Local – Hungry for Louisiana

Easy, Fruit, Healthy, Local, Louisiana, Strawberries

Strawberry salsa bursts with spring flavor

I’m a huge fan of salsa. I love a green salsa with tangy tomatillos. Gimme fresh tomato salsa, heavy on the cilantro and garlic. And I’ve always loved fruit salsas. Mango is the workhorse and is one of my favorite toppers for cedar-roasted fish. Pineapple salsa also works great on grilled fish, pork and fowl. And now with strawberries in full seasonal swing in Louisiana and elsewhere, it’s a great time for strawberry salsa.

This past weekend, I had a chance to sample fresh strawberry salsa made with local berries at a pop-up event held outside Alexander’s Highland Market, a gourmet grocer here in Baton Rouge. World renowned obesity and nutrition research center, Pennington Biomedical Research Center (PBRC), also located in Baton Rouge, had a booth at the pop-up along with several local food entrepreneurs. I was there signing copies of Hungry for Louisiana. PBRC Communications Director Alisha Prather and respected research pathologist Jennifer Rood were handing out samples of this healthy fruit salsa, which you can also make with fresh blueberries. It’s light, flavorful and versatile and was developed in-house at Pennington.

Louisiana Spring Salsa

Makes 2 cups

1 pint strawberries, washed and diced, or ½ pint blueberries, washed and sliced in half
¼ of 1 medium red onion, finely diced (I used ¼ cup)
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
Juice from ½ lime (about 1 tbsp.)

Combine all ingredients and serve on salads, fish, chicken, chips or cheese and crackers. Use within a day.

Nutrition facts per ½ cup serving

Calories: 35
Protein: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 8 g
Fat: 0.5 g
Fiber: 2 g

Maggie’s variation with avocado and jalapeño

Being an avocado junkie and a fan of heat, I added the following to Pennington’s recipe.

Half of 1 ripe avocado, diced
1 tbsp. chopped fresh jalapeno pepper
Juice from remaining half lime

For additional healthy recipes developed by Pennington, click here.

Breakfast, Farmers Markets, Healthy, Local, Louisiana, Strawberries

Almond-oatmeal bars with fresh Louisiana strawberries

I love to use local strawberries in homemade sorbet, on spinach salads with bacon and feta and with farmers market teacakes topped with fresh whipped cream. I also love to make strawberry oatmeal bars to serve for breakfast or as an after school snack.

My version of strawberry oatmeal bars uses fresh berries in a quick filling rather than strawberry preserves. I also like to top them with sliced almonds. And, I use white-whole wheat flour and less butter than many recipes so they’re a little healthier.

This is an easy and tasty use of the season’s bounty. Enjoy!

Cajun, Hungry for Louisiana, Local, Louisiana, The Writing Life

Hungry for Louisiana Chapter 1 Peers into Crawfish

This is one of my subjects, Rayne crawfish farmer Aaron Melancon, who was kind enough to let me tag along on his crawfish boat during my book research. You would not believe the work that goes into the painstaking act of crawfish farming. As I write in the book, the crawfish boil might be the epitome of abundance – outdoor tables piled high with steaming mudbugs – but when you see how few crawfish emerge from each trap (relatively speaking), you realize what goes into keeping the region’s rabid crawfish fans happy during the season.

Thank you Aaron for your hospitality!

Latin American Cuisine, Local, Vegetables

5 great finds….in a Latin American market

I’m always blown away by the number and variety of affordably priced gems at Latin American supermarkets. These spots are perfect for browsing, learning, getting inspired and grabbing lunch on the go. Here are 5 of my favorite items from La Morenita Meat Market in Baton Rouge, one of my go-to spots. Scroll through, and if you’re a fan of the mercado, tell me what inspires you.

Breakfast, Citrus, Healthy, Kumquats, Local

Kumquat smoothie a healthy way to start the day

Kumquats are everywhere in South Louisiana right now, and guess what, they’re great for you. LiveStrong has posted their impressive nutritional content, which includes lots of fiber and Vitamin C. Here’s a smoothie formula using kumquats that will stave off colds and make you feel great. If you’re a fan of orange marmalade, you’ll love this flavor profile.

1 large or two small servings

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 cup kumquat purée*

8 oz. can pineapple (any type) with juice

1 banana

1 tablespoon Agave nectar or honey (optional)

Blend all ingredients in a juicer or blender and serve immediately.

*To make 1 cup of kumquat puree, slice and seed 2 cups whole kumquats (about 15). Puree fruit, skin and all, in an food processor. Use in smoothies, quick breads, sorbet and other recipes.

Breakfast, Citrus, Kumquats, Local

Kumquat banana bread

At a certain point in the Deep South, it seems like kumquats that will not away. They’re everywhere, from gift baskets to supermarkets to local trees heavy with ripe fruit. The two in my herb garden are putting out a shocking number of kumquats this year, and they’re at their sweet peak right now. And because I’m a crappy gardener with minimal success in growing edibles, I hate the thought of letting any of them go to waste.

A few weeks back, I posted a kumquat honey sorbet recipe that was a big success. This time around, I’ve got a formula for kumquat-banana bread.

Older Posts

Newer Posts