Fruit Salsa

Avocados, mangoes, strawberries and a kick from jalapenos, this fresh fruit salsa is the perfect topping for your grilled meat this season!

Spring is my favorite time of year.  Like many others, I was wondering if we would ever see Spring here in Michigan this year.  Thankfully though, it has arrived.  I am loving the weather and the ability to be outside enjoying it!  On Saturday, Summer and I were able to sit outside and play for a while.  It was the first time we've been able to do that.

The warmer weather is amazing and with it comes an abundance of delicious fruits.  I love fruit and eat it year round, but nothing beats fresh in-season fruit.  I'm trying to incorporate more whole foods into my daily diet, and fruit and vegetables make up a large portion of what I eat.

This fresh Fruit Salsa is a versatile recipe: it can be eaten plain, on top of grilled chicken, steak or fish, and it's delicious as a salad topping.  I used my handy Vidalia Chop Wizard to cut up the avocado, mango, and strawberries for this dish.  I love how much time it saves me and that the fruit pieces are fairly uniform.  I had originally planned to use pineapple with the strawberries and avocado, but then I saw a mango and decided to go that route instead.  I think either would be delicious.  The orange juice and lime juice give an extra boost of flavor to this salsa, and the diced jalapeno gives it just enough kick.

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.  I think it would make a great addition to any summer cookout!

Fruit Salsa

Ingredients:
1 avocado
1 mango
1 quart strawberries
1 small jalapeno pepper
2 Tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro

1.  Cut up avocado, mango, and strawberries into bite-sized pieces.

2.  Remove membrane and seeds from the jalapeno and cut into small pieces.

3.  Drizzle orange juice and lime juice over the fruit and jalapeno.

4.  Sprinkle with cilantro and gently stir.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Inspired by: The Foodie Bride

For tips and tricks on choosing, preparing, and storing your fruits, check out this great posts:
Avocados
Mangoes
Strawberries

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Mangoes: Tips and Tricks

By now, it should come as no surprise to you that I love fruit.  I could eat it all day, every day, and not get tired of it.  In fact, there is only one fruit that I've ever had and didn't care for.  Starfruit.  I found that it didn't have any taste and was like eating a watery pineapple.  I'll pass...thanks!  Have you ever had starfruit and did you like it?

Mangoes are another one of my favorite fruits.  They happen to be one of my grandma's as well.  When I was younger, my brother and I would spend a week with my grandparents every summer.  Grandma always made sure that she had mangoes in the house for us to enjoy together!



When I was in high school, one of my friend's families had an exchange student from Mexico staying with them.  He became friends with my brother and at one point he taught us the proper way to cut a mango. Prior to learning this method, I would peel the mango (like peeling an apple) and then slice off pieces of the flesh.  I usually ended up with a sticky mess, and this way is so much easier!

When you are purchasing a mango, you want to look for a fruit that is firm, but gives slightly when you press on it.  Color is not an indicator of ripeness. Mangoes continue to ripen as they sit, so you'll want to eat it before it becomes completely soft.

To start, you'll need a cutting board and a sharp knife.

Hold the mango vertically and slice along the pit, right next to the stem.

Turn the mango around and slice next to the pit on the other side.

Cut the peel off around the pit and carefully slice off and flesh from the pit.  Don't worry about making nice slices!

Slice vertical lines in each mango half, being careful not to slice all the way through the peel.

Then cut horizontal lines creating a "grid" in the mango flesh.

Turn the fruit inside-out and slice off the fruit chunks.

Enjoy a bowl of freshly cut fruit!  Ripe mangoes can also be stored in the fridge for up to a week before cutting.  Cut mango should be refrigerated in an airtight container and eaten within 2 or 3 day of cutting.

Other Fruit Tips and Tricks:
Watermelon
Strawberries
Blueberries
Pineapple
Avocados

Tropical Smoothie

Happy Memorial Day!  I hope that you are having a relaxing day and enjoying time with your family and friends.  Be sure to take some time today to think of the men and women who are serving our country--those who have lost their lives, our veterans, and those who are currently serving.  Thank you!

For many people, today marks the official beginning of summer.  The weather is warmer, the days are longer, and the food is better!  Summer food is my favorite--grilled meals, fresh fruits, frozen desserts, ice-cold drinks...

So, today I am kicking off "Smoothie Week".  Though I often make smoothies year-round, I find I make them more frequently in the summer.  They make their appearance for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.  The majority of the time, I don't follow a recipe for smoothies.  I usually just mix together whatever blend of fruits I find in the freezer and call it good.

Sometimes though, I do follow a recipe, like this one for a Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie.  This week, I'll share a few of the smoothies I make the most frequently.  Don't worry, I made sure to measure out the ingredients so I promise they'll taste great!

This smoothie is one of my favorites.  I absolutely love mangoes and the combination of mango and pineapple gives a great tropical taste. It makes me feel like I'm in the Caribbean or Hawaii, and there's nothing wrong with that!

I made this smoothie with fresh cut fruit.  However, this would work just as well with frozen fruit if that's what you have on hand.  You could also plan ahead and dice up the fruit and then freeze it for the smoothies.  If you use frozen fruit, you may not need as much ice.  I like my smoothies to be ice cold, so I always add a few ice cubes. 

Tropical Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 mango, peeled and diced (approximately 3/4 cup if frozen)
1/4 cup pineapple chunks
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon agave nectar (optional)
4 ice cubes

1.  Puree the mango and pineapple in a blender.

2.  Add yogurt, agave nectar, and ice cubes and blend until smooth.

Strawberry Mango Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips

Coming home from vacation is hard work!  After a week of being waited on, not having to cook or clean, and lots of fun and relaxation, it's hard to return to reality.  We got home Sunday morning, and went straight to bed.  Monday was spent doing laundry, getting groceries, and doing some yard work.  And then Tuesday, Mike and I both headed back to work.  It's a tough adjustment after doing nothing but relaxing and having fun on vacation!

We had a fantastic time in Hawaii.  We got to visit 4 of the major islands and we experienced a lot of new things.  One of my favorite things (of course) was all the food.  We both fell in love with apple bananas, and I'm really hoping we can find them around here.  (Any ideas where to look?)  I got to try a lot of new foods, but one of my favorite things was the abundance of fresh fruit.  Each morning I had a variety of fresh fruit with breakfast--Hawaiian pineapple and guava just can't be beat!

Both strawberries and mangoes rank at the top of my list of favorite fruits.  I didn't have any strawberries in Hawaii, but I did have some delicious mango.  This salsa combines my two favorites into one delicious appetizer.  The most time consuming part of this recipe is dicing up all the mangoes and strawberries.  Hopefully you  have a chopper that will make it easier than it was for me!  I made cinnamon sugar tortilla chips to use for dipping.  As you may guess, I did make this salsa a little while ago--I bought it to girl's night with my cousins and it was a huge hit!

Strawberry Mango Salsa

Serves 10-12

You will need:

2 medium mangoes, diced

1 quart of strawberries, hulled and diced

1 Tablespoon agave nectar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

sprinkle of parsley

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Refrigerate before serving.

Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips

Serves 10-12

You will need:

12 flour tortillas (or however many comes in the package you purchase)

4 Tablespoons butter, softened

4 Tablespoons sugar (or equivalent amount of your choice of sweetener)

1-1/2 Tablespoons cinnamon

1.  Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

2.  Spread butter over each tortilla and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar mixture.

3.  Using a pizza cutter, cut each tortilla into 8 wedges.

4.  Place wedges, sugar side up, in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  You will need more than one cookie sheet.

5.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, until tortillas are browned and cripsy.

Serve cinnamon sugar tortilla chips with strawberry mango salsa.

Slightly adapted from: Barbara Bakes