Author: manton

Healthy Mexican Food

The Mexican Pantry

manton

 

The Basics of the Mexican Pantry 

When I think about a traditional Mexican pantry, I think of my abuela’s house. At my paternal grandmother’s house, we had a large pantry — a despensa — it was like a walk-in closet only for food. I loved my grandmother’s pantry because it smelled of cinnamon, clove, anise seeds, and Mexican chocolate…of dried red chiles, oregano and bay leaves.

It was cool and dark and where the food kept longer in the hot Sonoran desert. It was there she kept the sacks of flower, dried beans, rice, sugar, and strings of garlic hanging on a hook. And it was there that I hid from my brother and cousins when we played hide and go seek.

The word despensa awakens all those aromatic memories of my grandmother’s kitchen and the life I was a part of then — simple, clean, wholesome and unpretentious. There was an orchard in the backyard, with apples, plums, apricots and figs. We had lazy slow-clucking chickens, and a mean rooster. More than once I saw my grandmother kill a chicken for the eventual arroz con pollo placed steaming hot on her white embroidered tablecloth.  

El amor entra por la cocina – Love enters through the kitchen.

The kitchen is the soul of the house.

Now I too have an unpretentious old kitchen, not half as nice or neat as my Abuela’s but every bit as soulful. Once in a while when I open the cupboard, I get a whiff of cinnamon, chile and chocolate, and I go right back to that rambling old adobe house in Nogales, Sonora, on Calle Morita and it brings me joy.

A well-stocked pantry was a point of pride in those days of frugal and careful living. Fruit was harvested, preserved and stored for winter. Plans were made for the winter holiday celebrations. Life just seemed more gracious, more mindful then, and less hurried and hectic.

Feeling nostalgic for that simple pleasure, I take inventory of my mini pantry and decide to stock it well, like my abuela’s.

Besides satisfying the nostalgia of a well-kept kitchen, stocking a pantry can make it easier to live a healthier life. Keeping basic ingredients handy can keep you from calling in a pizza or driving the kids through for fast food. There are ways you can make fast food at home. It’s cheaper and healthier.

Here’s my list for a well-stocked Mexican pantry:

Dry Goods

  • Vermicelli for a good fideo soup
  • Rice
  • Whole grain pastas
  • Garlic
  • Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate
  • Pepitas
  • Slivered almonds
  • Unpopped popcorn kernels
  • Potatoes
  • Oatmeal
  • Brown sugar
  • Masa harina
  • Whole wheat flour

Canned Goods*

  • Pinto beans
  • Black beans
  • White beans
  • Hominy/nixtamal
  • Tomato sauce
  • Stewed tomatoes
  • And everyone’s favorite: Rotel!
  • Enchilada sauces
  • Diced green chiles
  • Salsas
  • Chicken and vegetable broths – in a can or carton
  • Canned chipotles
  • Canned Jalapeños

Packaged foods

  • Taco and tostada shells
  • Blue corn tortilla chips

Spices

  • Mexican oregano
  • Bay leaves
  • Garlic powder
  • Chile powder
  • Paprika
  • Cumin
  • Cinnamon
  • Did I mention chocolate already?
  • Dark chocolate
  • Mexican chocolate
  • Powdered cocoa
  • Dried red chiles of different varieties
  • Anise seed
  • Mexican vanilla

Vinegars and Oils

  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Rice vinegar
  • Apple cider vinegar

En el Refri

  • Queso fresco
  • Low fat milk
  • Onions
  • Tomatoes
  • Cabbage
  • Avocados
  • Green Chile
  • Tomatillos
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Limes
  • Onions
  • Mangoes, oranges, and papaya
  • Whole wheat flour tortillas
  • Corn tortillas
  • Eggs
  • Ground Turkey
  • Chicken
  • Mexican squash or zucchini

In the Freezer

  • Corn
  • Green beans
  • Assorted pre-chopped veggies
*Canned food is fine in my Mexican pantry. Just watch the sodium. Practice a tip from our certified nutritionist, Madrina Malena, rinse canned foods before using them! This gets rid of excess sodium.

These are the basics of my despensa. Some of these ingredients you will have in your dry pantry for weeks and even months, in the case of spices, sugar, flour, etc..And some, such as your refri items, you will need to replenish on a weekly basis depending on your weekly menus. I promise you that if you have most of these in your pantry, you will cut down on your trips to fast food restaurants or pizza delivery. You and your familia will be healthier and your wallet will be fatter. If I start the week off with these foods in my pantry, I can make at least 10 meals!

What are the staples in your pantry?  What is the quickest meal you can make with what you have on hand?

!Buen Provecho!

Healthy Body

How I Managed the Baby Blues

manton

 

Having a baby is a highly emotional experience with lots of highs and for some of us some significant lows. Some would even say it’s stressful. With all those hormones coursing through your body it can feel like you don’t have much control over your emotions.

Earlier this year my daughter was born. She’s our first child and like so many new moms I thought I knew what to expect. I’d read all the blogs and books, and listened to all kinds of podcasts, but the one thing I wasn’t prepared for was the emotional rollercoaster. And more specifically I didn’t expect to experience baby blues.

From the days immediately following her birth, I experienced big emotional swings, from being enraged to complete apathy. Somos muy chillones en mi familia. And besides I believe you need a good cry every once in a while. But in the weeks after the baby arrived crying became a daily occurance. I was extremely overwhelmed and experienced huge mood swings–I’d go from 0 (normal) to 10 (rage/weeping) in a matter of seconds. In the middle of the night I’d wonder why anyone would ever have a baby and swear I never wanted to have another. When my mom showed up with a pot of albóndigas and I didn’t get excited, I knew something was wrong.


This was not normal for me. However, up to 80% of women get baby blues and as many as 20% suffer from postpartum depression.

My husband described me as going dark. He knew me as this strong, grounded, rational woman who knew how to ride life’s waves. I’m a resilient person. But in those first several weeks after my daughter was born, I didn’t know how to summon that resilience. I didn’t feel like myself.

It was my husband who encouraged me to reach out to my friends and share how I was feeling. He pushed me to call my friends with kids so I could talk to someone who would understand what I was going through. And that helped, but in those moments, in the throws of motherhood I felt completely overwhelmed. It didn’t take him long to suggest that I get some help and talk to a therapist.

I found a certified family counselor who specializes in transition to motherhood. My first session was at 5 weeks postpartum and it was an amazing release. I shared what I was feeling, all the emotions and frustration, the guilt, the complete sense of being overwhelmed. And at the end of the hour, I felt a great weight was lifted.

It wasn’t just talking about my feelings and experience that helped. She gave me concrete and useful information that helped make sense of what was happening. She told me there are three primary drivers of baby blues, and this goes for postpartum depression too (besides the hormonal and chemical changes):

  1. Sleep deprivation
  2. Lack of physical activity
  3. Social isolation

She told me if I could address these drivers, it would significantly help me manage my baby blues.

Sleep deprivation

This is a tough one for most parents. Some parents luck out and get those babies that sleep all the time. For the rest of us, it’s 20 minutes here and there and up every hour and half at night to eat. Generally speaking, we humans need at least 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep to be our optimal selves. And for most new moms that’s not happening. The common advice to sleep when the baby sleeps is great in theory, but in practice I found it nearly impossible. So suffice to say there wasn’t much I was able to do early on about sleep.

Lack of physical activity

I had a c-section so by necessity I couldn’t move much at all. On top of that, I had a newborn and it was cold out and I was super paranoid about germs the first 8 weeks. It wasn’t until two weeks postpartum that the midwives gave me the green light to take the dogs for a two-block walk. Normally we take the dogs for two 30-minute walks a day, so my first postpartum walk around the block was amazing! I didn’t care that it was raining. I was out in the world! And that short outing did wonders for my mood that day.

At six weeks postpartum I got the okay to go back to dance and that was a game changer! I took it easy during my first class back. I didn’t go all out. But that one hour of being in my body made me feel like me again. Slowly but surely we got back into our regular walks and I went to dance whenever I could. I took an awesome postpartum yoga class which taught me how to re-engage my core and strengthen my pelvic floor.

Social isolation

This was the biggest one for me. I’m a very social person. I didn’t realize how isolating having a newborn would be. Many people didn’t know if/when it was okay to reach out or come over. They thought I was too busy or didn’t want company. Nothing could be further from the truth. I needed people around. I needed to check in with friends. I needed to know what was going on outside my house.

I realized I needed to be proactive. I reached out to friends and asked them to join me on walks or meet for coffee. I let them know they wouldn’t be bothering me if they texted or called on a whim.

I also shared with my friends what I had experienced with the baby blues. I let them know I needed their support and what they could do to help.

Now that my daughter is older she’s sleeping up to 6 hours a night, which I never knew I’d be so excited about 5+ hours of sleep! I’m back at dance and starting to feel my strength back, but it’s a journey. I’m not back to my pre-pregnancy self, and that’s okay. I decided to be kind with myself. It might take a year or longer for me to feel as strong, flexible and have the stamina I had before pregnancy. The social isolation is still something I have to work on. We’re the first ones in our circle of friends to have a child and so everyone is still figuring out what that means. And I realized I have to take care of me and speak up about what I need, which means being proactive about getting together with friends.

I hope my experience helps other moms. It’s important we take care of ourselves so we can be the best parents. And it’s also important we be kind with ourselves. I’ve learned to be easier on myself, foster acceptance, be more patient, find the humor and ask for help when I need it.

NOTE: If you’re experiencing what you think might be baby blues or postpartum depression, please speak with your healthcare provider. This blog is simply meant to bring awareness and share what worked for me in my situation. Every situation is different. Please speak with your healthcare provider and they can provide you with resources to help.

 

Healthy Mexican Food

Cucumber and Jícama Salad

manton

Cucumber and Jícama Salad: A Delicious Way to Eat Your Veggies

At De Las Mías, we pride ourselves in bringing you the most delicious and simple ways of preparing and serving healthy Mexican foods! If you’ve been to Mexico, no doubt you came across the food carretas selling sliced jícama with lime and chilito. And have you seen the cucumber served on a stick like a popsicle with what else but ¡chilito! a dash of salt and juicy lime. Almost anywhere you go in Mexico, you will see merchants selling fruits and vegetables. Yet, many of us have gotten away from these delicias. In the USA, we just don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables! Find cucumber and jícama at your local market.  Buy jícama already peeled and chopped if you want a short cut!

Jícama is rich in fiber

The jícama is known in some circles as the Mexican Potato. Who knew? And because the jícama is so rich in fiber, it is a very healthy carb! For that reason, this combination of green refreshing cucumber with the crunchy sensation of the jícama is simply an irresistible combo. Simple salads, or chunky salsas like this one are a great way to get into the habit of eating more veggies! Refreshing, quick and easy-to-make, this dish goes well with everything. Use it to top your taquitos and tostadas, or as a side dish. Pair it with carnitas, roasted chicken or fish. It also makes a great mid-afternoon snack. Add as much chilito as your heart desires, or go easy on it for the kiddos. Enjoy this tasty, spicy, crunchy treat and satisfy yourself on a culinary and cultural level ¡Provecho, Comadres!

Healthy Mexican Food

Corn Salsa

manton

Corn salsa with nectarines?  Really?  Yes, and it is delicious.  I have made this salsa for pot lucks and also made it the night before of an overbooked day, because there is nothing like getting home hungry and tired and finding something healthy and delicious.  At De Las Mías we are all about adopting new and healthy habits. One of the ways we can add healthy habits is to change our environment.  When I came across an article on stacking up those healthy habits, I chose getting to those 3 veggies a day. As a result, I went on a mission to keep ready-to-eat veggies in the refri.  If I come home tired after a busy afternoon, and I see deliciousness waiting for me, I feel like a Super Mujer.  That is one less handful of fritos, doritos or chicharrones!  Roasting the corn ahead of time gives it a nice charred flavor and I highly recommend that you do that, but if you want to opt for a short cut, just sauté some frozen corn and try it that way.  Also, if you haven’t tried canned chipotle, go now and get yourself some.  This smoky jalapeño knows how to kick it up a notch.  Use sparingly until you can’t live without it.  (Hint:  I put it into the olive oil I drizzle on my popcorn!) This corn salsa is particularly tasty on a hot summer evening.  I must admit that I triple or quadruple the recipe because it goes fast.  I love it with a tall glass of my favorite jugo verde – La  Diosa Verde –  one of the green juices you can find at De Las Mías. It also goes super great with Tacos and it is just lovely as a topping for black bean tostadas.  Try it on Meatless Monday!

Healthy Mexican Food

Traditional and Healthy Frito Pie

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Frito Pie is one of those Southwest Chicano inventions that would make a traditional Mexican chef like Diane Kennedy cringe, but it is one of the most kid-friendly, festive and delicious stews you can eat in the street or in your own home. New Mexicans and Texans fight over who invented this famous concoction on an on-going basis. I don’t know who would win that feud, so let’s just say that it was a happy evolution!   

My own favorite experience is the memory of sitting on the grass on the Santa Fe Plaza and having my husband hand me what looked like a bag of Fritos  brimming with what I mistakenly called chile con carne.  I said, “What is that?” and he said, “Frito Pie, Man.”  When I asked where it came from, he said, “Woolworth’s.”  And when I dipped that plastic spoon into that glorious hot mess I was a changed woman. Chicano food at its very best! They still sell it on the Plaza in Santa Fe, so hurry up before it goes away.  The next best thing is to make it yourself.  Lori and Malena “hacked” it with ground turkey instead of beef, but it has so much New Mexico red chile in it that no one will ever know you didn’t use beef. It’s a lot healthier and just as delicious.

Reminder: This recipe falls squarely in the ‘Poquito de Todo’ category. We don’t want to give up our beloved foods but we want to go easy on the portion sizes! One cup is plenty! Use the Fritos like a garnish and not like a staple. If your hijitos are still developing their chile tasting buds, cut back on the chile or use a milder version. And please serve it with a tossed green salad! 

This one will take you home, Sister!

Makes 6 cups. 1 serving = 1 cup.

Healthy Mexican Food

Watermelon Salad with Almonds, Tangy and Delicious

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There is nothing like fresh watermelon to liven up your salad!  This quick and refreshing watermelon and almond salad is great by itself as a late afternoon snack, or paired with chicken, beef or pork. The tangy lime and chilito dressing gives it a nice satisfying punch. Keep it in mind for Meatless Mondays and serve it with a cheese quesadilla or black bean tostadas.

We love the almonds for a nice crunch, and a dash of plant-based protein, but if you don’t have almonds in your pantry, it works very well without the nuts.  I didn’t have almonds the other day for my book group potluck, and it was still delicious!  I kept it to 3 ingredients: the watermelon, the cilantro and the queso fresco.  The dressing with the lime, olive oil, a little salt and chilito was a huge hit.

This beautiful red, green and white salad is a great way to feed your daily fruit and veggie habit!

Comadre Gracie packs it for lunch and keeps it chilled in the office fridge.  Just make sure you put a post-it on it with your name or else it might disappear!

Makes 6 cups. 1 serving = 1 cup.

Healthy Mexican Food

Tropical Infusion Smoothie

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This Tropical Infusion Smoothie is a delicious treat, and a great way to get your fruit in for the day. At De Las Mías, we love our licuados and batidos! Smoothies have a long-standing tradition for Super Mujeres on-the-go all over Mexico and Latin America and now they are gaining ground in the USA.  And why not?  What could be more delicious, healthy and quick than loading up your blender with fruits and veggies, watch it whirl, and enjoy?  No need for fancy equipment here!  This colorful Infusion will take you to the tropics!  What’s there not to like about mangoes, pineapple, papaya and strawberries?  This one calls for coconut water, but you can just add water, or a little bit of juice, or even yogurt!  Whatever combo works for you works!

My own preference is to blend the heck out of it with ice on a hot summer day.  I even infuse it with a shot of jalapeño juice, because, for me, everything goes better with chilito!

Our mera mera nutritionist Malena recommends that you pair it with protein.  So how about a piece of whole grain toast with avocado to go with it?  Or a handful of cashews or almonds to give it a protein punch?

 

 

Healthy Body, Latina Community

Prediabetes and Latinas: It’s Better to Know

manton

Prediabetes and Latinas: It’s Better to Know

At De Las Mías we are paying extra attention to prediabetes and Latinas.  By now you have probably figured out that if you are Latina, overweight, and have a mother, father, sister or brother with diabetes, you should get checked for prediabetes.

We want to encourage you to take the prediabetes quiz. If you answered yes to more than 3 of the questions on the quiz, it’s a good idea to go to your doctor or clinic and get checked for prediabetes. This falls into the category of “it’s better to know.” Es mejor saber.

We’ve seen the research and it’s clear. You can prevent or delay diabetes and finding out you have prediabetes serves as a wake-up call.

We put together at Prediabetes Cheat Sheet for you to keep handy. Share this with your sisters, brothers, comadres and friends.

Remember, It’s Better to Know –  “Es mejor saber.” 

Prediabetes Cheat Sheet

What is prediabetes? Prediabetes is having blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not quite high enough to have it be diagnosed as diabetes.

  • Almost all people with diabetes started with prediabetes.
  • If your doctor has told you that you have prediabetes, you should take it seriously without panicking.
  • Having prediabetes puts you at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other conditions like hypertension and heart disease.
  • Sometimes people call prediabetes “borderline” diabetes.
  • Sometimes doctors call prediabetes “impaired glucose tolerance” or IGT, or impaired fasting glucose, which is IFG.
  • No matter what they call it, don’t ignore it.
  • There are no clear symptoms for prediabetes. You may have it and not know it.
  • If you have been told you have prediabetes by a doctor, you should have your blood sugar checked for diabetes every one or two years.

Here are two kinds of tests your doctor might recommend if you want to get checked for prediabetes:

  • A fasting blood test. You have your blood checked before getting anything in your stomach. If your blood sugar level is between 100 and 125, you have prediabetes. If your number is under 100, it is normal. If it is over 125, you may have diabetes.
  • An A1C test — which is also a blood test that tells you how much sugar (glucose) has been in your blood over the last 3 months. Some doctors check your A1C if they suspect you have prediabetes and some don’t. If your A1c is between 5.7 and 6.4, you probably have prediabetes.

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

Here are some encouraging words from our friends at the American Diabetes Association:

“You will not develop type 2 diabetes automatically if you have prediabetes. For some people with prediabetes, early treatment can actually return blood glucose levels to the normal range.”

Research shows that you can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes by 58% by:

Don’t worry if you can’t get to your ideal body weight. Losing even 10 to 15 pounds can make a huge difference.

Here are some good recommendations on reversing pre-diabetes. This is very much in line with De Las Mías Guidelines.

  • Eat more fruits and vegetables! Use the De las Mías checklist to keep on track!
  • Eat fish twice a week.
  • Choose lean meats and remove the skin from chicken and turkey before cooking.
  • Eat more plant-based protein like… ¡frijoles!
  • Broil, roast, boil, steam, or bake instead of frying your food.
  • Switch to olive oil or canola oil instead of lard, shortening or butter.
  • Drink more water! Use our checklist to remind you to drink 6-8 glasses of water per day.

Here are some things to cut back on:

  • Soft drinks with sugar.
  • Fruit juice.
  • Junk food.
  • Added sugars, like you find in processed foods.
  • High-fat and processed meats, like hot dogs, sausage, store-bought chorizo and bacon.
  • Watch the trans fats. Read the labels on packaged foods.
  • Alcohol. Limit to one drink per day if you are woman and 2 if you are a man.

Notice how similar these recommendations are to the De Las Mías – 9 Steps to Healthy Eating.

Use our magic checklist in the app and get your ¡Esos!

Remember this:

If you have been told you have prediabetes, consider it a golden opportunity.

There are some excellent, evidence-based and free classes in your community. Find a DPP class near you and consider taking the course.

And how about this idea? If you have other friends, comadres and family who have prediabetes, start your own support group.

And one more thing… Be kind to yourself. Get support. Give support. Join the De Las Mías community. ¡Acompáñanos!

¡Unidas for a Healthy Life!

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The De Las Mias app is free and ready for download in the Google Play Store.  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

 

Healthy Mexican Food, Latina Community, Uncategorized

¡Salsa First!

manton

Salsa Con Todo

There is an old saying that my Tía Paqui, one of my madrinas, used to say when she cooked up a good salsa: “¡Más vale la salsa que los chicharrones!” (The salsa is worth more than the chicharrones.)

Dichos are wonderful little bits of wisdom and at De Las Mías, we love our dichos. They are mini-lessons passed on by our abuelitas, moms and madrinas. You can find thousands of dichos in the Spanish language. 

The dicho, “Más vale la salsa que los chicharrones” aligns with the De Las Mías way of thinking.It means that salsa is highly valued in our kitchen culture. And in the case of chicharrones, we definitely want the salsa to be the star of the show and the chicharrón to be the supporting actor. The chicharrón is not your friend, comadre. And as my Tío Beto used to say, “Los chicharrones son muy traicioneros.” In English, this translates to “chicharrones are traitors,” (backstabbers!) They can basically kill you.

Some of us, like my sister, loves, loves, loves chicharrones. But chicharrones are firmly in the “poquitos por que son benditos,” category. You can still make a mean taco with a few chicharrones, though. You can. I’ve done it. I am speaking from experience. But let the salsa lead and postpone the heart attack.

(I’m only half kidding.)

High fat foods are killing us, comadres, and we need to dial it back. Fat makes food taste good, but salsa makes it taste GREAT! So when you’re cutting back on fat, a good way to not sacrifice flavor, not to mention, your way of life, is to liven it up with salsa!

Salsa is in our blood. Our indigenous grandmothers have been making salsas since before the Spaniards landed. 

A Mini-History of Salsa

Mexican salsas originated with the Aztecs. And apparently, the Incas and Mayans were no slackers when it came to to making these tasty  concoctions. (Ají, any one?) The base of a good salsa is, el chilito! You cannot have a good salsa without chiles, but the next most common ingredient is el tomate — the tomato. Both of these ingredients are native to the Americas. Salsa, of course, has evolved. For example, I am not sure when the onion showed up. But as the salsa evolved, many other healthy ingredients were added such as cilantro, parsley, epazote and other spices, and lest we forget, the heroic avocado! Today, there are hundreds of different kinds of salsas. We love fruit salsas, like mango, peach and jicama salsa.

Salsas can be raw or cooked. My own favorites are raw salsas, like Pico de Gallo with jalapeños or one good Hatch green chile, or even the humble Anaheim! But one thing is for sure, and that is that salsas are healthy foods that you can eat in great abundance and feel good about it. Get your veggies here, Comadres!

Salsa adds spice to life – le da sabor a la vida.  Even a simple bottle of Cholula will brighten up your taco.  And did you know that Louisiana Red Devil Sauce, la salsa del diablito, originated in New Orleans? Who knew? Here is a great article that you might find entertaining.

We love concocting recipes with native ingredients such as nopalitos, tomatoes, and chiles.  Here’s a list of native foods from the Americas,these ten things that have always been here:

Finally, did you know that cranberries are native to the Americas? Cranberry salsa, anyone? Are you ready for this? Easy cranberry salsa that you could become famous for, with only 5 raw ingredients: Fresh or frozen cranberries, an orange, a fresh jalapeño, a little bunch of cilantro, and yeah, a cup of sugar. But it’s okay, in moderation, remember? And for Thanksgiving! To go with your native guajolote? (Blend it up in a food processor and you are done.)

So pile on the salsas, comadres! And have yourself some of the healthiest food you can eat, while expressing your fabulous cultura. ¿Who says Mexican food is not healthy? ¡We don’t!

Here is a list of the salsas that you can find in La Cocina — De Las Mías:

Roasted Chile Salsa

Pepino and Radish Salsa

Pico de Gallo

Salsa de Nopalitos

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Ana’s Chipotle Salsa

Try them with tacos, burritos, scrambled eggs, tortas, tostadas, soups, and stews.  (I take a store-bought bottle of Cholula to the movies for my popcorn! Yeah, I do.)

Don’t see your favorite salsa here? Send us the recipe and we’ll send you a little something in return.  

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De Las Mias app is ready for download.  Look for it at the Apple and Google Play Store. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

 

Healthy Mexican Food

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

manton

Grilled Pineapple Salsa – ¡Que cosa tan rica!  This is a delicious salsa! Who knew that fruit salsas would become so popular? Most of us Mexicans grew up with las salsas madres of México, right?  Those are the classic, tomato, chile, onion and cilantro variety, and they are a staple on our tables, and in our tacos and burritos.  I never had a fruit salsa until I got to Santa Fe, New Mexico where culinary fusion is queen. But now, I love me a good fruit salsa.

This grilled pineapple salsa was developed and tested by Lori and Malena and you’re gonna love it.  If you’re brave, you can sneak in a pinch of habanero or chop up a mean little serrano, but just try it as is and kick it up later.

Fruit salsas pair great with meat, fish and poultry and this one with pineapple, is bien rica with carnitas, pork ribs, and grilled chicken. If you like fruit salsas, look for our peach and mango salsas.  And don’t forget our cranberry salsa for your Thanksgiving guajolote. Fruit salsas are a great way to liven up a taco!

Remember, you can make this salsa with other fruit besides pineapple, grilled peaches are lo máximo! If you don’t want to grill the chiles, it’s okay to remove the seeds and chop it up fresh! The best part of this recipe is grilling the pineapple.  If you haven’t had grilled pineapple, you are in for a treat.

In looking up the origins of fruit salsas, I found references to the Caribbean salsas made with mango, papaya and other tropical fruits, but not much else as far as the origins go.  I think it’s safe to say that fruit salsas are just another fabulous way we celebrate El Mestizaje – that bitter sweet fusion –  that got us all here in the first place.

¡Buen Provecho!