Avocado Cantaloupe Salsa with Baked Cumin Tortilla Chips

There’s nothing simpler than setting out chips and salsa when you’re hit with the afternoon munchies. In fact, they’re often the first to disappear even when there are ten other snacks available. No one can resist crunchy chips with a great salsa.

In the spirit of taking full advantage of California Avocado season, I’ve been dreaming of the heart-healthy fruit along with every combination of salsa ingredients that my mind can conjure up. Tomatoes, jicama, peaches, mangoes and tomatillos have all taken a turn in my salsa bowl, mixed with creamy chunks of avocado each time.

This recipe was inspired by some cantaloupe I saw at the grocery store. If the sweetness of peaches and mangos works well in salsa, why not cantaloupe? Let’s just say that this salsa disappeared faster than almost any other I’ve made and my family requested that I put this on repeat throughout the summer.

For the chips, I went the homemade route by cutting corn tortillas into triangles, tossing them with olive oil, ground cumin and salt, then baking. Baking the tortillas produces chips that are significantly healthier than the standard store-bought fried versions. Plus, you can season them any which way you like. That being said, store-bought chips are a perfectly acceptable stand-in for salsa dipping.

When including California Avocado in salsa, a squeeze of citrus is recommended to stop the chopped avocado from oxidizing. Plus, a little lime juice adds just the right amount of acid to balance the sweet cantaloupe. And as a reminder, heart-healthy California Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by helping increase the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, K and E. 

While this salsa is ideal for snacking, it also works well as a topping for grilled chicken or fish, or as a shrimp taco filling.

CALIFORNIA AVOCADO CANTALOUPE SALSA WITH BAKED CUMIN TORTILLA CHIPS RECIPE

Serves: 6-8
Serving size: 3 cups and 36 chips

Ingredients
•    6 corn tortillas
•    1 Tbsp. olive oil
•    1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
•    1/2 tsp. kosher salt
•    1 1/2 fresh, California Avocado, peeled, seeded and chopped
•    1 1/2 cup cantaloupe, chopped
•    1/2 small lime, juiced
•    1/2 small jalapeno, minced, seeded and membranes removed
•    1 tbsp. minced cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Stack the tortillas and cut the pile into 6 triangles (36 chips).
3. Place the tortilla triangles in a bowl and drizzle with half of the olive oil and toss. Add the remaining olive oil and toss again to lightly coat the tortillas.
4. Sprinkle half of the cumin over the tortilla pieces and toss. Sprinkle with the rest of the cumin and salt and toss again.
5. On a large baking sheet, spread the tortillas in a single layer.
6. Bake for 10 minutes and gently flip the chips and for 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool. The chips will crisp more as they cool.
7. To make the salsa, combine the avocado and cantaloupe in a medium bowl. Stir in the lime juice, jalapeno and cilantro. 
8. Divide the salsa in bowls based on preferred serving sizes and serve with the chips.