Salsa has many natural ingredients, such as onions, cilantro, tomatoes, avocados, corn, jalapeños, garlic and even mango or pineapple. Because most of these ingredients are still raw, salsa is a great source of vitamin C. Salsa is also an extremely easy and healthy way to garnish meals, adding spice or sweetness to a variety of dishes. It can even be used to marinate meats. 

Ready to get healthy with salsa? Here are three amazing dishes that feature this south-of-the-border staple. 

Keto-friendly burrito bowl with pico

Burrito bowls are always delicious, but they can also be healthy and keto-friendly, especially with a serving of pico. To create a keto-friendly burrito bowl, replace the tortilla, rice and beans with cauliflower rice. Substitute ground beef for a healthier option of ground turkey, which is sauteed on a skillet and sprinkled with homemade taco seasoning beforehand. Add these remaining ingredients to your bowl to taste:

• Cauliflower rice.
• Ground turkey.
• Avocado oil.
• Homemade taco seasoning.
• Avocado.
• Cheddar cheese.
• Sour cream (full fat).
• Lime.
• Pico.
• Cilantro.
• Salt.
• Pepper.

Not only is this meal keto-friendly, but it’s gluten-free and can easily become vegan or vegetarian by substituting in other ingredients. This healthy meal is versatile and easy to adapt and will satisfy many dietary restrictions. 

Another perk is that pico provides a delicious pizzazz to any dish. One bite is all you’ll need to discover that this keto-friendly burrito bowl with pico is easy, delicious and healthy. 

Lime chicken with mango pineapple salsa

Lime chicken is an easy, finger-licking meal that relies on mango pineapple salsa to provide a sweet and tangy flavor. 

To begin, soak the chicken breasts in a lime marinade for an hour or leave them in the fridge overnight (the latter option is suggested). Once the meat is completely marinated, grill the chicken on the skillet with olive oil until the outer skin becomes brown and crispy. Place the grilled chicken onto a plate and lather the top with mango pineapple salsa, sprinkling cilantro and lime wedges over the meat and adding salt and pepper to taste. 

• Chicken breasts.
• Lime marinade.
• Lime.
• Cilantro.
• Mango pineapple salsa.
• Salt.
• Pepper.
• Olive oil.

The combination of lime chicken and mango pineapple salsa delivers just the right mixture of sweet and sour. You’re going to love this surprising combination of flavors.

Vegan stuffed bell peppers with tomatillo salsa

Despite the lack of meat, vegan stuffed bell peppers are nutritious, mouthwatering and spicy, especially when infused with tomatillo salsa. 

• Bell peppers (red, yellow and green).
• Onions.
• Mushrooms.
• Zucchini
• Homemade taco seasoning.
• Beyond Burger patties.
• Corn.
• Black beans.
• Cilantro.
• Limes.
• Vegan ranch.
• Salt.
• Pepper.
• Olive oil.
• Tomatillo salsa.

Dice the mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers and onions and sautée the vegetables on a skillet with olive oil, adding plant-based Beyond Burger patties to the mix. Once the burger patties are broken up and the vegetables are crispy, mix in the homemade taco seasoning and the canned corn and black beans. Cut the extra bell peppers vertically right down the center, removing the seeds. Then, stuff the mix into the bell peppers with a spoon. Place the stuffed bell peppers into the oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes with tin foil covering the peppers. Remove the tinfoil for the last 5-10 minutes to roast the peppers. Sprinkle lime, cilantro, vegan ranch, salt and pepper onto the baked peppers to taste. Serve with a light coating of tomatillo salsa, which gives these vegan stuffed bell peppers an extra kick.

These three easy meals only scratch the surface of how salsa can be added to any meal to make it healthy. Additional ideas include mixing salsa into scrambled eggs or serving it as a dressing for salad. Try using tomatillo salsa for a bit more kick to your meat marinades.

No matter how you add salsa to your dishes, you can rest assured that your meals will become healthier with this delicious add-on (bonus points if it helps you reach your daily vegetable and fruit intake). Make the choice today to start eating healthier by using salsa in your next meal. 

SalsaQueen is a salsa connoisseur based in Salt Lake City.