The Refreshing Taste of Spring Salsa

What a wonderful weekend it was. The taste and smell of spring have arrived & I can’t tell you how happy that makes me! When the weather is as mild and pleasant as it is now, I spend as much time as possible outdoors walking, planting, reading, or dining. It’s all things “SPRING” which, in addition to the green lawns, fragrant, beautiful flowers, translates into fresh local produce at the neighborhood farmer’s markets. Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood has a farmer’s market which is open each Wednesday from 4 until 7 pm. It’s a great place to shop for nutritious whole foods, chat with the farmers and enjoy fresh food and live music….. http://schlafly.com/bottleworks/farmers-market/

Last weekend I prepared a salsa at my house, which has become a staple and will therefore be a part of most of my meals and snacks for the remainder of the warm months. I  keep a stash of this salsa in my fridge to use as a dip, and/or to accompany my grilled lean protein. Heck, I’ve even mixed it in my wild rice salad! It’s a breeze to prepare & honestly, each time I feature it people rave & ask about it. So, I thought I would share this recipe with you which, as you will see, is clean, refreshing & nutritious, just the way spring eating should be:).  Another great thing about this recipe is it allows you to ‘think outside your culinary box’…….adjust it according to your preferences. In other words, there is no way to fail when you serve this salsa.

Last weekend, I prepared it using grapes but you can substitute pineapple, berries, mango, cantaloupe, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, or any other fruit or veggie which you prefer, or have in your fridge. The options are endless!! The other 4 ingredients remain the same (feel free to adjust the amounts too!)

Spring Salsa

1 cup grapes, halved or quartered
1 Tbsp red onion, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped finely
1/2 tsp salt
juice from 1 lime

Toss ingredients into a bowl to let the flavors blend for at least 30 minutes. Serve alongside a basket of tortilla chips, and/or grilled chicken, meat or fish and taste the flavors pop!

Bon Appetite!