SALSA!!!!!!!

One of my favourite condiments is salsa. I add it to tons of stuff including omelets. One of the downsides of my love for salsa is the amount of salt in the store-bought kind. I have high blood pressure so I have to be very careful about my sodium intake. You'll notice that none of my recipes have salt in them, if they do I've put it there for others to add but you can be sure the recipe works just fine without the salt. Store-bought salsa has a LOT of salt in it and when you eat as much of it as I do that can be a problem. I find it healthier (and cheaper) to make my own. One batch of this salsa will usually last me a few weeks unless I'm invited to a party (like tonight) and I take a jar with me. For this recipe I like for all of my canned goods to be either salt free or low salt. No salt added tomatoes can be found with the regular canned tomatoes so just read the labels carefully. Corn can easily be found with no salt as well. The black beans are harder to find with no salt so I just rinse them really well (they can also be omitted from the recipe if you don't like them but they add a lot of fiber which is good for you). 

Low-Sodium Salsa 
1/2 cup serving is 44 calories.

Makes about 18 servings (1/2 cup per serving).

Ingredients:

2 large cans of diced tomatoes, drained well
1/2 c Black Beans, canned, rinsed well
1/2 c Canned Corn
1/2 c No Salt Added Tomato Sauce
1 Chili Pepper (or 1 T chili flakes which makes a medium spice salsa)
1/4 c Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 c Onion,Chopped
1 t Minced Garlic
1 1/2 t Cilantro (optional, I've found a lot of people aren't fond of cilantro)
1/2 t Oregano
1 1/2 t Cumin

Toss everything into a large pot and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Store in jars, let cool slightly before storing in the refrigerator (prevents the glass jars from shattering). I'm not sure how long this would keep in the fridge, I've had mine for up to two weeks without problems.  Note: Save the leftover black beans and corn and check out Gina's recipe for Fiesta Lime Rice on one of my favourite WWs websites: Skinny Taste.

 

A full recipe makes one and a half of these jars

Healthy eating tip/trick: Going out to supper with friends is one of the hardest parts of eating healthy. We love to eat and try new restaurants. Appetizers can be loaded with calories (because they're usually deep fried) AND they can increase your bill quickly. About an hour before I leave I'll snack on Chipins (Tortilla style popcorn chips which are 60 cals for 10 normal sized chips) and 1/2c. salsa. This 100 calorie snack will prevent me from ordering an appetizer which saves me calories and money. Win!