Is Picante sauce or salsa "clean food"?

[marianimal]

I've just started trying to cook 'clean'. I really enjoy it and love eating clean but alot of the recipes, even though they include lots of spices, seem very bland to me. Maybe just because I am a Texan and used to my TexMex food. I was thinking that adding salsa or picante sauce to some of the recipes would really give them a good taste kick.
But I was a little surprised that no recipes in my clean eating cookbooks seem to use salsa.

Does anyone know if salsa is considered a "clean" food?

Thanks Marianne

 

[RapidBreath]

Home made salsa is clean, I don't think picante sauce/jarred salsas are clean. I bet you can get away with the fresh salsa from the produce section. It all depends on how strict you want to be. I tend to avoid a lot of vinegar based foods because they make me plump up, it depends on how your body reacts.

Alisha

 

[MidgetDogg]

I use an organic salsa on the bean burritos i make for lunch and it's been fine. Read the ingredients and decide.

 

[PhyllisG]

You can make all sorts of fresh salsas yourself or check out the health food store. They have lots of "clean" salsas to choose.

 

[geomom]

I use the Herdez brand which is available in most grocery stores. The Salsa Casera ingredients: tomatoes, onions, serrano peppers, salt and cilantro. Seems pretty clean except for possibly the salt. I would steer away from ones that add sugar and unpronouncable ingredients and you should be fine.

 

[kathryn]

I agree that it depends on the ingredients, and ones definition of 'clean'. I for one, don't consider high-salt foods 'clean', though Tosca Reno has some recipes with around 1000 (one thousand, not a typo!) mg of sodium per serving. Best would be homemade, where you control the type and quality of ingredients.

 

[Dela]

I think Pace Picante sauce is all real ingredients, and in IMO the best jarred salsa I have had. Not sure about the sodium.

 

[ricklyk1]

I must admit I love me some home made salsa! I like to make a huge batch every summer with fresh tomatoes. I end up canning most of it so I can enjoy fresh salsa year round. My salsa isn't near as chunky as what you buy in the store, but I still love it. I don't have the recipe with me but if you are interested in it let me know and I will try to dig it up!

Also, I was searching for a clean blueberry muffin recipe on Cathe's recipe section last night and I just happened to run across this recipe for fresh salsa: http://cathe.com/healthy-recipe-fresh-salsa. I haven't made it myself but it sounds good. HTH!

 

[DEEDEE2]

I think Pace Picante sauce is all real ingredients, and in IMO the best jarred salsa I have had. Not sure about the sodium.

I couldn't agree more. I buy the chunky salsa by the dozen. No joke, I use it on everything. Chicken, roast, turkey, baked chips...YUM!

 

[chefkate]

I couldn't agree more. I buy the chunky salsa by the dozen. No joke, I use it on everything. Chicken, roast, turkey, baked chips...YUM!

Don't forget about EGGS! YUM! Salsa is the only "salad dressing" I will eat!

 

[TexasLaura]

Hi Marianne,

I make my own salsa. It is easy, clean, healthy, delicious and you can tailor it to your tastes. I posted it on Cathe's Healthy Recipes site on October 29th if you want to see the whole thing.

Ingredients

2 cans of diced tomatoes (any brand you like, I prefer ones with spices and green chiles added. If you like it really hot, try Rotel-or use 1 can of Rotel and 1 can of something else)
1/3 - 1/2 large white onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped (use it ALL, leaves and stems)
splash of lemon or lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
optional: jalapenos to taste

Directions:
Put it all in a blender and pulse; more for a homogenous salsa and less for a chunky salsa. (I usually blend well with the 1st can of tomatoes, then just stir in the 2nd can for a nice texture)

Let sit for a few hours to overnight to a day or two. It gets better and better. (do NOT serve immediately or you will not do it justice!)

Note: Everything is to taste. I don’t actually measure anything. This comes out slightly different every time but it is always fantastic.

Hope you like it!

laura

 

[ebonynicole]

This kind of hole in the wall Mexican resturant that I go to (they were featured on Diners, Drive-in and Dives a coupl of years ago) they make the best Pico de Gallo, so good

 

[DEEDEE2]

Don't forget about EGGS! YUM! Salsa is the only "salad dressing" I will eat!

Oh yes...eggs! Salads, potatoes, toast...

 

[Carroll]

Is Picante sauce or salsa "clean

First of all there is not as much difference between the Picante or salsa.Picante is just a variety of salsa.It means spicy, so salsa picante is "spicy sauce."About Picante sauce or salsa people have different opinion but most of the people don't consider them clean.The Home made salsa is usually clean.