Our Hispanic homes are the fabric of our culture, and home is where we keep the traditions we pass down from generation to generation. The foods we share at our tables keep us coming back for more delicious meals and for memories that will stay in our hearts forever.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to remind us to celebrate the traditions and foods that bring our families and friends, who are like family, together, and to celebrate us with the foods that define us.
As I think about celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, I think about the aromas our delicious foods bring and the bold flavors that connect our Latino culture, our queridas familias, and the homes we have built. For me, Michigan apples are a wonderful example of how we can honor tradition while embracing something new.
I encourage you to visit an apple orchard this fall. Michigan’s orchards are an enchanting part of the season. The cooler air and trees in bloom, full of delicious apples, remind me that food has wonderful ways of telling a story – and sometimes that story crosses borders.
One of my favorite things about cooking at home for my family is taking a favorite recipe and giving it a little twist without losing its heart or authenticity.
Consider adding diced Michigan apples to a Mexican-style picadillo. The apples’ subtle natural sweetness can complement the savory ground beef, olives, and warm spices. It is truly unexpected yet incredibly delicious.
Or think of warm arepas, filled with cheese and shredded apples, drizzled with a cilantro crema that will have your family coming back for seconds.
Apples are so versatile and can be added to batidos, salsas, guisos, and burritos, or they can add crunch to a tangy ceviche or be included in a citrus salad with a lime, orange, chili-zesty dressing – see the recipe below.
As a dietitian, I also appreciate that apples make it easy and delicious to add more fruit to meals and snacks. They are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and naturally occurring plant compounds.
As I dream about our Hispanic Heritage Month fiestas, I am reminded that Michigan apples can be part of our traditional recipes and can be added to abuelitas’ favorites to share at our fiestas. This Hispanic Heritage Month, go make a big fiesta. Gather your family and friends more often, try recipes that have been around for years, and pick up a bag of Michigan apples to add crunch to those favorites. Your family will thank you.
Here is a favorite recipe you can try at your next fiesta – You are welcome!
Zesty Apple Mango Salad
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Black pepper to taste
2 cups Michigan apples, cut into julienne sticks
3 cups mangos, peeled, sliced
1 Jalapeno, seeded, diced
1 cup red onion, peeled, minced
Preparation
- Mix garlic, orange juice, lemon juice, cilantro, and olive oil. Season with pepper.
- Add remaining ingredients, toss lightly, and serve. Garnish with sliced apples, if desired.
Serves: 7 servings (about 1/2 cup each)