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in oven for 15 minutes. Add roasted seeds to the bowl and stir spices to coat. Return pumpkin seeds to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Break into clusters and toss with dried fruits and remainder of the raw pumpkin seeds.