Guacamole

"... the avocado is a food without rival among the fruits, the veritable fruit of paradise." David Fairchild

Avocados... They're strange things, aren't they? I still remember the first time I saw one. I suppose I was about 10 when our family went to my Dad's friend's farm for an afternoon get together. One of the many guests started to make guacamole when snack time approached. She had a large bowl and would cut open the avocados, gouge out the pit, scoop the insides into the bowl, mash them with a fork while squeezing the juice of fresh limes over top. I guess it made a lasting impression, coz I certainly had never seen anything like that before! Since then, I had tried a few avocados here and there over the years, but never really appreciated them until I lived in Australia. When my friend Cathy and I travelled north and stayed in Cairns for a bit, we noticed avocados were everywhere! It seems like everyone was eating them, so we joined in! In the market they would sell them 5 for a dollar. What a deal! We would cut them in half, remove the pit, sprinkle with salt and eat them with a spoon. Yummy! We also saw avocado breads, muffins, oils, skin care products, etc... You name it, they had it (made out of avocados, of course!)! In different restaurants around town I remember seeing avocados on pizza and even dipped in tempura batter and deep fried! Well, even with a million ways to enjoy avocados, my fave way to enjoy them will always be in good ol' guacamole! I made some for us on taco night last Friday and remembered to write down what I did so I could share my simple recipe with you, my loyal followers!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Guacamole
(makes about 1 1/2 cups)

2 ripe avocados (semi soft to the touch)
1/2 onion, fine chop (red or white)
2 clove garlic, fine chop
1 ripe tomato, fine chop
1 lime, juiced
sea salt, to taste

.cut the avocado in half, lengthwise
.with you knife, stab the pit and twist it out (be careful!!), or remove with a spoon
.mash with a fork in a bowl until desired consistency (I like mine a bit chunky)
.stir in the rest of the ingredients, enjoy!

Some people like to add chilies or chopped fresh coriander to their guac... Go for it! Personally, I keep it rather modest, yet super tasty! Guacamole will only last for a day or two in the fridge. Once cut, avocados turn black quickly, to prevent this, sprinkle the cut avocado with lemon juice (just like apples or pears). Now, don't be afraid to eat avocados, they are delicious in many ways (especially on sandwiches!)! Yes, it's true that they are high in fat, but it's the same good fat found in olives! Avocados are also low in sugar, high in fiber and potassium (60% more than bananas!), rich in antioxidants and have vitamins A through K! So there you go! Mr Fairchild wasn't lying when he called avocados "veritable fruit of paradise", was he?!

p.s. Just in case you were wondering what I have in the picture with the guac, they are baked tortilla chips I made in the oven. I simply cut the tortillas into wedges, brushed either side with safflower oil, sprinkled on some chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and sea salt and baked them in a 300 degree oven for about 10 to 15 mins... (check at 10 mins, you don't want them to burn!). A great alternative to deep fried chips! You could also make these with fresh corn tortillas for a gluten free chip!