Healthy Salsa Recipe

I've never been a huge salsa person; I go through phases.  Maybe that's because I'd much rather have something sweet than salty, so chips aren't something I usually have in my pantry.  Since my Mom and I made this Texas Caviar recipe when she was visiting me a couple months ago, I've come around to salsa and did my own take on it.  This recipe is great because it's more like a Pico de Gallo which I really do love since it's always fresh and light.

Salsa My Way

1 Can Diced Tomatoes (or you can dice up a cup on your own)

1 Can Chickpeas

1 Can Black Beans (rinsed)

1 Orange Pepper

1 1/2 Cups Corn (I like to use frozen corn that I thaw)

Half of a medium Onion

1 Jalapeno

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 Cup Olive Oil 

Salt & Pepper

Cilantro

No filter just bright colors and an amazing healthy snack!

Start with your liquids along with the sugar in a pot to boil and dissolve the sugar and then let that mixture cool, it usually takes just a couple of minutes.  Then add your tomatoes, chickpeas, black beans (that you rinse so the color of the salsa stays vibrant) and corn into a bowl.  I diced up the onion and pepper along with a jalapeno which seemed spicy at the time and then added those to the bowl.  After tasting the jalapeno in the salsa, I probably could have used a habanero but it's completely up to you and how spicy or not spicy you want it to be; I prefer a little kick.  Once your liquid mixture has cooled add that to your bowl of vegetables and fruit and mix it all together adding salt and pepper to taste.  I love cilantro so I chopped about a 1/3 of a cup, loosely packed, and then added that in for a brighter flavor to the salsa.  It's completely optional.  I also thought adding mango would be a nice hint of sweetness as well and you can remove any of the items you don't like or add stuff in that appeals to you.

This recipe makes A LOT of salsa because it's hard to use only half a can of tomatoes or black beans so it's great for a party or while watching a sporting event with friends.  I took it to my friend's place a couple weeks ago for a Packer game and it was a hit.  Mark had even said, I don't like any of the things in here, but this salsa is so good you need to bring it again next week!  So now you know what you can bring to that Superbowl Party next weekend :)