Recipe: Holy GUACAMOLE!

Guacamole is a regular at our house… frequently making visits for dinner, snacks, and even the odd brunch. For one, I’ve had a love for avocados since I was 10 years old. Secondly, guacamole makes so many things taste better – ex. you can have a plain roasted chicken breast but with some guac, cheddar, and a low-calorie tortilla*, you have a tasty and quick quesadilla. Thirdly, have I mentioned how easy guacamole is to make?!

I rarely use a recipe for guac, just gather the ingredients and mash it all together so bear with me while I mentally recreate the process and attempt to put it into measurable steps.

I’ve used two methods in making guac – 1.) blend/process the ingredients together, 2.) mash it together with a mortar and pestle. Method 1 is a much easier and quicker process, but method 2 seems to garner better flavour. I’m including tips on both methods, I’ll leave the method up to you – depending on the equipment you have available and your comfort level.

INGREDIENTS:
(Serves 2)

1/4 cup Cilantro (chopped fine)
3 tbsp Onion (chopped fine)
1 clove garlic (chopped fine or through garlic press)
2 tsp jalapeno (chopped fine, increase amount depending on your taste)
1 Small Tomato (cherry or grape)
2 Small Avocados
1 Lime
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

With Mortar & Pestle:
1. Grind together the first 5 ingredients. Make sure the ingredients are combined and mash very well, I find adding some course salt helps with this step (generally takes me 2-3 mins to grind these ingredients together)

2. Cut avocados into halves (reserving the pits), add avocado (half at a time) to mortar, mashing it in with the other ingredients

3. Scrape mixture into a bowl, add in reserved pits (to preserve the colour)

4. Squeeze in juice from one lime, add additional salt/pepper to taste. Stir well. Serve.

With Food Processor or Magic Bullet:
(please note, with processing, you don’t need to pre-chop the ingredients)

1. Add first 4 ingredients to processor and chop finely.

2. Add in tomatoes, pulse until chopped and combined with other ingredients.

3. Cut avocados into halves (reserving the pits), add in the avocados to the processor and pulse until you get the texture you desire (chunky to smooth).

4. Scrape into serving bowl, add in pits (to preserve the colour).

5. Squeeze in juice from one lime, add salt/pepper to taste, Stir well.

Other Tips:

• Sometimes, for extra creamy guacamole I add in 2-3 tbsp of cream cheese and 1 tbsp plain yogurt (or 2 wedges of laughing cow cheese). This was a tip I learned from my childhood BFF
• If you have leftover guac (I know, like that ever happens), store it in an airtight container, place saran wrap DIRECTLY onto the guac preventing exposure to air before closing the top. I’ve found this process greatly decreases the browning

*My favourite low calorie tortillas are the President’s Choice Blue Menu Ancient Whole Grain Tortillas (at 100 cals each) and the Dempster’s BodyWise Ancient Grains Tortillas (at an impressive 80 cals each). I’ve tried making tortilla chips from both varieties and they work well sprayed with a bit of PAM and baked at 375 degrees until browned.