If there is one thing I will always make homemade instead of buying prepackaged it's salsa. Not to diss the jarred stuff found in your typical grocery store chip aisle, but nothing comes close to that homemade flavor! The only effort really required to make it is some chopping/dicing and then the will power/patience to let it rest before devouring.
I'm all for the classic style salsa, but being in Australia I just had to take advantage and make a mango version. So make this, close your eyes, and pretend you're on the beach enjoying every last bite. And make sure to tuck this recipe into safe-keeping for summer, when you actually are at the beach! Have you all seen the movie Chef? I have a few times now and have not gotten tired of how many food-porn worthy scenes there are. My mouth waters practically the entire time! Anyway, you know the scene where Jon Favreau is cooking pasta for Scarlett Johansson at his apartment? I think that is where I drool the most. It's such a simple looking dish with his heart and soul going into it and Scarlett's reaction upon eating it looks soooo satisfying.
This pasta dish was inspired fully by that scene. Haven't seen the movie yet? I recommend you make this with a friend or two and watch while eating (it's on Netflix currently!). And don't blame me when everyone wants seconds when they see that scene! When I got home from work today I peaked in the fridge and was convinced there was nothing to make for dinner. Just as I was on the verge of ordering takeout, a minimalist idea popped in my head. I had pasta shells which are a great, filling base for a meal! It was just a matter of what could go with it.
When I think pasta my mind goes immediately to tomatoes. Luckily I had some cherry tomatoes on hand! I had some fresh sage leftover from a few days ago that I figured could be used in place of the classic, basil. Lemon and extra virgin olive oil are things I always have in the pantry (as you should, too!) and with all of that I was set! You ever feel like you just need more greens in your life and there isn't enough ways to get them? After all, you can only eat so many salads. This calls for getting creative. If there is one thing I love to finish to the last drop it is sauce of any kind. I will lick a plate/bowl clean to get it all. This green sauce is PACKED with good for you ingredients plus it's raw so no cooking is involved!
It's also super versatile. You can use it as a sauce, a dip, a dressing, a marinade - you name it! Plus the color is so amazing and vibrant...it is a great way to get kids and picky eaters alike to eat their greens. I LOVE beets. Roasted, pickled, pureed...whatever cooking technique is used I'll eat them right up. My boyfriend, on the other hand, strongly dislikes them. In a perfect world this is ideal because then I can have all of the beets. But this is not a perfect world and what this actually means is I rarely eat beets because we are always cooking for two.
I've always told him I will get him to like beets someday. It may have taken nearly five years, but I've finally done it in the form of beet chips! This was a total win for me. He ended up eating more of the finished product than I did! So if you already like beets or think you dislike them, let this recipe nurture your loving taste for them! |
AuthorAli is a Brooklyn based blogger and Certified Health Coach with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, providing you with recipes to inspire you to cook more at home! She is a firm believer in knowing that eating healthy can be made easy and inexpensive if you simply know how to cook and understands that for the average person there needs to be balance between "healthy" and "unhealthy". Whether you are looking for easy weeknight recipes, delicious snacks, or want to try something new, Ali's recipes are easy to follow at all skill levels! For more info about Ali and her offerings, check out the About page. Categories
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