Strawberry Avocado Salsa, Revisited

On Saturday mornings I wake up much too early (my internal alarm clock has no snooze) and head to the gym. And on the way home (in my post-workout state, hiding my flushed make-up free face under my biggest pair of shades), I stop at the farmer's market to sample what Virginia has to offer. I won't let a little sweat get in the way of me and my local produce. The routine stays the same, but the spoils change with the season. Spring brings strawberries. Corn and peaches arrive mid-Summer. Followed by apples and squash in the Fall.

Right now I can't resist the strawberries. They're so juicy, ripe, and red. And they won't last long enough. So I'm buying them by the pint-full and baking them into desserts and dicing them up in salsa. Salsa? Yeah. Avocados and strawberries are a surprisingly good combination. Especially with a little onion, lime, cilantro, and jalapeno and a handful of salty tortilla chips. The only downside? The very same acid that prevents the avocado from browning tends to break down the strawberries before too long. So this salsa is best enjoyed the same day it's made.

5/31/09: We've already established that strawberries and avocado are a delectable duo. They make for an excellent salad, and now a show-stopping salsa! Here we've added a little spice (add more if you'd like) and they're suddenly a Southwestern staple. Who doesn't love salsa? It's always bright and appealing and one of the healthiest snacks available. (Just be careful what you serve it with.)

There's your traditional tomato-based salsas and your sweeter fruit flecked ones. Salsas with spice and salsas without. Bean salsas and corn salsas and salsas galore. With endless combinations, I could dedicate an entire category just to salsas. In fact, I might! But as far as salsas go, this is one of my best yet!

Strawberry Avocado Salsa

INGREDIENTS
2 cups strawberries, stemmed and diced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. lime zest
2-3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 tsp. evaporated cane sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Toss gently, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)