Salsas, Sauces and Slaws oh my!

Since we're perfecting our fish taco recipe this week it's the perfect time to talk about taco toppings and garnishes. Our go to is usually guacamole (quickly mixed in a mortar and pestle), grated cheese, lime wedges and whatever salsa we have on hand. But in the name of testing this week we're branching out and plan to try a few different things. Take a look.

We've been making something similar to this Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salsa for a while now. It's super simple to make with fresh ingredients, you just chop and combine! And even easier to make if you just throw together your favorite store bought salsa with sliced avocado, a can of corn and black beans. The short cut version won't be as light as the fresh version but if you're super short on time and have those items on hand it can work in a pinch. I'm looking forward to trying this Black Bean, Avocado and Mango Salsa with Katie Lee's tacos. Mango isn't usually my first choice but i'm curious to give it another try. Sounds yummy and definitely different than our typical toppings. I usually go for a standard salsa over the tomatillo when given the option but this recipe has me reconsidering. I bet this cool Tomatillo Pico de Gallo would be delicious paired with a spicy piece of fish. And you could always add a red tomato too for color.

This Cilantro Lime Crema is so easy there is no reason not to mix it up to top all your tacos. If you like a smoother sauce, throw all your ingredients in a food processor for a silky texture. If you have a few extra minutes though, I think the added flavor that this Roasted Jalapeno Crema has would be amazing on pretty much anything. We're also testing this Creamy Chipotle Sauce from Katie Lee's tacos this week. We don't usually cook with chipotle peppers so I'm anxious to see the difference in flavors. Since these peppers are canned you could add these to your staple pantry list too so it's easy to whip up at any time. Note - we keep plain yogurt (low fat if you'd like) in the refrigerator at all times and it's the perfect ingredient to stand in for sour cream and mayonnaise in these recipes.

Slaws are the toppings we usually skip at home. I think its because they seem to be time consuming but I also think they make the biggest difference in the cool and crunch factor of a taco. We're going to try the Creamy Lemon Slaw with Cup of Jo's tacos but we picked up red cabbage for color. If you like fruity toppings you may try this Cilantro Jalapeno Pineapple Slaw. Seems like it has a good balance of spicy and sweet. And this Margarita Slaw sounds like a great staple to know!

And nothing beats a few sprigs of cilantro, lime wedges, diced tomatoes and grated cheese!

Any toppings and garnishes we missed? What are your favorites?

- Heath

Images top to bottom: Cooking Classy, Closet Cooking, Bon Appetit, and Jess Dang via Cup of Jo