Creative Cooks

Grilled Cherry Salsa
YIELD: MAKES 2 1/2 TO 3 CUPS TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES

Ingredients:
1 small red onion, peeled and sliced in half
1 small sweet onion, peeled and sliced in half
2 jalapeno peppers
2 cups pitted Bing cherries
2 garlic cloves
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 limes, juiced
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon each to start)

Directions:
Preheat your grill to the highest setting.

Rub the onions and peppers with the olive oil, saving 1 tablespoon or so for the cherry. Place the onions and peppers on the grill. Grill until they begin to char (and the pepper skins bubble and blacken), about 2 to 3 minutes, turning often. Remove the onions and peppers and let them cool slightly. Once cool, I like to cut the onions into a few pieces. Then I slice the tops off of the jalapenos and slice them in half. I remove ALL the seeds except for 1 half. You can leave the seeds if you like - it will be super spicy! Remove them all if you'd like it milder.

Place the pitted cherries on a grill tray or basket (we have one like this) - you can throw the garlic cloves in there too! Toss with the remaining olive oil. Grill until the cherries start to burst slightly and bubble and blister, just 2 to 3 minutes, tossing with a large spoon.

Add the can of tomatoes, the onions, peppers, garlic, lime juice and almost all of the cherries (I like to save a few to add whole cherries on top - you don't need to do this!) to a food processor. Pulse until you have the consistency of salsa you enjoy. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve and garnish with extra lime if you'd like. This can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container and stay fresh for a few days!

Cranberry Avocado Salsa
Total time: 5 min Prep time: n/a Cook time: 5 min Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 ripe Fresh California Avocados, peeled and seeded
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, halved
2 tsp. minced jalapeño, optional
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. agave nectar
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh chives
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Dice avocado and place in a medium bowl.
Add the halved cranberries, minced jalapeño, lime juice, agave nectar, chives, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Place avocado cranberry topping over the roasted turkey cutlets and serve immediately.

Tip: If using frozen cranberries, you do not need to defrost before using. Cranberries can be easily chopped by using the “pulse” setting on a food processor.

Serving Suggestion: A natural for topping turkey and other poultry dishes, and it is also delicious on chips or multigrain crackers.

*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.

Tomato Free Salsa (naturally gluten free / dairy free / vegan as well)

Ingredients:

½ onion diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 jalapeño peppers, seeded, diced
1 cup Tomato Free Sauce (below)
1 lime (juice)
½ cup cilantro, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

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Tomato-Free Sauce

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Granny Smith Apple & Avocado Salsa

1 medium granny Smith apple, diced small
1 medium avocado*, diced small (save a few long slices for garnish)
¼ cup red onion, diced small
2 green onion, sliced thin
½-1 medium jalapeno, finely diced - start out with ½ and then add more, to taste, depending on how hot you like your salsa
½ cup cilantro, minced
⅓ cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon cumin
a pinch sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, a few grinds, to taste


Combine all ingredients and mix gently to combine. Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs and avocado slices, if desired.


*Use an avocado that is slightly ripe, meaning that it gives just a bit when gently pressed with your thumb. You don't want a really ripe avocado or your salsa will be mushy.

Strawberry Mango Salsa
Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup diced strawberries
3/4 cup diced mango
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons honey, or more to taste
Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine strawberries, mango, jalapeño, onion, cilantro, honey and lime juice.
Serve immediately.

Avocado Corn Salsa
Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups canned corn kernels, drained
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine corn, jalapeño, red onion cilantro, lime juice, sugar and salt. Stir in avocado.
Serve immediately.

Watermelon Salsa
This colorful salsa makes a delicious topping for sliced tomatoes, grilled chicken, or steak.
Yield: Makes about 4 cups Hands-on:20 Minutes Total: 35 Minutes

Ingredients

1 cup diced unpeeled nectarine
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons orange zest

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 cups seeded and diced watermelon
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup diced red onion

Preparation

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Add watermelon and next 2 ingredients, and gently toss to coat. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 24 hours.

Grilled Pineapple Salsa
Prep time 5 mins Cook time 20 mins Total time 25 mins Serves: 3 ½ cups

Ingredients
½ ripe pineapple, trimmed and sliced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
½ small red onion, peeled and cut in half (so you have 2 quarters of whole onion)
1 jalapeno, whole
½ cup loosely packed cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil

Instructions
Grease grill and heat to medium high heat.
Drizzle red onions with olive oil and thread onto a skewer (if using a wooden skewer, soak skewer in water for at least 30 minutes beforehand). Drizzle red bell pepper quarters and jalapeno with olive oil to lightly coat.
Working in batches as needed depending on grill size, grill pineapple and vegetables at medium high heat until tender and lightly charred all over, about 12 minutes for the onions, turning occasionally, about 6-8 minutes for the pineapple, or until caramelized, flipping once, 6 minutes for the red bell peppers, flipping once, and jalapeno for 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally.
Once cool enough to handle, chop pineapple (cutting around core), red bell peppers, and onions. Devein and deseed jalapeno and dice, reserving some of the seeds if desired.
Toss pineapple, red bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, ginger, cumin and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. If you would like it spicier, add some of the jalapeno seeds to taste.
Can be served immediately or even better chilled.