Mmmm - That's Some Good Guacamole!

I think I've mentioned before that avocados are one of my favorite foods.  Now that Spring has arrived, it puts me in the mood for those backyard parties and fun foods.  I enjoy making guacamole several different ways, but here is a basic recipe that has minimal ingredients with maximum taste.

Good Guacamole

Ingredients:

2 large avocados

1 garlic clove, minced

2-3 Tb. cilantro, chopped fine

salt and pepper to taste

1 green onion, sliced and chopped fine

2 small vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped

juice of 1/2 a lemon or 1 lime

Directions:  Scoop the avocado from there shells and place in a bowl.  Add garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper.  Mash these ingredients together (mashing the garlic and cilantro with the avocado helps to bring out their natural, savory oils, adding more flavor).  Add the green onion, tomatoes and lemon/lime juice.  Mix to combine.  Serve with tortilla chips, spread on a sandwich or wrap, or eat with vegetable sticks.

COOKING WITH BLACK-EYED PEAS

I've never cooked black-eyed peas before and have heard they're tricky since you don't want to over-cooked them or they'll "explode" or turn to mush - and you don't want to undercook them and be too hard.  I got them just right the first time!  Here is a variation on a southern black-eyed peas recipe.

Black-Eyed Peas

with Ham & Artichoke

Ingredients:

7 c. water

16 oz. (1 lb) dried black-eyed peas

14.1 oz. (1 can) artichoke hearts in brine, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp. sea salt

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. red pepper sauce

3 Tb. vegetable oil

1/3 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

3 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped

8 oz. cooked smoked ham, chopped

Directions:  Heat water and peas to boiling in a large pot.  Boil uncovered for 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to simmer and add ham.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender.  Drain well and set aside.  Heat oil in same pot and add onion, artichoke, garlic, salt and red pepper sauce.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in cilantro, tomatoes and peas/ham mixture.  Cook until heated through - about 5 minutes.  Servings:  6-8

Taquito Taste-Test Plus Tasty Soup Recipe

I was in a Mexican food mood and picked up some new frozen taquitos at Whole Foods to try.  The brand is Starlite Cuisine and the product is Crispy Soy Taquitos.  I tried the "Chicken Style" and the "Chorizo and Black Bean Style."  These taquitos do not contain gluten, dairy or meat.  I was pleasantly surprise at how good they were!  There were eight in a box and I ate four for dinner and they were plenty since they were nice size taquitos.  I highly recommend this brand of taquitos if you love Mexican food and want to find a healthier alternative.  For more information on what else Starlite Cuisine has to offer, visit their website at www.starlitecuisine.com.

I love making a big pot of soup now and then - especially if it's a hearty soup.  If you're a meat & potatoes kind of person, you'll enjoy this recipe!

Italian Sausage & Potato Soup

Ingredients:

4 c. water

4 c. GF chicken broth

3 large Russet potatoes, peeled, cut in quarters lengthwise and sliced thick

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small yellow onion, chopped fine

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage, casings removed

1/2 lb. uncured bacon, chopped

2 c. chard, roughly chopped

1 c. almond milk or heavy cream

Directions:  In a large pot, break up the sausage and brown along with the bacon.  Remove and drain well, set aside.  In the same pot add the water, broth, potatoes, garlic and onion.  Boil over high heat for 15 minutes.  Add sausage and bacon, let simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in chard and almond milk or cream.  Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 5 minutes more.  Serve!

TASTE-TESTING from COSTPLUS WORLD MARKET

On my latest trip to CostPlus World Market, I noticed some new gluten-free items I hadn't tried.  I love their variety of unique products.  First I tried Snap Dragon's Hong Kong Seafood rice noodle soup bowl.  Very tasty, especially if you love the flavor of seafood.  I also tried their Pad Thai Ginger which is a rice noodle and ginger pad thai sauce.  This one you had to add a meat, vegetable and egg to.  I didn't quite like it and prefer the traditional pad thai flavor.  Next up were two different flavors of tortilla chips by a company called Food Should Taste Good.  Their all natural chips came in a variety of flavors but I chose the one with lime juice and sea salt and the sweet potato flavor.  I loved them both!  They are so yummy I had a hard time not eating the whole bag.  They are light and crisp yet sturdy enough to use in any dip.  Finally, I tried Tiger Tiger's Indonesian Satay sauce in a stir-fry recipe.  It was really good and had a little bit sweeter flavor than the Thai satay sauces I've had.

Shrimp & Vegetables with Indonesian Satay Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. large raw shrimp, shelled and halved

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

2 c. cooked rice noodle or mung bean threads

5 oz. (1/3 jar) Tiger Tiger Indonesian Satay

2 Tb. coconut oil

Directions:  Heat oil in large pan over med-high heat.  Add bell peppers and stir-fry for 2 minutes.  Add shrimp, stir-fry another 2 minutes.  Add noodles and sauce.  Mix well to evenly incorporate.  Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.  Serve!

EASY APPETIZER!

BACON WRAPPED SHRIMP

Ingredients:

Bacon

Raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Cinnamon

Directions:  For large shrimp use half a slice of bacon for each.  For smaller shrimp use one-third slice of bacon for each.  Wrap each shrimp and secure with toothpick.  Grill for 2 minutes per side.  Place on serving dish and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.

GO GREEN!.....CABBAGE, THAT IS

Here's a recipe I whipped together for Christmas dinner. It's a super-easy simple salad using green cabbage.

Go Green Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 head green cabbage, shredded

1 cucumber, seeded and chopped

1/2 c. finely diced walnuts

12 oz. cooked peas, chilled

4 oz. honey mustard vinaigrette such as Annie's Naturals

1 packet (.035 oz.) Stevia

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:  Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Serve!

A TASTE OF AUTUMN

One thing I love about autumn is the variety of squash that become available.  Since I will be hosting Thanksgiving at my house this year I have been experimenting with squash to create a new dish to serve.  Here is one that turned out great the first time!  Hope you enjoy it!

Autumn Squash and Rice Medley

Ingredients:

1 c. rice, half long-grain white and half wild rice

1 3/4 c. water

3 Tb. olive oil

1/2 tsp. turmeric

1 med. acorn squash, cut in half and cleaned inside

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1 1/2 Tb. fresh mint, chopped fine

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:  Add water and 1 Tb. olive oil to a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil.  Add rice and turmeric, stir and cover with lid.  Reduce to a simmer and cook 25-30 minutes.  Meanwhile, place the squash halves on a microwave-safe plate, pierce several times with a fork and cook on high for 8-10 minutes, until just tender.  Place in refrigerator to cool.  Once cool enough to handle, use a peeler or paring knife to remove skin.  Cube the squash and place in large bowl.  Add pecans, mint, and salt.  Add cooked rice, cinnamon and then drizzle with the remaining 2 Tb. olive oil.  Toss gently to combine.  This can be served warm, room-temperature or slightly chilled - tastes great!