Fresh Salsa- Pico de Gallo

Fresh salsa tastes like summer to me.  So when better to have it than in the middle of winter?  This is one of those recipes that's a little different every time I make it.  I always just "wing it" and add whatever amounts I have of the ingredients.  I love cilantro, so I always put in a lot, but if you're like my hubby and not too fond of it then add less, or omit it completely.  And if you want more spice, add more jalapeno, or just add the seeds.  And speaking of jalapenos, be careful when you're cutting them.  Use gloves if you want, or just do your best to only touch the outer skins.  The first time I chopped an jalapeno I used my thumbnail to scrape the seeds out of it.  Not a good idea.  My thumb started to burn and then the pain somehow transferred to all of my fingers, and I spent the next few hours with my hands soaking in milk because it's the only thing that would make the pain go away.  Now I'm super careful!  I cut the seeds out while holding onto the outside of the jalapeno, and then place the pieces inside down on the cutting board while I dice them.  And then wash my hands before I go and rub my eyes or something!  

This fresh salsa is great with tortilla chips or anything else you would use salsa for.  When I was in Chile this would be served with bread as an appetizer.  It's delicious!

Fresh Salsa (makes about 1 cup)

- 3 Roma tomatoes, finely diced

- 1/2 red onion, finely diced

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely diced

- Handful of cilantro, finely chopped

- 1 lime, juiced

- 1 tbsp vinegar

- 1 tsp sugar

Simply mix all of the ingredients together and store in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.  You can use other tomatoes, I just find the Roma tomatoes work better because they are more firm and have less pulp.

Salmon Burgers with Chile-Inspired Salad

I just spent 10 days in Chile over the Christmas break, and boy did I enjoy some delicious food!  And I ate avocados every single day!  Ok, perhaps most people wouldn't be so excited about that, but avocados are one of my favourite foods and I wish I had an avocado tree in my backyard.  I also tried palmitos (palm hearts) for the first time and love them too.  When I got home and was met with the sad fact that it's still winter here I really wanted to have some Chilean food to make me feel sunnier.  And I don't feel confident enough to make ceviche here since the fish needs to be fresh, as in caught-that-morning fresh.  So I decided to make a salad that I had many times while I was there, and paired it with some cooked salmon... a zesty lime salmon burger.  The lime went really well with the tastes of the salad.  I also had cold, cooked beets with many of my meals in Chile, so I made some of them too.  I was going to make a cream sauce to go with the salmon burger, but instead I put a few slices of avocado on top which went perfectly with it.  I found the salmon burger recipe in Chatelaine magazine's Superfood mini cookbook.  The salmon has 400% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin D, so it's a great food to eat in the winter when the weather is lacking sunshine.

I don't know why the beets look black, they were a wonderful purple on-camera.

Both recipes make 4 servings.

Zesty Lime Salmon Burgers:

- 1 large can (450g) can Sockeye Salmon

- 1 egg

- 1 green onion, thinly sliced

- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or basil (I used cilantro)

- 1/4 cup fine bread crumbs

- 1 lime (1 tsp. of zest and 2 tbsp. of juice)

- 1 tsp. Tobasco sauce

- 1/2 tsp salt

- vegetable oil for frying

Drain salmon and break up with a fork.  You can leave the skin and bones in for extra calcium.  In a bowl whisk egg, then rest of ingredients, except the oil.  Using a fork mix the salmon into the egg mixture.  Form into 4 firmly packed burgers, about 1 cm. thick.

Generously coat a large non-stick pan with oil and turn heat to medium.  When hot add burgers and cook uncovered for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until a thick golden crust forms.  Serve with sliced avocado on top.

Chile-Inspired Salad:

- 1 large head of iceburg lettuce, chopped

- 4 avocados, thinly sliced*

- 2 tomatoes, cut into small wedges

- 1 can of palm hearts, sliced (They are in the canned vegetable section of my grocery store)

- olive oil and lemon juice to use as dressing

Just divide the ingredients among 4 plates, save some of the avocado slices to garnish the salmon burger if desired.

* To slice an avocado first cut it in half by slicing it all the way around, right down to the pit.  Then twist the 2 halves so that one side pulls apart from the pit.  Use a spoon to scoop out the pit from the other side.  Then make thin slices, while the pulp is still in the skin.  Then use a spoon to carefully scoop out the slices.  

Carrot Lentil Soup

Yes, another soup recipe.  I can't help it, I could eat soup every day!  Actually, I pretty much do that already.  Right now I'm excitedly waiting for my friend to give me some fish soup that is to die for, and if she would just give me the recipe I would be so happy.  But she won't, so I can only enjoy it's delicious taste around Christmas and Easter, the only times her mom makes it.  Mmm, I can't wait to eat it tomorrow!

But anyway, I'm supposed to be writing about another great soup...this carrot lentil soup that I made the other night.  It's really good, and makes me feel super healthy eating it:)  I actually got it out of Chatelaine magazine's Superfoods mini cookbook. I really like the flavours of the soup, but I do think they could be stronger.  I think the next time I make it I will add more paprika and coriander, probably a teaspoon each instead of 1/2 a teaspoon.  I also made the soup with a whole onion, because, well, I like onion.  I used chicken broth to make it, but if you want it to be vegetarian, just use vegetable broth.

Here's the original recipe:

Carrot Lentil Soup

- 1 cup dry red lentils

- 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

- 1/2 chopped cooking onion

- 3 peeled and diced carrots

- 1 diced red pepper

- 3 minced garlic cloves

- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

- 1/2 tsp ground coriander

- 1/2 tsp paprika

- 1 bay leaf

- 1 sliced green onion

- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice

- 1/4 tsp black pepper

In a large pot over high heat bring lentils and broth to a boil.  Skim off froth.  Stir in cooking onion, carrots, red pepper, garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, and the bay leaf.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until carrots are tender- about 25 minutes.  Stir in green onion, cilantro, lemon juice and pepper.  Remove bay leaf.  Enjoy!