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Salsa adds color and spark to winter meals. It's easy to make with some great homemade salsa recipes. Salsa can help make that healthy eating resolution very enjoyable, as it is a low-fat, high-flavor alternate to gravies and sauces. If made with fresh vegetables, salsa is low fat and low sodium, not to mention high in Vitamin C and several minerals. No longer just for chips, use salsa as a condiment for meats, fish, salads, soups, casseroles and vegetables.

Red tomatoes were the traditional base for salsas, but with popularity comes variety! Now when you think salsa, think mango, papaya, pineapple, orange, summer squash and roasted vegetables. The term "salsa" has come to mean just about any combination of chopped fruits or vegetables with hot or mild spicing.

Choosing Your Ingredients
Take a salsa-building tour of the local grocery store or farmers’ market. Chilies can be purchased fresh, canned or dried, selecting them on the basis of the heat desired. Bell peppers are extremely mild. Anaheim chilies are fairly mild. Moving up the scale, jalapenos and serranos are hot and habanero (also called Scotch bonnets) and Thai chilies are very hot. Removing the seeds removes some, but not all, of the heat.

Preparing Salsa
Salsas are easy to prepare. A knife and a cutting board is all that is absolutely essential, but if you happen to have one, a food processor can cut down on preparation time. Although most salsa ingredients are used uncooked, chilies can be roasted and nuts can be toasted for more flavor and a variety in texture. Roast a fresh chili or bell pepper by placing the pepper on a direct flame (right in the burner or under a broiler) and allow to cook, turning, until the skin has blistered. If no direct flame is available, roast peppers on a baking sheet in the oven, on high heat (400 degrees F or higher). Place the roasted peppers in a plastic bag and allow to rest for several minutes. Remove from bag and peel, discarding the peel and seeds. Remember not to touch your eyes or face after chopping chilies, as the capsaicin in chilies is a major irritant..