GR8TR Today Magazine

Living a GR8TR Life Every Day

Food

Bun Substitutes for Sandwiches

For many people, eating bread is not an option. For people who suffer from Celiac disease, eating barley, wheat or rye is out of the question.  For many of us, bread is an easy way to have a sandwich at lunch or dinner with a cup of soup, and call it a day.

Bread has been a staple in many cultures for thousands of years.  From the Greeks, Europeans, and Egyptians, the consumption of bread has been a tasty way to enjoy a meal, and feel satisfied.  Breads from different parts of the world have been adopted by different cultures because of the deliciousness and joy they bring to the table.

So, do you know how many types of bread there are? According to many sites, there are more than 20 types of bread, and the choice of your preferred one is a very personal matter. There are Baguettes, bagels, Naan, Brioche, Ciabatta, wheat, rye, pita, multigrain, etc, etc, etc. There is at least one that is sure to be a favorite in your life.

Unfortunately, for many of us, bread should be avoided most of the time.  Weight loss is not easy, and consuming bread is not going to help anyone achieve their goals.  Breads, pasta, cereals, or starchy vegetables are delicious and filling.  But, they won’t

If you want to enjoy a sandwich without having bread, here are 5 great options for you:

  1. Plantain – Use a plantain that is not ripe all the way.  Cut the ends, and through the middle to make it the size you want it. Bake it or fry it to flatten, and to achieve the desired consistency for a sandwich.
  2. Nori – They are the perfect substitute for bread. You can moist the middle to fold, once or twice, and achieve the desired shape for a sandwich.  You can use the nori sheet to have a carb-free burrito as well.  It holds perfectly, and it can hold all the yummy ingredients of a sandwich or vegetarian burrito.
  3. Sweet Potatoes-This is another perfect option to substitute the bread in a sandwich, and a tasty option as well.  Cutting the sweet potato lengthwise will give you the desired size to make a beautiful sandwich.  You can put them in the microwave to cook for a few minutes, take them out and bake them for a few more minutes to make them hardy enough for whatever items you want to put in a sandwich.  You can add salt, and honey to make the sweet potato sweet when you put them in the oven.  You can choose to have the skin on or off depending on the family’s preference.
  4. Romaine Lettuce Leaves-They are another perfect substitute to make a beautiful sandwich without having the bread.  They are the easiest to work with, and you only need to wash them thoroughly before you can use them.  You can salt them lightly to give them a bit of taste, but it is not necessary.
  5. Napa-Napa is another great substitute for bread.  The boat shape and size of the Napa leaves are a great way to fill them with meat, rice, or fish, or use them as a  bread substitute. Their crunchiness makes them an ideal substitute, and as with the romaine lettuce leaves you need to do very little with them.  Wash them, dry them and salt them lightly before you use them.  It takes less than 5 minutes to prepare a sandwich using Napa leaves.

Substituting bread in people’s lives is not easy. In the beginning, it might seem strange and a bit messy, but periodically, you will come to enjoy the “bread” you are using.  For weight loss, and to offer a different take on sandwiches, these options are a  great start.

5 Ways To Improve Your Life AND Cut Expenses

The first thing we need to do is agree that some of the things in this article are not going to be more fun.  When I write, “Improve Your Life” I mean in a healthy way, not in a binge drinking frat party way.  The real key to this article is if follow all of these things, you should save many thousands of dollars per year and also be healthier and happier.

Next I want to say I got this information from all over.  We reference some things, in other cases you can do a search and find different numbers from different sources.  This is not a scientific research paper – just an interesting article on how to save money while improving your life.

Cold Showers

Your first reaction might be “Hell no!” but give me a moment.  There are a lot of people that swear by cold (or colder) showers because they have significant benefits and they save you money.  Cold showers have been associated with increases Alertness, Refines Hair and Skin, Improves Immunity and Circulation, Stimulating Weight Loss, Speeding Up Muscle Soreness and Recovery, Easing Stress and Relieving Depression.  I have also heard that taking a cold shower when you cannot go to sleep and getting in bed right away will put you in a great, deep sleep if you have trouble with that kind of thing.

So fine, it is good for you if you can hack it.  But does it save you a lot of money?  I found a calculator for shower costs online here.  I did an example where I did a colder, shorter shower and a longer, hotter shower and compared the cost.  Turns out a family of 4 would save $478.50 in a year.  Not bad – and good for you.

Drink Less

Well, this is already starting to sound really sucky.  Take cold showers and stop drinking.  But in 2018 more evidence has been steadily coming out that the whole 1-2 drinks a day are good for you thing is not really true.  Women should have much less than that and even men should only be have a couple a week.  I found another calculator that will help you see how much you are spending weekly on alcohol.  And remember, it is not as good for you as you have been lead to believe.

In this very reasonable example, I have used this calculator and estimated a $1,872 annual expense per person.  If you live in a big city and like to go out with friends or coworkers a lot you are spending a lot more than this in fact.

Eat Less

The average American consumes more than 3,600 calories daily.  This is a 24% increase from 1961, when the average was just 2,880 calories. A man needs around 2,500kcal a day to maintain his weight with a healthy , balanced diet. Woman need around 2,000kcal a day. These values can vary depending on age, metabolism and physical activity, among other things.  Body builders and professional swimmers should not try this at home.

With all of this in mind, we simply eat too much – and food costs money.  We eat 37.5% too much food to be exactish.

How much money does the average person spend on food per month?  This figure varies based on age and income level.  Assuming you are middle class and a fairly young adult, it is $173 per week times 52 weeks which equals $8,996 in annual food costs.  Now if we cut that back by 37.5%, we would be saving $3373.50 per year per person.  And you would also save money on health care as it would reduce the likelihood of many weight related diseases.

This gets even crazier when you consider Forty percent of food in the United States is never eaten, amounting to $165 billion a year in wasted food, according to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council.  This would figure that you might be throwing away 40% of the groceries.  If you are someone throwing away a lot of food, plus eating 37% more calories than you need, it means 75% of your groceries could be wasted or eaten when they should not be.

Cook More

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014, the average American household spent $2,787 on restaurant meals and takeout, compared to $3,971 on groceries. But in 2015, the average amount spent on restaurants and takeout jumped $221 to $3,008. Grocery spending, by contrast, increased just $44 per household to $4,015.

We all know that restaurant food tastes great.  It is higher in sodium, bacon fat, fried breading and slathered in butter or some delicious sauce.   If you learn to make good, healthy meals at home and cut the restaurants, you can save money and be healthier very easily.  Going out no more than once a week should cut that restaurant bill in half or less, saving approximately $1,500 a year and

Walk or Bike More Short Trips

In 2017, the average household made 1.5 trips per week to grocery store.  Most likely these were done driving.  As mentioned above in the article, chances are you have too much food in your home already so going 6 times a month is too much.  But instead of saying “You can’t go”  let’s say you can only go on bike or walking unless you are going for a big run that should only happen 2-3 times per month.

Walking and biking are great exercise and if you really want something, just make yourself go on foot.  Chances are the craving will not be worth it if you have to walk there.

By using this strategy you will help yourself cut down on those food and alcohol expenses mentioned above while also saving gas and car maintenance.  AAA estimates that it costs 58 cents per mile to operate a car. Of that 58 cents,  only around 11 cents is in gas. The other 47 cents goes for expenses like, maintenance, insurance and depreciation.

So if you cut down on short trips by walking or riding your bike more, you could save several dollars on each trip and get better fit and buy less crap.  Putting a savings tag on this is harder but let’s say you cut $5 a week in car expenses plus another $10 per week in stuff you do not buy on a whim.  That is small but would add up to $780 saved in a year.

All told, all of these things would make you healthier.  And I certainly do not mean to imply to never take a hot shower or have a glass of wine again.  But the little daily things add up to huge savings and health benefits.  Let’s recap.

In one year, a family of 4 average people can save the following:

  • Cold Showers: $478.50
  • 2 Adults In Family Cut Drinking: $3,774
  • Eating Only Recommended Calories for Family of 4: $13,494
  • Eating Out Maximum 1 time per week: $1,500
  • Walking more and driving less: $780

This is all based on averages, different sources and fuzzy math.  We are just having fun here.  But this would suggest these changes could save an average family of four $20,026.50 per year.  Your results will vary.  But that is a lot of savings and health benefit.

If this all seems a little extreme, remember to start small and no one says you have to go to this level.  Shorter showers and less restaurants alone could save you some cash.  Make it work for you.  This is just an example of how you can imagine a different life.

Healthy Lifestyle Basics

The Cleveland Clinic and many other hospitals and organizations across the country offer programs on health and nutrition that can help you live a healthy life.  The Cleveland Clinic lists 7 things you need to eat and do to live a healthy life.

  1. Eat at least 7 helping of fruits and vegetables daily.
  2. Choose whole grain more often. Packages  are now labeled with whole grain, multigrain , etc. Read the labels!
  3. Limit your meat consumption.  Chicken and fish are the recommended meats by every organization that deals with healthy living.  Processed meats are not to be included in your diet, or to be kept to a very minimum.
  4. Consume foods rich in calcium and vitamin D.  While exercising, aim to get fifteen minutes of sun exposure
  5. The way you cook your meals is important.  Poaching eggs instead of frying them can help you maintain a healthy weight.  Steaming vegetables instead of frying them, or microwaving them is always preferable.
  6. Get active.  If you start slowly is better than not starting at all.  Dedicate a set  time where you exercise regardless of whether you have dishes in the sink, or laundry to switch.  Choose a time where it’s very probable you’ll make it.  It will become a habit if you stick to it for a week or two.
  7. And last but not least, Keep a healthy body weight.  It is so hard to start when you have 30 or more pounds to loose, that you get discouraged.  But, remember the weight didn’t come overnight, and having a healthy body weight lets you live longer.  Isn’t that worth the effort?

Before I close this, there is something you need to check out as well. The United States Department of Agriculture Supertracker allows you to create a profile to find out what and how much to eat. You can enter basic information, and they will have a personalized plan for you to explore. Check it out and see if it fits your lifestyle. GO! and let us know if it works for you.

Low Budget – Healthy Diet Secrets

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Obesity is common, serious and costly. According to them, more than one-third (36.5%) of US adults have obesity, and while childhood obesity is declining it is still high and affects close to 13 million children in the United States.

What does that mean for your family?

According to them, low-income families are more in danger of having a child suffering from obesity, and also among adults, especially Blacks and Hispanics.

Obesity means a health issue problem that costs the United States government close to $150 million dollars a year. If that is not something very troubling to consider, consider the health of your children and your spouse or partner and the health risks associated with obesity:

  • Heart Disease
  • Stroke
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Certain types of Cancer

All those diseases are preventable diseases that can be combated by exercising and having a diet that is reasonable. There seems to be a misconception between a healthy diet and the high cost of acquiring it. Contrary to many of these misconceptions, there are many healthy foods you can find at your grocery store that do not cost a lot of money, for example:

Lentils – A 1 lb. of Lentils at the local grocery cost can cost you around $1.50. Half a cup of cooked lentils can give you around 9 grams of protein, iron, and potassium with 115 calories. You can cook the lentils in soups or side dishes with other vegetables that can give you many nutrients your body needs.

Beans – A 1 lb. of beans at your local grocery store can cost you as little as $1.39. Beans are full of fiber, potassium, and magnesium. They are a great source of healthy carbohydrates that can fight off hunger and keeps you feeling full longer. Beans and lentils are two cheap alternatives to meat and the recipes you can do with beans and lentils range from salads to soups and everything in between. Hint: soaking beans and lentils overnight can make it easy and quick for you to cook the next day.

Oats – Who said cereals are the only breakfast in the United States? Replacing cereal with oatmeal is not only cheaper but healthier too. The sugars that are included in every serving of cereal will show in a bigger belly in your child. Oatmeal will keep your child feeling full longer, and your wallet will show the difference.

Sweet Potatoes – sweet potatoes are full of vitamin A and vitamin C. A 3lb. bag of sweet potatoes at your grocery store can cost you around $2.94. If you cook the potatoes in the oven with a teaspoon of oil and a dash of salt, you will have a dish that is filling, cheap and is good for you.

Regular Potatoes – Regular potatoes are full of fiber but also full of vitamin C and Potassium. The bad rep they get as a fatty, unhealthy food is because we think we need to eat them fried, full of butter and cheese, or accompanied by a big hamburger. This cheap food will certainly keep your child full and happy after they eat it for dinner.

Having a healthy diet does not have to be expensive. You do have to adjust your thinking and your stomach to these new foods and to prepare them in a way that seem appetizing to you and your family. But, the benefits associated with these foods are too many for you to ignore, and the cost associated with them is too little for you not to try.

Recipes with these items are abundant, and the steps to follow to get a great result are all over the internet.

Making these items part of your family meal planning can keep costs low and bellies full of healthy goodness.

Can You Prevent a Virus with Zinc?

There is a lot of bad information going around about virus cures. One meme going around is that zinc will prevent Coronavirus. This has led to a run on Cold-EEZE lozenges. The idea behind these lozenges is that if you eat them regularly right at the beginning of a cold, the zinc in them will reduce the time and severity of a cold. There is science to back it up, although it is not a magical cure and it does not prevent you from getting sick in the first place.

The rumor that zinc can prevent Coronavirus (COVID-19) started because someone shared an email that a doctor sent to his family and close friends. He gave all the good advice you hear about avoiding crowds and washing your hands, and one point in his letter suggested that zinc could help.

This is probably good doctorial advice, but not specific to lozenges and it is not advice from the leading expert on coronavirus. Just decent general advice to fight any cold or flu.

I am not a doctor. But I like to write about (and cook) (and eat) food and it seems like a better strategy might be to have healthy amounts of zinc in your diet at all times to ward off any type of illness. The last thing you would want to do is buy those lozenges and be sucking on them every day. Instead, getting more zinc in your diet from your daily food would be a great way to improve your defenses.

Which Foods Have High Zinc?

The highest levels of zinc in foods are red meats and shellfish. The problem with this is that eating them every day would not be good for you. During any cold and flu season though, maybe a few more meals with those things could help.

However, I want to be at a good, even level of zinc in my body all the time and I cannot do it with shrimp and burgers. (wish I could) Instead, there are a number of things that are easy to eat every day and when done regularly will sustain your zinc levels at a higher level.

Beans, Lentils, And Chick Peas Are High In Zinc

Black Beans, Chick Peas and Lentils are the 3rd highest common foods that contain zinc. You need several helpings a day, but it is fairly easy to eat beans with your breakfast, a cup of lentil soup with your lunch and beans as a side dish at dinner. We always have 2-3 helpings a day in our family. It is important to soak the beans before cooking to improve the digestibility and absorption of the zinc. See our easy black bean recipe here.

Seeds Are High In Zinc

Next is seeds. The funny thing about seeds is you can toss them into many dishes to add a health boost. That recipe I just mentioned for healthy black beans has flaxseeds added to them. Talk about packing a zinc punch. Black beans and flaxseed are full of zinc. Other seeds that can be even better are help seeds, squash and pumpkin seeds. These are a bit harder to eat but high in zinc. Sesame seeds are also high in zinc and they can be sprinkled on top of a lot of dishes to make them look great and add benefits.

Nuts Are High In Zinc

Nuts are also a great option for zinc. Peanuts, pine nuts, cashews, and almonds are all good sources of zinc and they can be eaten as a snack between meals or added to salads or sauces. Another option is a serving of peanut butter, which has 0.85 mg of zinc. That is 7.7 % of the recommended daily intake for men and 10.6 % for women.

Beyond that, zinc levels go down but you do get some from dairy and eggs. Some vegetables, like potatoes and sweet potatoes, are high in zinc.

Lastly, it might be time to indulge in some sweets. Dark chocolate which is less sweetened can contain a high amount of zinc, but also has a lot of calories that make it something you do not want to try to use as your exclusive source of zinc to fight off the coronavirus or other illnesses.

Viruses going to be a major concern to people, but the advice in this article is good for getting better levels of zinc from natural sources which has been proven to improve health and fight off viruses or at least reduce their severity. And most of the food listed here is great for you anyway.

Is Coffee Really Good For You?

Many people, from adults with full-time jobs, or college kids with packed schedules, rely on coffee as a source of energy. People not only depend on the effects from the caffeine, but genuinely enjoy the flavor. Coffee can be comforting, especially during the cooler months, when it feels even better to sip on something warm. According to an analysis by the European Journal of Epidemiology and a study conducted by the McGill University Health Centre, coffee’s benefits outweigh its risks.

  1. Coffee consumption helps prevent against cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
  2. Smoking decreases the benefits that coffee has for your body.
  3. Despite popular belief, there is no correlation between coffee and its link to the probably of getting gastric cancer.
  4. Can help prevent diabetes by increasing plasma levels and boosting your metabolism.
  5. Can aid/prevent damage in the liver.
  6. Drinking coffee can help stimulate the central nervous system which can protect against neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
  7. A single cup of coffee also contains many nutrients such as Riboflavin, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and niacin.
  8. According to a 2011 study conducted by Harvard School of Public Health, women who drank at least four cups of coffee per day, were 20% less likely to become depressed.

When coffee might not be the right call for you…

  1. There is a very small link between coffee and miscarriage, so if you’re expecting, coffee might not be your #1 go to beverage.
  2. Caffeine can raise LDL cholesterol, however proper filtration of the coffee grounds can help eliminate most of the risk.
  3. If you have trouble sleeping at night, or suffer from anxiety, coffee might not be the right drink for you.

In conclusion, although coffee has a multitude of benefits, those benefits can also be overshadowed by how you drink it. Many of the pros that are related to coffee are not included in high-calorie options from popular coffee shops. When drinks contain more milk, than coffee, it is likely that you are just getting more sugar and fats than any real health advantages. Be wary of flavored creams and artificial sugars, instead, opt for a splash of milk, or even some honey or agave nectar for added sweetness.

Healthy Breakfast Options

Scientific studies have found that people start the day with a certain amount of will power and throughout the day that reserve of strength wanes as people become tired, hungry and distracted.

For that reason, regardless of how well or poorly you eat throughout the day, you have no excuse not to eat a healthy breakfast. This healthy breakfast recipe is the perfect example of how you can have great taste while having good protein, lots of vitamins from different colored vegetables and slow-burn energy with healthy carbs like black beans.

black beans
Black beans have protein and provide a steady energy source, reducing your hunger.

The good thing about that recipe is you can substitute most of the ingredients for other options depending on seasonal availability, taste, and your personal eating choices. For example, the spinach can be kale or cabbage, and the sausage can be vegetarian.

Other healthy breakfasts can include the following:

  • Steel Cut Oatmeal with Flaxseed and Berries
  • Egg White Vegetable Omelet
  • Protein Powder & Oatmeal Pancakes

The simple fact is that in the mornings, you can build habits that are very regular and easy to follow. Dinner will probably be hit or miss for most people as they are more tired, more hungry and have more options when they are out and about. Whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain your current weight or be super fit and healthy, it does not matter. The morning is the best time to stick to a healthy plan with a tried and true healthy breakfast recipe and just eat it every day.

If you have a cheat day where you let yourself go, you can cheat with the same recipe. Add cheese, add more meat if you like that and add toast or tortillas. All of these things make the breakfast have more calories and carbs, but also makes it tastier while still getting the benefit of all of the vegetables and proteins.

Spice It Up! – Herbs and Spices You Should Stock Up In Your Shelves

“If you are careful,” Garp wrote, “If you use good ingredients, and you don’t take any shortcuts, then you can usually cook something very good. Sometimes it is the only worthwhile product you can salvage from a day; what you make to eat. With writing, I find, you can have all the right ingredients, give plenty of time and care, and still get nothing. Also true of love. Cooking, therefore, can keep a person who tries hard sane.” ― John Irving, The World According to Garp

Do you love to cook? Perhaps planning to learn? Does the idea of stocking up your shelves with spices with names you can’t even pronounce properly sound intimidating to you? Well, you’re not alone. I believe most people who are still starting up with their journey to the wonderful world of stews, spices and stoves have found that choosing the basic spices quite daunting. After all, you don’t want to spend that much money on saffron  while you still don’t know what it does and therefore would not even know where to use it.

As someone who has once faced the task of feeding a small family with what little knowledge I have had with cooking – basically limited to three ways of cooking eggs and nuking ready-made dinners – I want to impart some advice: learn while it’s still early. In this article, I will attempt to share with you the basic herbs and spices that you should get while you’re still learning to cook. I’m no expert, mind you, but over the years, I have gained some knowledge of cooking, so I feel compelled to write this piece. Get your paper and pen ready and let’s begin…

  1. Bay Leaves. Typically sold dried, bay leaves give off that aromatic scent, which makes it ideal for stews and marinades. You will need to remove this from the food before serving.
  2. Cayenne. This has got to be one of my Top 5 Must-Haves when it comes to spices. Cayenne is made from tiny spicy red peppers. It gives off that extra kick you want in your dishes without interfering with the overall flavor. It’s also ideal for boosting your immune system and a great ingredient for a healthy juice recipe.
  3. Parsley. It’s a no-brainer that the world’s most popular herb would make this list. Afterall, parsley is both great for pasta and pizza, plus it’s healthy too! As a source of anti-oxidants, you can never go wrong by stocking up on parsley.
  4. Garlic Powder. I find it strange that I’m not a fan of garlic, but a huge lover of garlic powder. I love marinating barbecues in it; I love it with my bread. If you love grilled food as much as I do, then you should definitely get yourself some garlic powder.
  5. Basil. I have a basil plant – that should pretty much tell you how much I adore the herb. It’s great for soups, pasta and meat – how can you afford not to have it?

There you have it – the basics – at least according to me. Some people might have more herbs and spices in their list, but to each his own. As you grow more confident in your cooking skills and become more willing to try experimenting on new recipes, you will find that your shelves will also have more jars and packets of spices with varying flavors and textures. Who knows? It has not happened to me yet, but you may one day have enough reason to take a deep breath while you order saffron from the spice shop. Good luck!

Winter Health Foods and Drinks You Must Have

The cold weather has taken its time lately, but it seems that is finally here to stay. Flu epidemics affect the United States every year, and every year local health agencies encourage people to not only wash their hands regularly but to eat a healthy balanced diet to help us deal with these epidemics.  There are many healthy foods and drinks that can help us stay healthy and fight the dreaded flu, and some of these foods and drinks are even enjoyable for many of us.

These are the top 5 healthy foods to incorporate into your diet:

Teas

With the cold weather comes the craving of warm beverages that can make your day a bit more pleasant and enjoyable.  But before you go out and get yourself a warm drink at your local coffee shop, think of the calorie intake and inches you will acquire after you have finished the drink.  A Mocha Frappuccino at your local Starbucks contains 500 calories, 140 mg of caffeine and 79 g of sugar in one 20 0z drink. Not something you should do regularly, and especially not a drink you want to jump-start your day.

But, there have been many studies that look into the health benefits of tea, and while some of those studies are speculative, there is strong evidence to suggest that tea does have the ability to reduced the risk of coronary heart disease in people.

Black, green, white and Oolong teas are at the top of the list for the super healthy drinks for us. These teas contain disease-fighting antioxidants that can help you reduce the risk of heart diseases. A black tea-Earl Grey – contains only 30-60 mg of caffeine, green teas — 25-50 mg, and herbal teas-0 mg. If you drink teas without sugar, the calorie intake is minimal.

Dark Chocolate

Another enjoyable food or treat for us is dark chocolate. We are not talking about the white and milky chocolate variety, but the dark chocolate. That is the one that is found to have some of the same antioxidants found in tea, red wine, fruits, and vegetables. The health benefits are better blood flow in older adults and could help you reduce high blood pressure levels as well.

Avocados

Avocados are another healthy food that is great to eat and brings you many health benefits.  Yes, they are fatty and have about 3.1 g of saturated fat and 230 calories, but the health benefits associated with this fruit are too many to ignore, and the fats they contain are healthy fats that help you lower your “bad” cholesterol.

Cold Water Fish

Fish is one of those foods that you know from an early age is good for you.  You may not like fish, but the health benefits associated with cold water fish can range from reducing the risk of blood clots and heart attacks to lowering your cholesterol. The best cold water fish you can have are salmon, trout, herring, tuna, sardines, and mackerel. They contained an abundance of omega-3 acids that can help you fight many diseases. So, even if you don’t particularly like fish, you should try to incorporate them slowly into your diet.

Beans

There are many varieties and dishes you can have with beans. Here is an excellent black bean recipe.  And like fish, there are many people that do not like beans or don’t know how to cook them.  Beans are an excellent source of fiber, can help you with your digestion, lower your cholesterol levels, plus helps you reduce the risk of heart attacks. Incorporating these foods slowly into your diet can help you live a long and full life.

How To Make Homemade Salsa

Salsa is reported to be more popular than catsup and other condiments, and no wonder. A good salsa can be put on anything. While some people do put catsup on eggs, steak or fish, it is far more likely that you want to add a good homemade salsa to add a kick to it.

Salsas can be mild or hot and while some peppers can be tricky, you do have a fair amount of control over the heat level depending on a few factors.

1. Peppers that you use – if you use a mild pepper, then the salsa should not be as hot. Want it super mild? Use a roasted red bell pepper. There should be no heat at all.
2. Seeds – if you use a jalapeno or another hot pepper, removing the seeds and discarding them will reduce the heat of the salsa in most cases. Keep in mind that jalapenos do vary a lot so this is no guarantee of mild salsa.
3. Ratio – if you use more tomato and onion and cilantro and less peppers, you will have a more mild salsa.
4. Cooked vs raw – cooking a pepper (either grilling or boiling with other ingredients) can be a little more mild than using it raw in a salsa.
5. Quantity used – Ok, so you end up with a salsa that is very hot for your taste. Don’t worry, you can still just use less or add more tomato to it to dilute it some.

So, with that information, let me give you the basics of salsa creation. There is a near infinite variety of salsa combinations because it does not only have a lot of different types of peppers, but also different tomatoes, cooking techniques, spices, etc. I want to give you the basics in this article so you can experiment and find the combinations that best suit your taste.

Uncooked salsa is common and usually consists of red tomato, onion, a type of hot pepper, all diced up in small cubes and mixed together. The juice of the tomato will add some of the liquid for the salsa. Then you add salt, cilantro if you like it and you might add a squeeze of lime juice. Let it sit for a bit and you have a nice chunky fresh salsa.

Variations on this might include other spices, parsley, a light blend on it to make it less chunky, etc.

Next consider grilled salsa. With this approach you grill off most of the veggies that go into the salsa for a smoky flavor. I frequently make green salsa this way. I put one big red tomato, 6 tomatillos (green tomatoes), 3 or so jalapenos, large chunks of cut onion, one mild pepper and grill them all well. I peel off any major char but leave some minor specks. Then I blend them all in the blender with some salt, a bit of garlic and add diced cilantro. As you can image, this can vary quite a bit. You can use just read tomatoes, you can use poblano peppers to give it a very different flavor, etc. You should take these summaries and use them to find your own fresh flavor.

Lastly, there is traditional boiled salsa. This is when you chunk up your ingredients and boil them all until soft and then blend them into a batch of smooth salsa. This also includes tomato of choice, pepper of choice, onion, salt and garlic. It is important to add cilantro and finely diced onion as well to the salsa after it is blended to have some texture and freshness in it. To be safe, let the boiled ingredients cool before blending so if it splashes you do not get burned.

These instructions are not exact recipes. They are general guidelines of how people make fresh salsa and you can experiment to find what you like the best. Happy salsa making.