Homemade Salsa

This salsa recipe was a big hit at a family gathering and is so easy to make yourself.  The kids did not even know that there were carrots in it.  All you need is a blender or food processor and it does all of the work for you.  Now that football season is upon us this salsa should be at your next tailgating party.

In this recipe I used canned tomatoes for a couple of reasons.  First, I think that unless tomatoes are in season, canned tomatoes have a better flavor.  Second, tomatoes are preserved using heat, which releases lycopene—a carotenoid that may help prevent prostate and breast cancer.

I recommend using canned tomatoes from either glass jars, boxes, or BPA free cans. Many cans, especially those used for acidic foods like tomatoes, are manufactured with BPA (bisphenol A).  Studies have linked BPA to infertility, heart disease and diabetes. In March 2012, the FDA ruled against a proposed ban of BPA use in food and drink packaging, based on “insufficient evidence” that BPA from these sources causes any ill effects. However, the FDA is encouraging packagers to find alternatives to BPA (which seems a little fishy), and studies on its effects are ongoing.  These are jarred, boxed, or BPA free canned tomatoes I like to use.  If your store doesn’t carry them they are easily found online.

Adding carrots to this recipe is a great way to sneak more vegetables into your families diet.  Carrots contain over 400% of the recommended intake of Vitamin A which is great for healthy skin and mucus membranes, our immune system, and good eye health and vision.  Carrots are also now known to contain polyacetylens which may inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells.

Who knew a bowl of salsa could be so nutritious?  Store bought salsa can have questionable ingredients.  A lot of store bought salsas, such as Pace Chunky Salsa and Tostitos Salsa, have what appears to be normal ingredients without much added except when you come to the last ingredient.  Natural Flavoring.  Natural flavors are made by “flavorists” in a laboratory by blending either natural chemicals or synthetic chemicals to create flavors.  Yuck.

Print

Course Condiments and Spreads

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 4 cups

Author Sara

Ingredients

• 1- 28 oz can tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 jalapenos remove seeds for a mild salsa or keep them if you like it spicy
• 1/4 c onion
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• Juice 1 lime
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1/2 c cilantro
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin ground
• 1/4 tsp black pepper ground
• 1 large carrot roughly chopped

Instructions

1. All all the ingredients into a blender or food processor.
2. Mix until everything purees together.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to cut the recipe in half and only use a 14 oz can of tomatoes. If you make the whole recipe you can always freeze what you do not use for later.