These hot summer days call for a fresh snack! Today’s recipe is quick and easy to make, and it requires only a few ingredients and no effort. In Mexico, you will see many street vendors that sell a variety of food and a very common food stand is one with Fruta Picada (Chopped Fruit). This is a simple but yummy snack that can be made with any fruit or veggie of your liking. For this occasion, we choose one of our favorite combos: carrots and jícama! To accompany this healthy snack, we paired it with a refreshing Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea) which, besides its delicious taste, comes with many health benefits. Maybe today, to take cover from the heat you plan on staying in and watch your favorite show or instead taking advantage of this weather and chill next to the pool. Either way, this quick recipe will come in handy as both activities will be upgraded with this snack. Continue reading to learn all the health benefits and how to make this easy snack with a refreshing beverage on the side!
Snack: Carrots & Jicama
Crunchy, tasty, and nutritious! For this recipe we went with vegetables that are delicious but also full of nutrients. Carrots are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants like potassium, phosphorous, vitamins B6 and K. For those who don’t know, Jícama is considered an exotic root vegetable with thick brown skin. Jícama has a crispy texture just like an apple, but without the sweetness. Some of its nutrients are good for your brain and digestion, strengthens your immune system, and can also help regulate your blood pressure. Now that we've addressed all their nutritional values, let’s get this snack ready!
Shredded Carrots & Chopped Jicama:
Servings: 2-3
Ingredients:
- 1 Medium Size Jícama
- 2 Large Carrots OR 1 Bag of Baby Carrots
- Limes to taste.
- Pinch of Salt
- Chili Powder (if you like spicy), we recommend a Mexican staple "Tajín"
Before we start make sure you have a sharp knife, vegetable peeler, bowl, and a lime squeezer.
Instructions:
For this recipe we will start by cutting through the dense, starchy skin of the jícama (make sure you are careful when doing this!). To do this start by getting rid of the ends and set on flat side for stability. Then, carefully start peeling off the skin with a sharp knife. You could also use a vegetable peeler, but beware as it could loose its sharpness. Once you got all the hard skin off, you will cut the jícama into matchsticks, or julienne. To do this start by cutting in half, set on flat side, and cutting vertically into thick slices (about ¼ thick). Then, stack 3-4 slices, flat side down, and cut crosswise into matchsticks. Repeat the process on the other half and place in a bowl.
Next, you will grab your vegetable peeler and start saving the skin off the carrots. Again repeat a julienne cut into thinner pieces or you can also grate it as thick as possible. If you prefer baby carrots, you can easily just drop them as they are in a bowl with the jícama or cut them into smaller pieces. Throw the carrot into the same bowl with the jícama.
Once you have your jícama and carrots in a bowl cut your limes and squeeze them. start by adding two lime halves and add until all is covered. Add a pinch of salt and your favorite chili powder and you’re set! Start adding little by little and tasting as you go. These are now ready to enjoy! (You can always add more to this, such as cucumber, apple, mago, and watermelon. You can also add extra seasoning to make it more fun, such as chilli gummies, and chamoy!) Lastly, you can make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge by adding some water to the cut jícama so it does not get burned.
Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea)
Hibiscus tea is a sweet, tart, and very refreshing drink. It is made with hibiscus flowers packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants. This beverage is a great way of staying hydrated through this hot summer with great taste. Learn how to make Agua de Jamaica with these simple steps:
Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea):
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of dried hibiscus flowers
- ¾ cup of granulated sugar (or to your liking of sweetness and sweetner)
- 6 cups of water
- Ice
Instructions:
Rinse and drain the dried hibiscus flowers, pour enough water in a pot for you flowers to boil in. Cover your pot with a lid and let it boil for at least 25-30 minutes. Move away from heat and let it cool down for about an hour. Strain your hibiscus water into a pitcher and make sure any remaining flowers are taken out (don't throw it away, read below). Add your sugar and stir. For better tasting, refrigerate or add ice. If the taste is to bitter, add more sugar. Pour yourself a glass and cheers!
Also, did you know? Not only can you make drinks with Hibiscus flowers, but you can make the remaining flowers to make tacos with them. If you want to know how, click here!
Now that you have your snack and refreshing beverage, what are your plans? Have you ever had any of these delicious treats? Let us know if you make them in the comments section down below.
