Patio Eats — Smarter Chips and Dips
How to eat healthier at happy hour
Spring is the time to serve fresh delicious raw crunchy garden ingredients – don’t grab the easy fried equivalent. The fresh salsa recipes below pack a satisfying kick while sneaking in a helping of veggies. They’re best served with homemade tortilla chips and chopped colorful veggie sticks. Don’t be nervous. This is your Martha Stewart moment!
Added bonus: These happy hour snacks fit perfectly with a clean-eating regimen for better digestion. They’re naturally low in sugar and they’re Healthy Nest Natural Weight Loss Program approved!
Make the Chips
Start with a stack of organic corn tortillas (regular or street taco size). Use a cookie sheet to drizzle tortillas with a neutral flavored oil (grapeseed or avocado), add a sprinkle of sea salt. Grill organic corn tortillas on low/medium until they are crunchy (not pliable).
That’s it. You’ve made your own grilled tortilla chips. Serve them in a tower or in a pretty basket lined with a napkin.
Fresh Salsa #1
Mango Avocado Salsa
Modified from Amelia Freer, Cook. Nourish. Glow.
1 ripe mango
1 avocado
½ small red onion
1 red chili, deseeded
1 large handful of basil
1 large handful of cilantro
1 lime, juiced and zested
Juice of 1 lemon
A good pinch of salt
1 tsp raw honey
Pepper to taste
Option: Add grapefruit quarters for a citrusy twist
Finely chop mango, avocado and onion and transfer to bowl. Finely chop herbs. Add herbs and lime zest and mix. In another small bowl, add lime, lemon juice, salt and honey and mix. Combine the two mixtures.
Fresh Salsa #2
Corn and Tomato Salsa
Modified from NY Times, David Latt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 ears of corn, shucked, silks removed and cut from cob
1 basket of cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 scallion, finely chopped
¼ cup cilantro, rough chop
¼ cup red onion, minced
1 medium avocado, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Drizzle oil into a pan and sauté corn until soft and brown, about 5 min. Add vinegar and toss. Add remaining ingredients and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy with friends and family on a patio with some a light summery spritzer or bubbly water. (And, let’s be real, if you are out of time, go pick up some fresh salsas and natural tortilla chips at the market.)
Use these recipes and other Healthy Nest favorites to keep energy levels up this summer. For more info on feeling your best through smarter food choices,contact our holistic nutritionists. It’s a personal puzzle, but we can assist in figuring out what’s best for your body.
Book afree 20-minute consultationwith Healthy Nest Nutrition owner Robin Hutchinson to see if our programs are right for you.