Fresh Pico de Gallo & Chunky Guacamole + Some Fast Facts

Yes, Yes, yes!!!!  What could possibly be better than a pile of Pico de Gallo & Guacamole alongside Tortilla Crusted Chicken Tenders!?!?!?!  This is all my top favorites all on one healthy plate!  Look at that yumminess!  And...it's not just yummy...it's packed with all kinds of important nutrients! 

*The PowerHouse of nutrients packed in Pico and Guac might just be the reason we can't get enough!*

Cilantro is chocked full of vitamins A, C & K, and is a digestive stimulant!  It is RICH with antioxidants and one of the only herbs proven to reduce toxicity by removing heavy metals from our system.  It has been found to bind with the metals to help loosen them from our tissues!  It is also widely accepted as an anxiety reducer, all of us Moms need that, right? ;)

Garlic and Onions also are powerful antioxidants that help stimulate detoxification because of their high sulfur content.  They are also immunity boosters and inflammation reducers!   Confession: I love anything that smells, hehehe...garlic, onions, cumin, curry....lol

And then there's those tomatoes! The list is so long I couldn't possibly hit all the benefits!  Vitamins A, C &K again....making this combination a powerhouse! Tomatoes help blood circulation, digestion, reduce inflammation and protects against cardiovascular disease and cancer!  They contain magnesium, potassium and B6; additionally they have been long known to reduce the risk of certain cancers including prostate and cervical cancers due to their high lycopene content!  Plus....they are SO good!  Just remember, tomatoes contain one of the highest levels of pesticides, so buy organic!

And we can't forget avocado!  One of the best fat sources out there as they are packed with monounsaturated fatty acids - the really good kind!  These suckers contain tons of potassium which helps to reduce blood pressure and aids in digestion, so all that coupled with their high fiber content make these a superfood.  The particular nutrients found in avocados and the type of fat they contain, they have been found to help you absorb the antioxidants that you pair them with - HELLO is anyone hearing this!  A Million reasons to eat salsa and guacamole everyday!

What you need... Pico de Gallo

7 organic roma tomatoes, halved and seeded 

1/3 cup sweet onion, diced

1/3 cup purple onion, diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (I saved 1 strip for the guac)

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic

the juice of 1/2 lime (other half for guac)

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp pink salt

Gently seed the tomatoes over the sink, scraping out the wet seedy part...I just use my fingers, it cleans out easily! Then chop.  I like to chop them one way, into strips, then crosswise chop again into little cubes.  

Chop the rest of your ingredients, it does take a few minutes! The onions killed me this time! The sunglasses didn't really help ;) Add all ingredients to a glass bowl, stir well to combine, then cover and refrigerate.  The flavors need time to really combine, so it's best to make it at least 4 hours ahead!  I LOVE it day old...I may or may not have had some for breakfast ;)

Fun Fact: The reason that onions make you cry is because of their sulfur content.  The sulfur gas rises into the air and mixes with the water in your eyes to make a powerful sulfuric acid, which obviously burns like...and causes you to produce even more tears!

What you need... Chunky Guacamole

2-3 avocados (I used 2 which made enough for 4 people)

1/2 lime 

1 tbsp. onion, diced

1 tsp. jalapeño, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup cilantro chopped

dash of cumin

1/2 tsp pink salt

I almost always make guacamole whenever I make pico de gallo since they are such great compliments AND have so many ingredients in common!  It makes it easy to chop everything all at once and split it! 

Cut your avocados in half, remove the seeds, cut crosswise to form a grid and loosen/remove meat with a spoon.  Add to a medium sized bowl.  Squeeze lime juice over avocado.  Add remaining ingredients, stir well while mashing to combine, enjoy! I like mine a little chunkier but you can continue to mash with a fork for your preferred smoothness!

Chop tip: If you aren't good at chopping herbs, you can use a pizza cutter to roll back and forth over them to get a good chop!

Seed the tomatoes...

I was totally crying to hard I couldn't see to chop! lol

Tortilla Crusted Chicken Tenders

PowerHouse Meal!

These are the chips I used! There are NO substitutions for these - they are the BEST!