salsa Archives - Jackie Newgent

grilled hummus “quesadilla”

by Jackie Newgent | April 11, 2017 | 6 Comments

A grilled hummus “quesadilla?” Yep! It’s like a cheese quesadilla, but way more intriguing … and better for you! It’s easy to make, too. You simply fill whole grain tortillas with deli-prepared or homemade hummus, fold, and grill on a grill pan. Though, you can make it on an outdoor grill for a cookout, if you prefer. The colorful topping adds bonus intrigue.

grilled hummus toast with middle eastern salsa

by Jackie Newgent | February 12, 2017 | 3 Comments

Sure, I’m a big fan of avocado toast. I know I’m not alone in that! But when I don’t have a ripe avocado, this is my toast of choice! It’s inspired by my heritage—-I’m half Lebanese. That means I’m pretty much going to enjoy hummus anything. For this recipe, instead of toasting bread, I grill it for extra interest and smoky flair. And yes, a pan grill works well. The salsa is inspired by Mexican pico de gallo, but it includes cucumber and the herbs are switched up a bit. (I enjoy this salsa anytime; but it’s especially delicious when tomatoes are at peak season, of course!) As for the hummus, make your own or take a shortcut and buy...

charred tiger stripe fig salsa fresca

by Jackie Newgent | September 29, 2016 | 0 Comments

closeup of salsa with blue tortilla chips

Hey fig lovers … this recipe is for you! (It’s for me, too!) When fresh figs are in season, I gotta have ‘em often … basically every day! I adore black mission and tiger stripe varieties. And I love serving them every which way, especially grilled and paired with cheese for a party platter. When doing this, I leave the stems on, cut in half lengthwise, and grill until charred. When grilling up figs for inclusion in recipes, I remove stems before they hit the grill. Charred figs have an interesting smokiness and enhanced natural sweetness. Here, I picked tiger stripe figs (though any fresh figs will work here!) which are gorgeous and notably sweet naturally. They transform fresh salsa...

italian freekeh “meatballs”

by Jackie Newgent | December 28, 2015 | 4 Comments

You don’t need to give up spaghetti and meatballs when eating healthier. Simply pick a better-for-you pasta, like bean-based or whole grain noodles, and top with vegetarian “meatballs”. I’ve made these with 100% real ingredients and based them on cracked freekeh, which is a young green wheat. They’re not designed to mock meat; they have a culinary quality of their own. The texture and taste of the “meatballs” are craveable … no meat required!

fresh pineapple-cucumber salsa

by Jackie Newgent | December 22, 2015 | 4 Comments

Happy New Year! With that in mind, I wanted to share something tasty to help kick-start your healthful eating efforts. This fresh pineapple-cucumber salsa is a winner.