As vegetables begin to ripen in the garden or appear on produce stands, one of the best ways to utilize them is by making salsas.

A couple of decades ago, salsa was unheard of outside Mexican restaurants. But it quickly gained popularity and is used in other types of cuisine as well.

Several years ago, salsa surpassed ketchup as the hottest-selling condiment in the U.S., and for good reason. Rather than being a topping for a hamburger or a dunk for french fries, salsa is quite versatile. Unlike ketchup, it’s easy to make at home in small quantities, and is extremely versatile. It’s a good use for leftover vegetables, even fruits. And it adds taste at the expense of few calories.

“Homemade salsa is my favorite and the best-tasting, especially at this time of year. You can’t beat the nutritional benefit of homemade salsas,” said Michelle Goss, clinical dietitian for the Cherokee Nation. “Throw together homegrown tomatoes, peppers, onions from the garden, add a little fresh minced garlic or garlic powder, some lime juice, and you have the ingredients for a great salsa.”

Heather Winn, Extension educator for Cherokee County Oklahoma State University Extension Service, expresses equal enthusiasm about salsa.

“There are a bazillion recipes for it,” she said. “You can use all the leftover vegetables you have at the house, throw them in salsa, and be pretty creative.”

Her family has found salsa-making an excellent way to use vegetables not needed while canning. And she considers salsa healthy, especially if not too much sodium is added to the homemade variety.

“The vegetables are something that have almost no calories,” she said. “There are so many flavors, and so many nutrients in them.”

Goss expanded on the nutritional information in salsa. She said it’s a good way to help meet the recommended five to seven servings of fruit and vegetables people need daily, while reducing fat and calories in dishes.

Salsa can be used on meat dishes, or added to vegetables for additional flavor. It can be as mild, or as spicy, as you want.

The variety of peppers available in the supermarket or on product stands and in farmer’s markets keeps growing. One vendor at the Tahlequah Farmers’ Market has planted 10 varieties of peppers, and they will be available each Saturday as they ripen.

Salsas can be used to replace butter, dressing, or high-fat sauces, Goss said.

“Go for the salsa versus the queso in your favorite Mexican restaurant,” she suggested.

To accompany it, ask for corn tortillas and save the oil and calories that come with the fried chips usually served.

“There are many nutritional benefits to eating that yummy salsa,” she said.