MAKES: 3 cups (¼ cup per serving) · PREP TIME: 10 minutes · COOK TIME: 15 minutes

Fresh salsa is so quick and easy to make that there really is no excuse for having that jar of store-bought salsa in your refrigerator right now. Once you start making your own, there is no turning back. You will never buy it again. The roasted tomatoes, garlic, and chili peppers in this recipe are brought to life by the bright acidity of the lime juice. To make this salsa truly shine, I recommend refrigerating it for a few hours before serving to let the flavors really come together.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered

• 2 cloves garlic, halved

• 2 small serrano peppers, stemmed and halved lengthwise

• 1 small onion, cut into large chunks

• 3 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil

• 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided

• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

• Juice of ½ lime, or more to taste

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL):

• Sliced bell peppers

• Sliced cucumbers

• Pork rinds

• Low-carb crackers

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

Food processor or high-powered blender

DIRECTIONS

1. Put an oven rack in the top position. Preheat the oven to broil-high.

2. Arrange the tomatoes, garlic, peppers, and onion across a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the oil over the top and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Toss to evenly coat and spread out in a single layer.

3. Broil on the top rack until the tomatoes and onion are soft and charred, about 10 minutes.

4. Transfer everything from the baking sheet, juices included, to a food processor or high-powered blender (see tips below). Add the cilantro, lime juice, cumin, and remaining teaspoon of salt. Pulse until mostly smooth but still slightly chunky. Taste and add more lime juice, if desired.

5. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week.

tips: Add the roasted serranos to the food processor one at a time to make sure you are happy with the heat level. Serrano peppers range in spiciness, and it would be a shame for your salsa to be so spicy that you don’t want to eat it.

For an even quicker version of this salsa, you can replace the charred tomatoes and peppers with a 28-ounce can of whole, fire-roasted tomatoes and a 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes and green chilies.

PER SERVING:

CALORIES: 42

FAT: 3.6g

PROTEIN: 0.5g

TOTAL CARBS: 2.6g

FIBER: 0.7g

NET CARBS: 1.9g