Mango Salsa

This salsa is delicious on its own, scooped up with tortilla chips or other veggies, and makes a great accompaniment to salmon, fish tacos, grilled chicken...the list goes on. 

All the Things 
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 waxed cucumber, peeled, seeded & diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded & diced
1 mango, peeled & diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 shallot, minced
cilantro, minced
lime juice (about 1/2 a lime)
rice vinegar
S&P 

Stir it up, and season to taste. Makes a lot, so plan your meals around it for a few days, or share with friends!

Seeding a cucumber. I'll add the guts to my juicer later. 

Crispy, Juicy, Succulent Gluten-Free Chicken Wings

It was hard to keep ppl away for 10 seconds to take a photo.

Frying chicken is less recipe, more technique, and techniques vary. In this case, I wanted to make gluten-free fried wings. I figured doing and egg + cornstarch dredge would give me a puffy crust with a light, crisp finish - perfect for holding lots of sauce in its nooks & crannies. I was right. 

Here's what I did.

Prep the Wings
Rinse and pat dry wings. Separate into drumsticks and flats, and remove wing tips (I freeze them for when I make broth). Sprinkle wings with salt. 

Make Your Sauce
What you see above is a mix of Soy Vey, Sweet Chili Sauce, and Sriracha. I reduced the Soy Vey to make it a bit thicker, then stirred in an equal part of chili sauce, and sriracha to taste. 

Have some fresh ginger and cilantro for garnish. 

Dredge the Wings
Beat a few eggs, and toss the wings to coat. 

Drop the wings into a bowl of corn starch (about 1C) mixed with a bit of salt (about 2t), and toss to coat evenly. 

Shake off the excess corn starch, and set the wings on a tray while you heat the oil for frying. 

Fry
Heat about 3C of oil in a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, to 360'. If you don't have a thermometer, heat the oil on high for about 5 minutes to make sure it's hot. Once the oil shimmers, it's ready. 

Fry the wings in batches for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Don't crowd them. 
Drain the wings on paper towels. 

Toss the wings in the sauce, and top with freshly grated ginger and chopped cilantro. 

на здоровья!

Quick & Zesty Black Bean Salsa

You'll have no problem getting your "5 a Day" once you discover this combination of ingredients. 

This is how I do it, but feel free to change it up to your taste. It makes a batch big enough to share at a party or potluck, or to feed you for a week. The authentic flavors will make it easy to do just that. 

Ingredients
1 can black beans (the Trader Joe's organic are cheap and have less sodium that other brands)
1/2 canned corn (Del Monte has a "no salt added" variety that is firm and tender)
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced 
1 small shallot or 1/2 small onion, finely diced 
1/2 bell pepper (red, orange or yellow are sweetest), diced
1/2C jicama, diced 

cilantro, about 3T finely chopped
cherry tomatoes (optional), about 1C, quartered 
juice from 1/2 lime
red wine vinegar, 2-3T
garlic powder to taste
cayenne pepper to taste 
cumin to taste
salt to taste (if your beans, corn, or chips are salty, you may not need salt here)

*note* seasoning with spices, herbs, and vinegars adds a ton of flavor without needing salt.

Drain and rinse the black beans; add to a medium/large bowl. Drain the corn and add half the can to the beans. If you don't plan on using the rest of the corn within a few days, freeze it. 

Add the shallot, jalapeno, bell pepper, jicama, cilantro, lime juice, and vinegar. Stir to coat evenly, then season to taste.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. 
Great as a snack with chips, served with seafood, poultry, or pork, or atop nachos. 

I make these quick microwave nachos by sprinkling finely grated cheese onto chips on a microwave-safe plate. Cook on high for about 30 seconds until melted. Sprinkle on as much of the black bean salsa as you like, and microwave for another 30 seconds. Top with a little sour cream and Tapatio, and chow down.