I have officially been in Mexico for 2.5 weeks and I am having the most epic family time! 24/7 with my loves. I still can’t believe we have had this opportunity. Sharing this experience with my oldest daughter and seeing things through her eyes has made this experience so so amazing. We have stopped to “smell the roses” more times than I can count, and since we don’t have plans or an agenda, we have been able to do it without the stress of having to be somewhere on time. If only living without a schedule was always possible….
I am not going to lie though, it has been hard! The heat at times is almost too much, especially for the kids. We have had humidity in the high 90’s, making some days well over 40 degrees Celsius! There is whining from walking around so much, the heat, being hangry….but I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world! I am also totally blown away at how little we have actually done here. We had grand intentions of being out and about all day everyday taking in all that Mazatlan has to offer, but having a 4 year old and 10 month old has made things a bit tricky. Beach days? Haven’t even had one. We have gone to the beach a couple of times but my youngest, Veda, eats the sand and my oldest, Zola, has been less than stoked about going in the water.
All that aside, one of my favorite aspects about this place has been the FOOD. Obviously, right? There is no shortage of food inspiration here! This country is brimming with bold colors, delicious food and has an abundance of fresh produce almost everywhere! I have been incredibly inspired by some of the most simple dishes. This is what I love about whole foods. They are delicious, and bursting with flavor, and sometimes you just need a little splash of lime to take a dish to the next level.
I know how intimidating it can be to start experimenting with new flavors – not knowing how to pair flavors, or not knowing which ingredient can take your dish from OK to outstanding. This is actually one of my favorite aspects of cooking. Spices and other small additions can have a huge impact on a meals’ flavor!
Almost everywhere you go here, you are served pico de gallo, a fresh salsa. Each restaurant has its own variation or spin, but ultimately they all include the same key ingredients. This salsa isn’t necessarily kid-friendly, but with a couple tweaks, your kids are sure to love this, too! This also makes a great snack, condiment to add to your Taco Tuesday meal, or even a dish to bring to a party.
Making fresh salsa ahead of time and keeping it in the fridge gives you the perfect option for a quick snack so you are less likely to grab something that doesn’t support your health goals.
The best part of this salsa is that all of the ingredients are easy to find at your local supermarket or farmer’s market! Another great aspect of this salsa is that it is incredibly customizable to your personal taste preference.
Melanie Robinson
A quick and easy salsa, bursting with fresh flavors inspired by the flavors of Mexico.
15 minPrep Time
15 minTotal Time
Save RecipeINGREDIENTS
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1 small green pepper (I used a poblano pepper)
- 1/4 cup white onion, very finely diced, soaked in water for 15 minutes
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- pinch of salt
- Juice of one half to one whole lime, depending on the size a juiciness of it
INSTRUCTIONS
- Begin by finely dicing your onion and add to a small bowl of water and soak for 15 minutes. The water helps to take the "bite" out of the onion.
- Next, chop your tomatoes. If they are very seedy, you may want to discard some of the seeds by first chopping the top off of the tomato, and squeezing it until the seeds are removed. This will make the end salsa less watery. Add to a medium sized bowl.
- Once your onions are done soaking, you may want to squeeze with some lime, and sprinkle with a bit of salt to infuse it with flavor. Let that sit for another 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the salsa ingredients.
- Next, tear off half a bunch of cilantro, including the flavorful stems. Chop until they are nice and fine. Add to bowl with tomatoes.
- De-seed and finely chop your green pepper. Add to your bowl.
- Mince your clove of garlic (I like to use a microplane) and add to the bowl.
- Lastly, add salt to taste and the lime juice.
- Mix all ingredients to incorporate. Do a taste test to check if its poison (well, that's what I always tell my daughter)
- Serve right away or let sit in fridge to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
To make this salsa kid-friendly, omit the onions and decrease the amount of garlic, or omit it entirely. I love using this salsa to top our eggs for lunch!
Do you know that some people carry a gene that makes cilantro taste like soap? Are you on team cilantro or team soap? I LOVE cilantro!! Let me know in the comments if cilantro tastes like soap to you!
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