"Salsa" is the Mexican and Spanish word for "sauce" and "cruda" means "uncooked." Think of "salsa cruda" as a diced sweet/sour/spicy salad, and with summer upon us, creating colorful and easy raw salsas to accompany grilled meats, poultry, and fish are a great way to eat eye-healthy foods.

Each of these salsas is full of anti-oxidants (foods rich in vitamin A, C, and E), important for eye health, especially for people with cataracts and macular degeneration. Eating these ingredients fresh (not cooked) also guarantees the most nutrients from the food.

Tomato and Orange Salsa
What you'll need to make 5 cups:
3 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
1 small red onion, diced small
1 large red or green jalapeno, seeded and cut into small dice
½ cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro leaves (or substitute Italian parsley)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium oranges, skin and pith removed, segmented and chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Juice of 2-3 limes (about 4 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

What you'll do:
Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes before serving. Keep leftovers covered and chilled for up to one day.

Peach Jicama Salsa
What you'll need to make about 4 cups:
4 medium peaches (or nectarines), pitted and chopped
1 cup roasted, peeled and chopped red bell pepper
2 cups peeled, diced jicama
3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
Juice of 4-5 limes (about 6 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon Ancho chili powder, or to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

What you'll do:
Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes before serving. Keep leftovers covered and chilled for up to one day.

Honeydew and Blueberry Salsa
What you'll need to make about 4 cups:
1 ½ cups finely diced, peeled, seeded honeydew or other melon
1 ½ cups fresh blueberries
½ cup finely diced red onion
Finely grated lime peel from 3 limes
Juice of 2-3 limes (about 4 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded Serrano chili
½ cup finely chopped cilantro or mixture of fresh mint and basil
Salt and pepper to taste

What you'll do:
Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes before serving. Keep leftovers covered and chilled for up to one day.

Thoughts and variations: These salsas use fruits, acids, herbs, onions and chiles. These recipes can easily be altered by the fruit, combinations of citrus (or a bit of vinegar), herb or mixture of herbs, and type of onion or chili. Remember - the smaller the chili, the hotter it is and the seeds carry a lot of the heat. No chilies - used crushed red pepper flakes. Want it spicier, add more chili. No red onion - how about scallions. With the tomato/orange salsa, change out the cilantro and use some oregano and thyme. With the honeydew/blueberry salsa, change out the melon and use kiwi. If any of your salsas are too acidic for you, you can add a bit of honey or agave nectar to the mix. Enjoy.