Cranberries give this salsa a fruity, tart punch and is delicious on tacos, great for chip dipping, and perfect for spooning over nachos during the winter months. It couldn’t be further from traditional, but I think sometimes the unexpected is just what we need to spruce up old favorites. My current favorite ways to have it are dolloped on sweet potato tacos or spooned on top of over easy fried egg breakfast tacos with seared peppers and sour cream. You can adjust the tartness, spiciness, and sweetness of it by adjusting the amounts of the ingredients listed.

Cranberry Salsa

• 12 oz bag cranberries

• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded

• 1/2 yellow onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 bunch cilantro

• 2 tablespoons honey (or more if your cranberries are especially tart, or if you prefer a sweeter result)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Lime juice, to taste

In a food processor, blitz together the cranberries, jalapeño, onion, garlic, cilantro and honey until well chopped. Add a squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to taste. Blitz until thoroughly mixed.

On evenings when I want a quick, healthful meal, I often find myself throwing together a salad or roasting a sheet pan full of seasonal veggies. This dressing is deliciously creamy and light with a bit of nuttiness and the slightest sweetness that compliments roasted vegetables, is wonderful tossed with greens, and is delicious drizzled over everything from potatoes to soft boiled eggs to flatbread. I find myself making this at least once a week, sometimes doubling the recipe to keep a bit in the fridge for even more drizzling the next day over whatever may be whipped up in the kitchen. For those who desire a dairy free sauce for dipping or dressing salad that still has a creamy quality, this is a wonderful option. Only requiring a moment of whisking and a minimal ingredient list, this tahini dressing is a favorite.

---

Tahini Dressing

makes approximately 1/3 cup

• 3 tablespoons tahini*

• 2 tablespoons filtered water

• 3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

  * Depending on the brand of tahini you purchase, the saltiness will differ. Taste after whisking the ingredients together, and add salt only if needed - some tahini brands are already quite salty.

  Whisk the tahini, vinegar, and syrup together until combined. Whisk in the water, one tablespoon at a time, adding more if a thinner consistency is desired.

---