A sprinkling of culture. A dash of spice. Anyone who knows me, knows just how much I love adding a little color, flavor and zest into my weekly routine.

So, you can imagine when I discovered that our newly created wellness program, “Living Well with Whitsons,” was hosting a pico de gallo and guacamole cooking class at our Corporate Office this past Wednesday, I literally jumped at the opportunity to attend (not kidding).

Together with Chef Peter Johnson, Whitsons’ R&D Director, a group of 15 team members and myself donned our very own chef hats and aprons to learn how to turn up the heat and transform what was once a rather mundane Wednesday afternoon into a Mexican-inspired fiesta! With the rhythm of salsa music playing softly in the background, we mixed together fresh tomatoes, onions, lime juice, cilantro, bell peppers, cayenne, guacamole, fresh mint, salt and ground pepper — to name a few of the colorful and gloriously aromatic ingredients — to create our very own pico de gallo and guacamole dip (to enjoy with freshly toasted chips, of course). It was a delicious and nutritious way to spice up the workweek and most importantly — to learn how to live well with my fellow team members.

So, the next time you feel the need to add a little color, flavor and zest to your daily routine, consider enjoying this delicious, autumn-inspired recipe, courtesy of our talented Chef Peter Johnson.

Fall Apple Chili Salsa

Ingredients:

1 large crisp-tart apple (Fuji or Gala), cored and chopped

2 bell peppers, cored and chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tbsp. cider vinegar

1 tbsp. lime juice

Salt and ground black pepper

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, toss together the apples, peppers, jalapeno, garlic, mint cilantro, vinegar and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!