Can Your Own Spicy Tomato SalsaGreat Project For The Weekend!

Tomato salsa with blistered padron peppers.

Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook and Pinterest.
Preview my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen.

Canning Salsa 
I love growing tomatoes but there are just so many we can eat. So Doug and I do a lot of canning, usually tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. But last weekend we tried our hand at making and canning our own spicy salsa with tomatoes, padron peppers, fresh garlic, and jalapeños - all from our garden. 

This salsa uses padron peppers but you can also use other types of peppers too. The reason I favor padron peppers, besides the fact that I have so many of them, is that there is no need to peel them after they are blistered. Anaheim, poblanos, etc. usually need to be peeled after charring them. That can be a tedious step.

Padron peppers are so easy to grow.

Of course we throw in a few jalapeños too just to give it a bit more heat but that depends on how hot you like it. I find that a few small ones do the trick. You can add them with or without their seeds or omit them completely. It's up to you.

          *                         *                         *                             *

Spicy Tomato Salsa with Blistered Padron Peppers
Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free
[makes about 6 pints]

Requires a water bath canner, jar lifter, 6 pint glass jars with lids and rims.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound padron peppers
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 pounds tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 small jalapeños, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Fill a large canning pot with water with the steamer rack inserted in the bottom. Bring to a boil. Wash the jars in soapy water. Once washed, submerge the jars in the boiling water of the water bath canner. They can remain there while you prepare the salsa.

Place the lids and rims in a small pot of boiling water and let simmer until needed.

Wash and dry the padron peppers. Place them in a bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss them until they are well coated. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.

Spread them out on a cookie sheet or shallow roasting pan. Place in the oven and roast until the peppers blister, around 5 to 7 minutes or more. Shake or turn so that they blister evenly.

Remove the blistered peppers from the oven. Pull or cut off the tops but leave the seeds. Dice and set aside.

Prepare the tomatoes. You'll need a medium sized pot of boiling water and a bowl of ice water. Score the tops and bottoms of the tomatoes and boil until the skin starts to peel off, about 1 minute. Remove from the boiling water and place in an ice water bath until they cool. Peel the tomatoes.

Chop the tomatoes and place, along with their juice, in a large stainless steel or ceramic coated pot. Do not use aluminum as it will react with the tomatoes. I always use my 5 1/2 quart Le Creuset Dutch Oven with its enamel coating. 

Add the onions, jalapeños, garlic, vinegar, prepared padron peppers, and remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt (or to taste) to the pot of tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Fill each jar to 1/2 inch from the top. Run a knife around the edges to remove any air bubbles in the jars. 

Wipe the tops of the jars clean with a paper towel. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rims (snug but not too tight). 

Carefully place the jars in the hot water bath covered with 1 to 2 inches of water. Bring to a rolling boil and process for 15 minutes and longer if you are at higher altitude (20 minutes at 1,000 to 6,000 feet and 25 minutes above 6,000 feet.)

Lift the jars out of the hot water bath using a jar lifter.

Place the jars on a towel or a cooling rack and let them remain untouched until they cool completely and the lids have popped and sealed. Lid should not move up an down if it's properly sealed.

Vegan Black Bean And Pear Taco Sliders Simple And Delicious For Your Super Bowl Party And Less Than 100 Calories Each!

Simple, healthy and delicious vegan taco sliders.

Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook and Pinterest.

Great Dish for your Super Bowl Guests
One of the most important things for me, when I'm entertaining, is to make recipes that are simple to prepare and serve and will appeal to the most people. So if you are looking for a delicious, healthy, and simple dish to serve at your Super Bowl Party, these vegan and gluten-free taco sliders are an excellent choice.

Most of the ingredients for this dish are store bought, like the Tofutti sour cream, the shredded cabbage, the small corn tortillas, the canned black beans, and the salsa. Hopefully you can find all of these ingredients at your local super market.

I hope you  can find these wonderful tortillas.
They are 4 1/2 inches wide - perfect for sliders.
Organic means they are not GMO.
And they are only 30 calories each!

This ready-to-eat cabbage is very finely cut.
Of course you can make your own.

Fresh salsa is in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
Pick several spice levels for your guests (mild, medium, hot)

Seasonal Fruit
I love to mix fruit and beans together to make a salsa or taco filling. I usually mix mango or peaches in with my black beans. But I was curious to see if a nice ripe pear would combine well and I was delighted with the results! I know you will be too.


      *                           *                          *

Black Bean and Pear Taco Sliders
Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes at least 16 sliders]

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 large pear, peeled and finely diced
1 avocado, finely diced
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced fresh jalapeño 
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 package of organic 4 1/2 inch corn tortillas (16 or more)
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
1 to 2 cups finely shredded cabbage 
A selection of fresh tomato salsas (mild to hot)

To make the slider filling, place the lime juice in a medium sized bowl.

As soon as you peel and dice the pear, mix it with the lime juice so that it will not discolor.
Do the same thing with the avocado.

Add the red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, black beans, and salt to the bowl and gently toss until combined.

Black bean and pear salsa with avocado and cilantro.

To make the slider, heat the tortillas. You can do this in several ways.
Wrap in a towel or a cotton tortilla holder and microwave for 20 seconds.
You can also wrap in aluminum foil and heat in the oven, or heat each individually on a grill until warm and pliable, about 15 seconds a side.

This tortilla holder can be used to heat tortillas in the microwave
or to keep oven-heated or grilled tortillas warm.

Place a warm tortilla on a plate and spread with a little sour cream, about 1/2 tablespoon. Top will a small amount of cabbage, about 1 tablespoon. It's important not to load down the slider so use small quantities of every ingredient.

Spread sour cream and sprinkle with a little shredded cabbage.

Place a small amount of the black bean and pear mixture over the cabbage.

Top with some fresh tomato salsa (mild, medium, or hot) and serve with a good beer.

Top with fresh salsa.

For additional delicious and healthy recipe ideas, download my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen available on Amazon and iTunes.

Per slider (without the tomato salsa): 98 calories, 3 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g protein, 16.5 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, and 140 mg sodium.

Healthy Vegan And Gluten Free 7 Layer Bean Dip With Walnut Taco Meat - Perfect For Superbowl Sunday!

Make this healthy version of 7 layer dip on Superbowl Sunday!

Follow Foods For Long Life on FACEBOOK .

A Classic Revisited
What's a Superbowl without 7 layer bean dip? Surprisingly, this can be quite a nourishing dish.
Here's what you can do to make a healthy version of this classic:


* Start with vegetarian refried beans. They are low in fat and high in fiber and protein. Make them more flavorful by mixing them with diced fire roasted chiles.

Vegetarian refried beans are not made with lard.

* Make your own guacamole with a few simple ingredients - no fillers. The healthy fats in avocados promote the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like beta-carotene, lycopene and lutein that are in the other ingredients.

It's easy to make your own guacamole.

* Tomato salsa is low in calories and packed with antioxidant rich lycopene, vitamins A, C, K, molybdenum, manganese and potassium. This is where you'll get your heat so select mild, medium or hot depending on your taste. 


* Instead of sour cream, try dairy and gluten free Tofutti. But use it sparingly to avoid adding unnecessary calories to the dip. Also check the package to make sure it has zero transfat. The ones in Whole Foods had no transfat but the ones in Safeway had slightly different packaging and contained some transfat. I can't imagine why!

Tofutti is my favorite sour cream substitute.

* Try topping the salad with taco meat made from heart healthy walnuts.

Make heart healthy taco meat by grinding walnuts with chili powder and GF soy sauce or Bragg's!

* Instead of cheddar cheese or fake vegan cheddar, grate some carrots on top. They look like cheese and you'll never miss the fat and calories. Plus, you'll get a good dose of beta-carotene and lutein - antioxidants that are good for eye heath.


* Select healthy chips that are gluten free and made with whole grains. Better yet, serve slices of bell pepper or jicama to scoop up the dip.

There are many healthier chips on the market these days but serving sliced veggies is an even better option.

7 Layer Bean Dip with Walnut Taco Meat
Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 8 servings]


For the bean dip
16 ounce can vegetarian refried beans
4 ounce can fire roasted mild green chiles
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 t granulated garlic
For the guacamole
1 ripe avocado
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch cayenne
For the taco meat
1/2 cup raw English walnuts
1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon GF low sodium soy sauce or Bragg's liquid aminos
For the rest of the dip
1/2 cup chunky tomato salsa (mild, medium or hot)
1/2 cup Tofutti or your favorite vegan sour cream
1 small carrot, finely shredded
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion


Warm refried beans and fire roasted green chiles in a non-stick fry pan on low heat. Mix in cumin and garlic until well blended. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat and mix beans and chiles with spices. No oil needed.

To make the guacamole, mash avocados in a small bowl until fairly smooth. Stir in onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and cayenne. Set aside.


To make the taco meat, place walnuts, chili powder and GF soy sauce in a food processor fitted with an S blade. Process briefly until the walnuts look like taco meat. Set aside.


You can assemble the dip on a flat plate or in a glass pie pan. If people will be sitting on the couch watching the game, you can make it in individual ramekins so people aren't leaning over and dripping this colorful dip on your carpet.


Start by spreading the bean dip on the bottom layer.
Next, spread the guacamole on top of the bean dip.
Top the guacamole with salsa.

Layer the ingredients in whatever order you desire.
I layer to optimize the contrast of colors.

Stir the Tofutti sour cream with a spoon until it becomes more spreadable and drizzle over the salsa.
Sprinkle the taco meat and shredded carrot over the Tofutti and top with cilantro, red and green onion.
Serve with chips or a vegetable crudité. 

Enjoy with healthy chips or scoop it up with slices of bell pepper, jicama or other veggie slices.

Per serving (without chips): 179.8 calories, 10.4 g fat, 1.9 g saturated fat, 0.8 g ALA omega-3 and 3.3 g omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 5.1 g protein, 17.4 g carbohydrates, 4.8 g dietary fiber and 538 mg sodium. 

Manila Mangos Are Here! These Sweet And Delicious Fruits Are Great In Raw Salsa And Chia Pudding- Two Easy Vegan Recipes!

Manila mangos blend beautifully with avocados

Follow Foods For Long Life on FACEBOOK !

T'is the Season!
Manila mangos are here! They are smaller, sweeter and less stringy than other popular mangos. They also have a very thin skin so the best way of peeling this type of mango is with a potato peeler. Their pit is very thin so you get lots of fruit per mango. They are a great source of dietary fiber as well as vitamins A and C.

These little guys are a just a bit over half a pound each.

Unlike some other mangos, their pit is very thin.

Our Favorite Way to Eat Mangos
When these mangos are available, Doug and I kid about falling below the "minimum mango" level. That means we have less than 4 in the house and it's time to buy more! Almost every day we enjoy chia pudding with diced mango and sometimes we add some berries. This healthy dessert is under 200 calories with over 3 grams of omega 3 per serving! 
For a great appetizer, we mix a mango with an avocado and make a quick salsa. Here are two yummy, healthy and easy recipes to enjoy!

Manila mango salsa with organic blue corn chips.

Raw Vegan Manila Mango Salsa 
[Serves 4]
1 Manila mango, peeled and diced
1 California avocado, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons red onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped (remove seeds if you want less heat)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice


Combine all ingredients and mix gently. Serve with organic chips or slices of jicama, bell pepper and cucumber.


Per serving (salsa only): 86.2 calories, 5.3 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 11.5 g   carbohydrates and 3 g dietary fiber.

This delicious and healthy dessert only has 164 calories but packs more than 3 grams of omega 3 fatty acid and 7.5 grams of dietary fiber!

Vegan Vanilla Chia Pudding with Manila Mango and Raspberries
[serves 4]
2 cups vanilla Living Harvest hemp milk
5 tablespoons chia seeds
1 Manila mango, peeled and diced
1 cup fresh organic raspberries


Early in the day, or the night before, combine chia seeds with vanilla hemp milk and stir vigorously with a fork for a minute or so. Let sit for 15 minutes and stir again until the chia seeds are well blended and separated. Let the mixture sit out for an hour, stir one more time and refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thickened and firm.
When thickened, stir the mango into the pudding and place in serving bowls. Top with raspberries and serve.


Per serving: 164 calories, 7.1 g fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 3.3 g omega 3 and 2.7 g omega 6 fatty acid, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.5 g protein, 22.8 g carbohydrates and 7.5 g dietary fiber. 

Vegan Chicken Fajitas With Fresh Peach Salsa - Butler Soy Curls," Tastes Like Chicken!"

Soak the soy curls in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain well.

Sauté the soy curls in a pan with olive oil and seasoning.

Butler Soy Curls - A Vegan Chicken Alternative

When I was a teenager, a friend of the family took us to a fancy French restaurant in Manhattan named Le Veau D'or. I believe it's still there. Soon there appeared a frog's leg on my plate. Though I was assured that it "tasted like chicken", I didn't eat it.

Many years later while on a business trip in Hong Kong, I was presented with rattlesnake soup. The person I was with assured me that it "tasted like chicken". I wondered how the poor chicken became the "gold standard" for something that tastes good.

Well I finally found something that I feel really good about eating that does "taste like chicken". It's a new vegan product from Butler Foods called, "Soy Curls". I saw them on the menu at the Blossoming Lotus restaurant in Portland but I didn't taste them until a few weeks ago at a vegan pot luck. I thought they were amazing and immediately ordered a case from Butler foods. I've been experimenting with them ever since. There is no limit to how you can use this delicious product. I suspect you'll be seeing a lot of recipes in the future from me using soy curls.

Unlike Other Vegan Fake Meat

Many vegan fake meat products are made from highly processed vegetable protein and many contain wheat gluten. I've never been a big fan of fake meat. But soy curls are made from whole soy beans and appear to be minimally processed. Every ounce of soy curls provides you with 10 grams of heart healthy, breast cancer fighting soy protein from non-GMO soybeans grown without chemical pesticides. There's a list of places to buy soy curls on the Butler website or you can buy them online from Butler foods.

***

Vegan Chicken Fajitas with Fresh Peach Salsa

[makes 8 servings]

For the Peach Salsa

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 cups fresh peaches, peeled and diced

1 avocado, peeled and diced

1 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeds removed and finely chopped (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste

For the Fajitas

One 8 ounce package of soy curls

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons Bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce (I prefer Bragg's)

4 tablespoons Red Star nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

8 of your favorite tortillas

Make the peach salsa by combining all of the above salsa ingredients and gently tossing. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Set aside.

Place the soy curls in a bowl and cover with hot water for 10 minutes.

After they rehydrate, drain them very well. Return them to the bowl and mix well the Bragg's liquid aminos.

In a different small bowl, combine nutritional yeast, chili powder and garlic powder. Set aside.

Heat oil and sauté the soy curls sprinkling them with the nutritional yeast mixture. Cook until golden (about 5 minutes) and remove from heat.

Assemble the fajitas by placing 1/8 of the soy curls and peach salsa on a heated tortilla. Serve immediately.

Per serving of fajita without the tortilla or salsa:149.8 calories, 8.3 g of fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 12.6 g protein, 7.3 g carbohydrates and 4.3 g of fiber.

Per serving of peach salsa: 53 calories, 2.6 g fat, 0.4 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0.4 g protein, 6.2 g carbohydrates and 2.1 g of fiber.

Raw Garden Salsa with Cherry Tomatoes - Rich with Lycopene

Shopping in my garden for salsa ingredients.

Raw garden salsa with optional fresh corn.

Summer's Bounty

One of the best things about summer is the abundance of vine ripened tomatoes. You know, the ones that actually taste like tomatoes unlike the ones we buy in the winter at the local grocery store. And then there are the cherry tomatoes. You can't pick them fast enough. I love "shopping" in my garden and this morning I picked a basket of cherry tomatoes, some basil and a few small jalapenos. To this I'll add the garlic I've already harvested and I've got most of the ingredients for today's raw garden salsa. This recipe is low in calories and saturated fat and has no cholesterol.

Nutritional Benefits of Tomatoes

Tomatoes are packed with vitamin C. One cup provides about half of your daily requirement. Since this vitamin is very heat sensitive, this raw salsa will preserve its vitamin C content. Tomatoes also contain lots of vitamin A, K, potassium and manganese. They are a very good source of fiber and are most noted for their high content of lycopene. This well publicized carotenoid is known to have high antioxidant and cancer fighting properties.

As a strong antioxidant, Lycopene has been shown to help prevent heart disease. This phytochemical has also been associated with the reduction of numerous types of cancers such as prostate, lung, pancreatic and intestinal cancers. Because carotenoids are fat soluble, they are more effective when eaten with high fat foods. I've added a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to this salsa recipe for that purpose. To get a similar effect, and an added taste treat, you can substitute half a chopped avocado for the olive oil. Some studies show that cooked tomatoes have more of an affect in reducing prostate cancer although raw tomatoes also showed some benefit.

How to Serve

For a completely "raw" appetizer, serve with zucchini slices or raw chips (see my April 14, 2009 post for raw jalapeno corn chips), or buy your favorite healthy chip. I like to serve Trader Joe's "hemp tortilla chips with black sesame seeds".This salsa also makes a great topping for grilled salmon or you can try adding it to your favorite taco or burrito recipe. Or, if you're in the mood for pasta, mix an extra tablespoon of olive oil into the garden salsa and throw it on top of hot whole wheat fusilli.

***

Raw Garden Salsa with Cherry Tomatoes

[serves 4 without corn or 6 with the optional fresh corn]

2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved depending on size

2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced

2 tablespoons scallion, finely sliced (white and green parts)

1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped, about 1 tablespoon

2 packed tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

2 shakes of black pepper or to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or 1/2 chopped avocado)

1 cup fresh corn kernels, about 1 large ear - optional

Gently mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve.

Per serving (without corn, 4 servings): 50 calories, 3.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 0.5 g protein, 4.4 g carbohydrates and 1.0 g of fiber.

Per serving (with corn, 6 servings): 55 calories, 2.7 g fat, 0.3 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 1.2 g protein, 7.8 g carbohydrates and 1.3 g of fiber.

Roasted Tomato and Mango Salsa with Arbol Chili Peppers and Garlic Scapes

A tender young garlic scape.

Toasted arbol chili peppers.

Mangos with minced garlic scapes.

Oven roasted tomatoes.

By now you might realize that all my very spicy dishes originate from my daughter Linda who feels like a day without a chipotle is like a day without sunshine. This salsa recipe utilizes the arbol chili pepper for its "heat". Instead of garlic cloves, tender young garlic scapes are used to flavor this salsa. If you grow garlic you may notice that some types have curly stalks. They are typically removed so the garlic plant can devote its energy to producing larger bulbs. Many gardeners just throw these into the compost but they are quite flavorful. And since I happen to have a bunch of them from my garlic crop, I will use them in this recipe. If you don't have access to garlic scapes, feel free to use a clove of garlic.

***

Roasted Tomato and Mango Salsa with Arbol Chili Peppers and Garlic Scapes [makes 3 cups or twelve 1/4 cup servings]

1 finely chopped mango

6 medium tomatoes, cut in half

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 young garlic scapes or 1 clove of garlic, finely minced

1 spring onion or 1/4 cup red onion, finely minced

The juice of 1/2 lime

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 arbol or 1 medium wet chipotle

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus extra for garnish

3/4 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt

Put tomatoes in a small roasting pan, cut side down. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and with your hands, massage the oil over the skin. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the tomatoes and broil until skins are slightly scorched. Remove from oven and cool. In a mixing bowl, combine the mango, minced scapes, onion, cilantro, lime juice and the remainder of the salt. Set aside. With a set of tongs, hold the arbol over an open flame until they are toasted. Be very careful that they don't burn. After they cool, crush the peppers (with seeds) with a mortar and pestle until they are powder. You may also use an herb grinder. If using a wet chipotle (with its seeds), instead of an arbol chili, skip the toasting step and mince very finely with a sharp knife. Add this to the mango mixture and set aside. Drain the cooled roasted tomatoes and place in a food processor. Pulse two or three times until chunky - do not over process! Add to the mango mixture, stir in vinegar and place in a small bowl. Garnish with extra cilantro and serve with healthy tortilla chips.

Per serving: 35.3 calories, 1.3 g fat, .2 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, .7 g protein, 5.9 g carbohydrates and .9 g of fiber.

Celebrate Cinco De Mayo With Delicious Raw Vegan Tacos

Day 5 of our “One Month Raw Food Cleanse”
No need to miss a holiday like this just because you’re on a raw food cleanse. Besides, I’d never miss Cinco de Mayo. Having lived in Texas for 18 years and over 20 years in California, this is a holiday that is near and dear to my heart. When I was CEO of Ampro Computers, I’d often bring in a pile of burritos and other Mexican food for the entire company at lunch time. OK, they weren’t as healthy as the recipe I’m sharing with you today, but if you can find a white meat chicken or vegetarian burrito on a whole wheat tortilla with little or no cheese, you have a pretty healthy dish.

These soft tacos feature chili flavored “meat” from heart healthy walnuts. With a food processor, you can whip up this dish in 10 minutes and I promise you will not be able to tell the difference between the walnut meat and regular ground meat. Covered with a simple salsa, a couple of these tacos make a great lunch or dinner. For a full Cinco de Mayo celebration, serve these with the “guacamole and raw jalapeno corn chips” posted on April 14, 2009.

***

Raw Vegan Soft Tacos With A Simple Salsa [makes 4 soft tacos]
4 leaves of organic butter lettuce, washed
1 cup raw walnuts (NOT soaked)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Nama Shoyu soy sauce
1 small avocado, diced
1 small yellow or red bell pepper (or ½ cup diced tomatoes)
3 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno (more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)

Please walnuts, chili powder and Nama Shoyu in a food process and blend just until the walnuts are course and resemble ground meat. Set aside. Gently combine the avocado, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Place 1/4 of the nut meat and 1/4 of the salsa on each of the butter lettuce leaves and serve immediately.

Per taco: 256 calories, 24.3 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, zero g cholesterol, 5.5 g protein, 8.8 g carbohydrates, 4.8 g fiber, 2.7 g omega 3 and 11.7 g omega 6 for a healthy omega 6 to omega 3 ratio of 4.3.

Menu for Day 5
Blueberry smoothie for breakfast (I’m still working my way through that big bag of blueberries), an apple with raw almond butter for lunch and for dinner, a few of these wonderful soft tacos with salsa. I just bought 6 pounds of chia seeds so we’ll be having chia pudding for dessert (see April 11, 2009 posting). HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!

Black Bean Salsa For Your Super Bowl Party

What should you bring to the Super Bowl party? Let’s see—greasy chicken wings or fried mozzarella sticks? Hard choice I know, but Super Bowl Sunday doesn’t have to be the junk food holiday of the year. Four chicken wings deliver 376 calories and 24 grams of fat, 8 grams of which are saturated. A regular order of mozzarella sticks packs on 425 calories with 22 grams of fat, 10 grams of it saturated. Save those calories for a cold beer and bring a delicious, spicy salsa.

I love to make salsa when I’m in a pinch. It’s so quick and easy and there are infinite possibilities that can fit right into a healthy diet. As a dip, a salsa can be served with baked chips or vegetable crudités. As a main meal, a bean salsa (like our featured black bean salsa), can be wrapped in a tortilla for a low fat, high fiber, vegan taco. As a chicken or shrimp fajita topping, we can substitute the beans with fruit, like mango or peaches.

One of the important ingredients in salsa is cilantro. Did you know that this popular herb has been shown to bind to heavy metals in our blood and carry them out of the body? This “chelating” quality makes cilantro very important in reducing heavy metal toxicity. Many people have heavy metals like lead and mercury in their blood which can lead to significant health problems. Two years ago, I had all the amalgam fillings in my teeth removed because I wanted to reduce my exposure to mercury. So I feel really good about eating cilantro knowing that it’s helping sweep away those heavy metals that could compromise my health.

***

Black Bean Salsa [makes 3 ½ cups of salsa]

1 cup cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
¾ cup of cooked black beans, rinsed well (about ½ of a 15 oz. can)
1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 clove of fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 small avocado, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno (more or less to taste)
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 ½ T freshly squeezed lime juice
½ t salt (more or less to taste)
Dash of cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

Mix the lime juice with the garlic, jalapeno, salt and cayenne. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and mix gently. Add additional salt and cayenne if needed.

Per 1/2 cup – 91 calories, 3 g of fat, NO saturated fat, 3 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber.