photo © 2009 Ginny | more info (via: Wylio)

What is fruit salsa? Does it contain hot peppers? I assumed it would so I never bothered to look at any of the recipes before. I confess, I’m not a fan of hot food. It turns out fruit salsa is basically chopped up fruit that can be eaten as an appetizer, snack or condiment!! Who knew?

I’m going to surprise hubby with fruit salsa and cinnamon chips this weekend. We both enjoy fruit and he’s always looking for something to snack on so I think it will be a great treat. Here’s the recipe:

2 cups fresh strawberries hulled and chopped
1 fresh mango, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup green grapes, halved
1 cup blueberries
3/4 cup pineapple (fresh or canned)
2 tsp of fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey

Directions: Add all chopped fruit to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with lime juice, drizzle with honey and mix gently. Chill for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop. Serve with cinnamon chips.

Cinnamon Chips
4-6 whole wheat flour tortillas
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon honey
Watkins cinnamon

Directions: Melt butter and honey, brush on one side of the tortillas, place on a cookie sheet butter side up and sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Use a pizza cutter to cut the tortillas into wedges. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Tip: use what ever seasonal fruits and berries you have available, or your favorites, you don’t need to stick to the one’s listed above.

So are you a fan of fruit salsa? Go ahead tell me what I’ve been missing!

Thanks to Live♥Laugh♥Love, on Flickr for the photo, click the image to see more of Sabrina’s photos.

2 tbsp sesame oil
1 chili, finely chopped
1 lb oriental mushrooms (oyster, shitake etc)
3 1/2 oz pine nuts
1 onion, sliced
1 lb green vegetables (Pak Choi, Bok Choi, Spinach, Chinese cabbage etc)
1 11 oz can baby corn, halved lengthwise
2 red bell peppers, sliced
3-4 tablespoons soy sauce
Handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions: Heat the sesame oil in a wok and add chili, pine nuts and garlic. Sautè for about 30 seconds on high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, green vegetables, baby corn and red pepper and stir-fry for a further 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the soy sauce and stir-fry for about a minute. Sprinkle with cilantro, stir well and serve immediately with rice  or oriental noodles.
(Serves 4)

Stir fry tips:

• vegetable should be tender but still a bit crisp when done.
• left over stir fry keeps and reheats well, make extra for packed lunches. A healthier and cheaper alternative to fast foods.
• add some tofu or left over cooked meat to make this a main dish.
• don’t have pine nuts? substitute slivered almonds

Whole Wheat Garlic Croutons
3 medium slices day-old whole wheat bread, or your bread of choice
1 to 4 tablespoons Watkins grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon Watkins garlic granules, or to taste

For Herb Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins parsley
Watkins Basil
Watkins Minced Green Onion
Watkins Marjoram
Watkins Thyme

For Spicy Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins Chili Powder
Watkins Cilantro

For Dill Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins Dill and parsley

For Greek Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins Oregano
Watkins Parsley

For Rosemary Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of Watkins Rosemary, crumbled

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the bread into small cubes, you can cut off the crusts if you want. Place the bread cubes into a bowl. Drizzle bread with the grapeseed oil, sprinkle on garlic granules and herbs if desired and toss to mix.

Spread the seasoned bread cubes onto a baking sheet and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Tip: Use the smaller amount (1 T) of grapeseed oil to keep the calorie count down on your croutons. While grapeseed oil is the healthiest available all oils have the same calories.

Watkins grapeseed oil comes in three flavors; original unflavored, garlic and parsley and citrus cilantro so you can use the one that will enhance the flavor of your croutons.

What type of croutons are your favorites and what do you use them as a garnish for?

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups Bread Cubes, dry unseasoned
2 Tablespoons Watkins Parsley
2 Tablespoons Watkins Onion Flakes
2 teaspoons Watkins Chicken Soup and gravy base
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Poultry Seasoning
1 1/4 cups Water
2 Tablespoons Butter, Margarine or Watkins grapeseed oil`

In a large saucepan bring water and butter or oil to a boil. Add seasonings to hot water, and bring mixture back to a boil. Reduce heat, and cover pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, add bread cubes and mix to moisten completely. Cover pan, and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes.

Tips:

• You can easily make your own dry bread cubes by cutting leftover bread (your choice of type) into 1/3 – 1/2 inch cubes, and leaving them out to dry for several hours. To speed up the drying process, you can also place them in the oven at 200 °F for about 2 hours, making certain to check and stir often.
• If you are watching your cholesterol make your stuffing with grapeseed oil rather than butter. Learn more about the health benefits of grapeseed oil. Try citrus and cilantro grape seed oil when you are serving this stuffing with fish, it tastes delicious and compliments the flavor perfectly.
• This is great for vegetarian menus, serve this with turkey or chicken substitutes.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Watkins grapeseed oil, original unflavored, garlic and parsley or citrus and cilantro
2 organic red bell peppers, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, mined or pressed or 2 teaspoons Watkins organic garlic granules
2 teaspoons Watkins organic chili powder
2 cups organic tomatoes, peeled or 2 cups canned tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups organic corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1/2 teaspoon Watkins sea salt, or to taste
1 teaspoons Watkins organic black pepper, or to taste

Garnish with:
1/2 cup no fat sour cream
1 tablespoon Watkins cilantro
1 clove garlic, or 1/2 teaspoons Watkins organic garlic granules
1 organic lime, cut into wedges
1 organic avocado, peeled and diced
1/4 cup cheddar or cheese of choice, shredded (optional)

Directions: Heat grapeseed oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onions and sauté for a few minutes or until they start to caramelize. Add peppers, garlic and chili powder and sauté for another few minutes. Add tomatoes, beans and corn; simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve with the following garnishes.

Using a blender or food processor, purée sour cream with cilantro, garlic and a squeeze of lime juice. Garnish each serving of chili with a dollop of sour cream mixture, a sprinkling of cheese, diced avocado and an extra squeeze of lime juice or serve garnishes on the side.

Notes from the kitchen:

• To use fresh corn cook it first, then cut the kernels off the cob using a sharp knife. You might want to read How To Cook Corn On The Cob.
• Pump up the heat on this chili; by increasing the chili powder to 3 teaspoons, or by adding a few red pepper flakes, or 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or you can also add a dash of Watkins Jalapeño hot pepper sauce to each serving.

You can order ingredients to make this chili including heart healthy grapeseed oil and organic spices at the Watkins online USA store or the Watkins Canadian online store.