The Tasting Spoon

School may have started, but this Laredo heat lets us keep enjoying summer and the delicious seasonal fruits that come with it. Today's recipe features two versions of Watermelon Salsa: a spin on a classic blended salsa, and a watermelon pico. Both salsas go well with fish, chicken, or beef fajitas. In terms of seasoning, adding salt to the watermelon brings out the sweetness; and for the pico, adding chili powder like Tajin or Trechas really kicks up the flavor. Remember that the longer pico sits, the better it tastes! Watermelon Salsa 3 cups diced watermelon 1 white onion 1 jalapeno 1 clove of garlic salt to taste In a medium pot, boil onion, jalapeno, and garlic. Boil for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend to desired consistency. Add salt to taste. Watermelon Pico 3 cups of small diced watermelon ½ cup small diced jicama ½ small diced onion 1 small-medium jalapeno, or desired spiciness ...

Here's a recipe that hits close to home but with a healthy twist.  I have two versions for you: 1. A simpler, non-dairy version 2. A richer, more indulgent version.  It has all the tastes of a classic rice pudding but packs an extra punch of nutrition.  Quinoa has 9 essential amino acids, so it's great for all the non-meat eaters out there.  One serving has 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber! Non-Dairy version   Ingredients: 1 1/4 cup almond milk 1 1/4 coconut milk 1/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup quinoa pinch of salt 1 pod cardamom, or 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom** cinnamon stick** **item optional In a pot on medium high heat, combine almond and coconut milk, brown sugar, salt.  Whisk to dissolve sugar and salt.  Rinse 3/4 cup quinoa.  When pot comes to a light boil, add in quinoa.  Stir occasionally to prevent quinoa from sticking to itself and bottom of pan.  Reduce to low heat, cover and let simmer for 20-3...

Fresh Avocado Toast Hola Laredo! What I have for you today is a fresh recipe that's perfect for those post-morning workouts. Since it's summertime we're all trying to get in a morning jog or a quick trip to the gym, right? Okay, maybe not all of us...but even so, this recipe is fresh, cold and awesome for summer. This is one of my favorite things to eat and it goes great with a big glass of water and a fruit smoothie for dessert. It's super simple and with a couple of adjustments you can even turn it into a full-on breakfast item. You'll need: 2 slices of bread 1 avocado 1 English cucumber kale or spinach 1 package of smoked salmon olive oil salt and pepper Toast the bread in a toaster or toaster oven. Halve avocado, slice, scoop out and spread each half over a slice of toast. Slice English cucumber and place over avocado. Place down spinach. Remove salmon from package and layer two slices over greens.  Optional steps:...

All Laredoans are too familiar with the heat of a South Texas Summer.  The concentrated sun beats down on us while we try to enjoy free time outside and turns our cars into personal saunas.  But believe it or not, we can use this overly excited sun for something delicious: sun tea.  Sun tea is simply something fun to do with all the extra time and sun summer provides, and some people even claim it produces a better tasting tea compared to regular brewed or refrigerator tea.  That is a conclusion you'll have to reach yourself after trying out this recipe! We chose to make two fruity sun teas for extra freshness and flavor, and took two separate approaches to each.  The Peach Mint Sun Tea was prepared in a mason jar using a ratio of 2 tea bags to 3 cups of water for a milder tea flavor.  The Strawberry Lemon Sun Tea was prepared in a party-size jar using a ratio of 10 tea bags to 10 cups of water and has a stronger tea flavor.  This can always be...

La Panaderia There's something about freshly baked bread that screams comfort .  It's the warmth you get from a perfectly toasted bun, the sweet flake off a croissant; the perfect combination of pan dulce and hot morning coffee reminding you of the bed you just left. La Panaderia is a San Antonio bakery where you can find all this: bear claws, conchas, orejas and a sweet little coffee bar serving up all your faves.  It was founded by two brothers who began baking in Mexico and as such stays true to its Mexican roots with its pastries.  The best part about this cafe is there's a glass window looking into the back so you can see all the bakers rolling up dough and putting it to bake in real time. If you have a chance to stop by, this place is a must-try. Chocolate French Toast with Berries Ranchero Eggs Benedictine El Favorito Scrambled   La Panaderia Website Locations Downtown: 301 E Houston St San Antonio TX 78205 Alamo Heights:...

Artichoke Fritters Eating clean is a valuable asset in living your best life. Whether you strive to keep a healthy physique or are more concerned about caring for what's on the inside, Anise Kitchen offers an array of guilt-free vegan/vegetarian dishes (with the option of adding chicken) and is a refreshing addition to Laredo's restaurant circuit. We went out to their Del Mar location for an afternoon of good conversation, drink specials and a chance to really tackle their menu. Starters Artichoke Fritters (above) The menu lists this dish as having "marinated artichokes, celery, dill, panko and remoulade sauce". It also contained olives and capers though they aren't listed. It arrived hot and the crispy crust gave a nice juxtaposition to the tender center while all the ingredients caused the fritter to have an overall tangy flavor. The dish's flavors complemented each other too well where no one ingredient stood out from the other. It was a very...

Here at The Tasting Spoon, we've been lucky enough to spend the last two weeks in Barajas and Madrid, Spain. While it's been a business-centered trip, our meals have been enjoyably different than what we're used to in Laredo. Colors pop off the plate, tastes and textures excite and some dishes were a first. We traveled with a group and thus were able to partake in many more plates than we normally would on our own. Restaurante Campanillas (Pepe's) [Barajas] Our first meal consisted of a stroll across the street from our hostel to Restaurante Campanillas. The owner Pepe was so accommodating, hospitable and made us and the rest of our group feel like regulars at his establishment. Fellow guitar groups simply called the restaurant Pepe's and we came to know it as such in our time there. Gazpacho Perfectly crisp/soft bread and Pepe's famous sangria Beans with clams, mixed salad, stewed peas with veal, Campanillas salad Eggs, potatoes and blood...