We saw this healthful lunch or dinner plate in the book, Healthy in a Hurry: Simple, Wholesome Recipes for Every Meal of the Day, by Karen Ansel and Charity Ferreira. We repurposed the idea as a snack or first course.

The authors suggest a healthful meal of two small tortillas topped with salsa and chicken, and a side of nutritious beans.

We especially like this idea to use up leftover chicken, grilled seafood or tofu.

Once you have your protein, make or buy fresh mango salsa (you can substitute peach salsa, but mango provides more complex flavor).

Then, just cook the tortillas, assemble and serve. If you’d like to turn this into a salad course, replace the beans in the photo with dressed greens.

Serving size for a snack, first course or salad course: 1 tortilla. The mango salsa recipe makes 1-1/2 cups, enough salsa for 8 tortillas.

FIRST COURSE OR SALAD COURSE TORTILLA RECIPE

Ingredients

 
MANGO SALSA RECIPE

Mango Salsa Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. MAKE SALSA. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and blend.

2. COOK TORTILLAS. Heat a dry cast iron skillet or other small, heavy pan over medium high heat. Add 1/6 teaspoon (half of the 1/8 teaspoon measure) olive oil to the center of the pan. Place the tortilla in the pan and swish it around so that the oil evenly coats the pan. Cook the tortilla for 5 seconds, flip and cook the other side for 5 seconds.

Assembly

1. Place the tortilla in the center of on a luncheon-size plate; if including a green salad, use a dinner plate and place the tortilla on one side of the plate.

2. Top with 2 tablespoons of drained salsa; top salsa with the protein and garnish. Add optional green salad and serve.
  
CORN TORTILLAS VS. FLOUR TORTILLAS

Corn is a whole grain, so corn tortillas are more nutritious—and more flavorful—than those made from refined white flour.

If you enjoy snacking on tortilla chips, making your own corn tortilla bowls is a better option: Chips can have quite a bit of added salt.

Want to make healthy, meals? Pick up a copy of Healthy In A Hurry. Photo courtesy Weldon Owen.

We really enjoy a “tortilla salad”—like the ones served in restaurants in jumbo tortilla bowls. Add lettuce or other greens and a protein, and you have an appealing light lunch or dinner. Eat as much of the tortilla as you like—it’s better for you than most bread.

To make your own, get a set of these nonstick tortilla bowl molds.

Michaele Musel, chef of Double R Ranch Co., producers of aged beef, suggests this option for those who grill without an open fire.

“There’s an easy way to replicate the smokiness of coal and wood, using a gas grill and smoked sea salt,” says Chef Musel.

Smoked sea salt is available at specialty food stores or online. Get a box for yourself, and a second box or jar as an inexpensive gift for someone who likes to cook. (Put smoked salt on your “stocking stuffer” list.)

Different artisan salt companies make smoked sea salt. Perhaps the most beautiful is the smoked version of Maldon sea salt, harvested from the Atlantic Ocean off the southeast coast of England in Essex.

Maldon salt has unique pyramid-shaped flakes which are visually arresting when used as a finishing salt. Here’s more about Maldon salt in our Artisan Salt Glossary.

USES FOR SMOKED SALT

Use smoked salt on deviled eggs, fish/seafood (yummy on salmon), grilled and roasted meats, pasta, roast chicken and other foods. We even use a pinch on an egg salad or tuna sandwich. It just might get some people to eat more veggies. You can evoke the flavor of bacon in soups and stews by adding this “vegan” smokiness.

Choose Your Style. In addition to flakes, smoked salt is also available in fine and coarse grain sizes. For the most flexibility, get the flakes or coarse grain, which can be used as decorative salts. If you need a finer grain, crush or grind the salt.

Make Sure It’s Natural. Before you buy a smoked salt, make sure that it is naturally smoked. A natural salt is slow-smoked in cold smokers over a wood fire, which infuses the salt crystals with delicious, smokey flavor. Companies that take a shortcut use liquid smoke flavoring that can create a bitter taste.

Taste Before Using. While any smoked salt can be used when a hint of smoke is desired, taste it first to judge the smokiness. Some brands are smoked much more heavily than others.

GET SMOKY FLAVOR FROM A GAS GRILL

Here are chef’s Musel’s tips for achieving a smoky flavor from a gas grill. The chef likes to grill a tri-tip, part of the sirloin.

1. PREPARE GRILL. Prepare a gas grill for indirect cooking according to manufacturer’s directions for medium heat.

2. SEASON MEAT. Season the tri-tip roast or other cut with smoked sea salt and pepper. Place the roast on a cooking grid over direct heat. Grill, uncovered, for two minutes on each side.

3. INDIRECT HEAT. Move tri-tip to indirect heat. Grill, covered, one hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the internal temperature at center of thickest part of the roast reaches 135°F for medium rare; 150°F for medium doneness.

Photo courtesy Double R Ranch.

4. TENT MEAT. Transfer the roast to a carving board and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Temperature will continue to rise about 10°F to reach 145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium doneness.

5. CARVE & SERVE. Carve the roast across the grain and serve on French bread with salsa or other condiments. Chef Musel likes to serve this dish with slow cooked pinquito beans and a green salad.

A peppery green that delights lovers of spicy food, in the U.S. arugula is usually relegated to perking up a green salad. You can substitute it for lettuce on a sandwich* or for basil, parsley or watercress as a garnish or a recipe ingredient.

No matter how you use it, arugula is a nutritional powerhouse, delivering high levels of potassium and vitamins A and C. It makes more of a punch, flavor-wise, than most other leafy greens, which lends itself nicely to a variety of dishes.

Expand your vista and try these other ways to enjoy arugula:

PASTA. Add arugula pesto or sautéed arugula to pasta with a garnish of green olives. Or, make an uncooked sauce of fresh tomatoes and a chiffonade of arugula.

*We especially like fresh arugula instead of bland lettuce on egg salad, chicken salad and tuna salad sandwiches, and melted into a grilled cheese sandwich. Here’s recipe for Colby-Jack Panini With Honey Glazed Ham & Lemony Arugula.

PESTO. Make pesto with arugula instead of basil. You can use the pesto as a crostini topping, pasta sauce or sandwich spread—straight or mixed with mayonnaise or fat-free Greek yogurt. More about pesto.

PIZZA. Vary the classic Margherita pizza by switching out the fresh basil for arugula.

QUICHE & CHEESE TARTS. Arugula goes well with cheese, ham, and pears. Here they all combine in this Cheese, Arugula, Prosciutto & Pear Tart recipe.

RICE. Mix arugula pesto into cooked rice or other grains. Or try this recipe for Basmati Rice Salad With Prosciutto, Arugula & Fresh Orange.

SALAD. Beyond a mixed green salad, add some of these ingredients to an arugula salad: blue cheese, chickpeas, feta, goat cheese, grilled mushrooms, pears, pecans, watermelon (with or without one of the cheeses), strawberries. We like a balsamic vinaigrette: The round sweetness of balsamic vinegar is a nice counterpoint to the spice of the greens. Add arugula to a Caprese salad, with or without the basil. For something sophisticated, try this recipe for Scallop & Bacon Salad With Arugula.

SAUTÉED. Like sautéed spinach, sautéed arugula is a delicious side. In a frying pan, heat a chopped garlic clove and a tablespoon of olive oil for 45 seconds. Add the arugula and stir for about a minute, until the leaves wilt.

SOUP. Spice up broccoli, cucumber, spinach, watercress or zucchini soup by mixing in some arugula. You can also use a chiffonade of raw arugula as a garnish for almost any soup.

If you have a favorite use for arugula, please let us know!

Find more of our favorite vegetable recipes.

Convenience trumps environment. Help save the planet: Consider carrying a reusable water bottle.

 
Our suggestion: Treat yourself to a new reusable filtration water bottle and become part of the solution. The built-in filter lasts for 100 uses before they need to be replaced, and remove any flavors you don’t like in tap water.

Do you know the different types of water?
  

Almonds are one of our favorite healthy snacks. Photo courtesy Almond Board Of California.

Some snacks enhance energy levels, others don’t. High-calorie processed foods and sugar-rich foods can provide a quick energy boost, but they’re composed of bad calories. The burst is followed by a low period when blood sugar plummets and you feel depleted.

Instead, look for energy-efficient snacks that balance high-quality calories with the nutrients that convert calories into lasting energy. And that taste great, to boot.

Try these five energy-enhancing snacks for tasty boost. The original inspiration comes from an article by Nikki Jong, who focuses on the nutrition/energy benefits of these foods and how they create the energy (here’s the article).

Almonds & Walnuts. Nuts have a potent combination of energy-enriching nutrients. We buy raw almonds in bulk and portion out 24 a day. If you prefer walnuts, they’re even more heart-healthy. Carry them in a reusable snack sack; or buy pre-packed individual portions like these from Emerald and Blue Diamond. You can make or buy wasabi almonds (we get both raw and wasabi almonds at Trader Joe’s).

Edamame (Boiled Soybeans). Soybeans are full of nutrients that provide a direct boost of energy (they also have some mood enhancement qualities). You can buy them frozen in the shell and microwave them for a fun and delicious snack. But for grab-and-go, dried edamame are available in four-ounce packs, enough for two snacks, or in larger containers so you can pack your own (for further savings, look in the bulk foods section). More about edamame and its health benefits.

Popcorn. Popcorn is a whole grain; popped corn provides both volume and fiber. Look for low-fat microwave popcorn and single-serve bags. Most microwave popcorn companies make mini bags for individual portions. Take a look at Orville Redenbacher Naturals Gourmet Microwave Popcorn. It’s also available with lime flavor.

Yogurt. For something smooth and creamy, grab a yogurt. While sugar provides a quick energy boost, you get extra points if the yogurt is plain or sugar free. You can stir in some agave nectar or a packet of artificial sweetener for a sweet treat.

Whole Grain Pretzels. All you have to do is switch from conventional refined white flour pretzels to whole wheat flour, which delivers richer flavor as well as better nutrients. Snyder’s Of Hanover Organic Honey Whole Wheat Pretzel Sticks are also certified organic. There’s also a whole wheat and oat variety. The line is certified kosher by OU. What are whole grains, and why you need them.

Whole Grain Crackers.You can also nibble on 100% whole wheat crackers such as Nabisco Wheat Thins, crunchy little bites that are delicious by themselves, or with plain yogurt or a cup of soup.

And tell us about your favorite energy snacks.