Summer is here – finally! I just moved to New Jersey, and even though I was wearing a light jacket today, I can tell that the weather is getting warmer. It’s definitely not the Caribbean, where I lived for three years, but it’s my new home and I am adjusting to it pretty well considering what a huge change it is from my last adventure.
Despite taking longer to get warm up here in the north, my neighbors have told me that now is the time for outside barbecues, potlucks, swimming parties, and vacations. I love it that my neighbors have really taken me in and introduced to everyone on the street, so now I have a set of friends to get together with during the warmer months. Since I’m not the best cook in the world, I always contribute something simple and easy that anyone and everyone can make.
One great recipe that I create all the time when the weather gets warmer is a sweet summer salsa. This recipe is so fresh, delicious, and healthy. Trust me, you are not going to want to share. The best part is that if you’ve been reading our tips on growing your own food, you’ll get to use fresh ingredients right from your garden making this incredibly fresh and affordable too. Luckily for me, it only requires messing up one bowl and one knife in the kitchen. I still have so much unpacking to do from my big move, so less is definitely more in my life right now!
Here’s what you need:
1 can of drained pineapple chunks
2 peeled and chopped mangos
3 beautiful, chopped tomatoes
1 chopped sweet red pepper
1 chopped white onion
3 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro
Mix everything together in a big bowl and add salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste.
And that’s it! Seriously, every time I make this for someone, they absolutely love it. I think it’s the pineapples, which add a bit of a nice surprise of sweetness in there. Like I said, I’m not a big cook, but this is something anyone can do because all it requires is a lot of chopping and one big bowl to mix it all together.
While I know it’s not easy to grow pineapples in your yard, you can grow tomatoes, red peppers, onions, and cilantro pretty easily. If you want to save money on growing your own food, buy seeds instead of plants that have already matured a bit. Growing food from seeds takes a bit of time and patience, but in the end you will garner a great satisfaction from it knowing that you played a part in your own homesteading adventure. This was definitely easier to make when I lived in the Caribbean and had mango trees and pineapple plants in my yard, but the ones from the store work well too! Enjoy!
Do you have recipe that you love to make during the warmer months? How many of you are going to try your hand at making this salsa?