Heart Healthy Salsa Loaded With Flavor
Do you have visions of heat waves emanating from your lips as you plunge your chip into a heaping dish of fiery plants? Are you taste buds begging for some excitement? Look no further, this hot sauce is your one stop shop for a kick in the pants fiesta.
The idea for this hearty bowl of goodness comes straight from Mexico, courtesy of my grandfather.
Are Hot Sauce and Salsa the Same Thing?
Salsa is literally the Spanish translation for sauce. So are salsa and hot sauce the same thing? Sometimes!
Growing up, my family called anything in a semi-liquid form with a kick to it “hot sauce.”
I remember for the longest time being perplexed at school or parties when someone whipped out some good old can of Pace and declared “salsa” on the table.
It didn’t seem logical to me as it Pace was kind of spicy, and clearly a sauce. When my family brought out any Pace, we called it hot sauce.
So the general conclusion here is this: If the salsa or “sauce” is hot then they’re one and the same!
If the salsa is made with mild peppers, and is in fact not hot, I’m going to say we drop the hot lingo and just call it salsa. In essence, hot sauce is one type of salsa.
Is Eating Salsa Good for You?
Its low in calories, sodium, and packed with flavor to provide you with a heart healthy snack. The health benefits of this hot sauce include:
- It’s a high fiber low sugar food which can help manage blood sugars.
- The high fiber content while remaining low in fats can help to lower cholesterol and triglycerides.
In addition this salsa contains capsaicin, a substance with a world of health benefits! Capsaicin is what puts the “burn” in hot peppers.
While you may be a pepper warrior at this point, developing your tolerance prior to inhaling a heaping portion of this salsa is a good idea!
Alternatively, you can just start with fewer jalapenos in the mix and work your way up.
There are many health benefits of capsaicin, a primary component of this sauce, including:
- Reducing inflammation
- Promoting healthy joints
- Improving mouth sores following chemo
- Improvements in neurological symptoms (notably neuropathy)
- Reducing insulin resistance and improving glucose metabolism
How Do you Make a Good Hot Sauce From Scratch?
To make a winning hot sauce, we traditionally would need some heat in there. The intensity of the heat, can vary.
The first step to creating the perfect hot sauce is to choose your ingredients- which will reflect desired spice level!
Hot Pepper Choices For Salsa
- Habañero peppers
- Cayenne Pepper
- Jalapeño peppers
- Red Savina
- Ghost peppers
Mild Pepper Choices
- Bell Peppers
- Poblano Peppers
- Anaheim Peppers
- Shishito Peppers
- Banana Peppers
Non-Pepper Vegan Hot Sauce Additions:
- Tomato
- Onion
- Green onion
- Garlic
- Vinegar
- Chocolate
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Sugar
- Cilantro
Does Hot Sauce Contain Garlic?
In my humble opinion, you can’t really get enough garlic in a recipe. But i’ll leave that up to your discretion.
I always like to say, even when the recipe calls for one clove, add two. I guess it really depends on what you’re doing later on and who has to tolerate standing in a room with you *gasps!*
However, aside from acting as organic vampire repellent (and potentially everyone else repellent depending on how seriously you take my advise), garlic has some real health benefits!
So do yourself a favor, try for 2-3 cloves in this dish at your own risk. Here are some health benefits of adding a smidge more garlic to your jalapeno salsa:
- As early as 3000 BC, we knew that garlic was the good stuff. It has long been known for its medicinal properties.
- Garlic is antimicrobial.
- Benefits of garlic include reducing risks of chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
- Garlic is an antioxidant, it aids in cell repair and reducing oxidative damage.
- Did I mention garlic improves the immune function? It’s cold out there and pathogens are brewing- Get your garlic here!
What Can You Use Salsa For Besides Chips?
Take your mind out of the chip bag and start exploring other opportunities for salsa (it’s been sold short!)
Here are a few of my absolutely crazy ways to use this rediculously easy jalapeno salsa:
- In A salad
- On a veggie burger (or real burger if your heart desires)
- Enchiladas
- Tacos (of course)
- Mac & Cheese
- Pasta
- Soups
- In quinoa
- On Sandwiches
- In Stir Frys
- Combined with Ramen Noodles
I am not kidding, this is the easiest, most flavorful everything food of your life!
I typically make it at the beginning of the week and it lasts me several days.
Keep hot sauce in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed container. It actually begins to taste the best after a couple days of the flavors mingling!
homemade hot sauce is hands down the best way to season without sodium.
This is the quickest way to pack your meal with veggies while hardly even noticing the commitment!
The best part about this cilantro lime jalapeno salsa is it only takes about 5 minutes to prep and make.
Wash your veggies, chop off the un-edible portions and throw them in a blender. Press pulse a few times and your salsa is complete!
Is It Okay to Eat Hot Sauce Every Day?
This hot sauce is one of the best way to season without sodium. It’s the best way to pack your meal with veggies while hardly even noticing the commitment! An easy plant based snack to have on the go!
Because this salsa isn’t loaded with sugars like many of the store bought brands, it can be consumed freely by individuals with diabetes, or cardiovascular issues.
You Might Be Cautious About Eating Hot Sauce Every Day If:
- You have gerd
- You have renal issues
- You’re sensitive to spice
- You have IBS
On The Go Vegan Snacking
The best part about this spicy treat is it only takes about 5 minutes to prep and make. Wash your veggies, chop off the un-edible portions and throw them in a blender. Press pulse a few times and your salsa is complete!
I’d love to know how you enjoyed this recipe, if it fit your spicy desires, and if you adjusted it to make it your own! Drop a line below!
Vegan Hot Sauce
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 3 whole tomato medium sized
- 4-5 whole cherry or grape tomato
- 1 whole lime squeezed for juice only
- 1 whole purple onion
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 4 whole jalapeno pepper
- 1 whole sirrono pepper
Instructions
- Chop jalapenos for salsa removing stem
- Cut tomato into halves or quarters. De
- Chop 1 cup cilantro
- Cut onion in to quarters
- Toss all ingredients into blender. Use pulse button until desired consistency is achieved. Product should be a little juicy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
References
Singletary, K. (2011). Red Pepper: Overview of Potential Health Benefits. Nutrition Today, 46(1), 33–47. https://doi-org.ezp.lib.cwu.edu/10.1097/NT.0b013e3182076ff2
Rahman, M. S. (2007). Allicin and Other Functional Active Components in Garlic: Health Benefits and Bioavailability. International Journal of Food Properties, 10(2), 245–268. https://doi-org.ezp.lib.cwu.edu/10.1080/10942910601113327
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17583-triglycerides–heart-health
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/manage-blood-sugar.html
https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/index.htm
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Awesome addition to any meal