“Gimme Mo” Mojo Citrus Guacamole

"Gimme Mo" Mojo Citrus Guacamole brings a Latin American twist to your favorite avocado dip -- loaded with garlic and zesty oranges!  Dollop on salads, sandwiches or fish tacos! Or, just dip a chip at your next party!We eat guacamole by the truckload over here and I see nothing wrong with that! — I mean, HELLO heart-healthy, creamy, satiating fats! This simple pleasures is a staple in my life, dolloped on my salads, sandwiches and veggies sticks. Making a yummy meal and NOT having guacamole within lifting distance from my lips feels like a hot date that didn’t end with a kiss. Such a bummer!

I’ve used avocados every which way and have a dozens of guacamole recipes in my mealtime rotation. A recent creation is “Gimme Mo” Mojo Citrus Guacamole with a sensational Latin American-inspired twist that is perfect for plantain chip dipping, toast smearing and fish taco topping.

"Gimme Mo" Mojo Citrus Guacamole brings a Latin American twist to your favorite avocado dip -- loaded with garlic and zesty oranges!  Dollop on salads, sandwiches or fish tacos! Or, just dip a chip at your next party!

Before jumping into this quick and easy guacamole recipe, let me give you the quick 411 on the magical sauce that inspired it. While originating in the Canary Islands, mojo is a simple sauce that is now splattered and slathered on nearly everything edible in Central America, the Caribbean and parts of the southern U.S. With as many regional variations as there are uses for this quintessential Latin condiment, I’m most familiar with the Cuban preparation. Cuban mojo is made with olive oil, sour citrus juices (like bitter orange and lime juice), oregano, and garlic – loads and loads of garlic. It’s often used as a marinade for pork, chicken and seafood, a dip for fried plantains or yucca, or for dressing veggies and potatoes.

I love the mojo flavor profile and have done past recipes like Mojo Steak Kebabs and Mojo Chicken with Grilled Oranges (below) are both delicious!  This guacamole would be a perfect complement to both! Not only can “Gimme Mo” Mojo Citrus Guacamole be served atop a main dish on the dinner plate, to the side of a salad, or in a festive dip bowl – it also makes a clever single-serve presentation scooped into the emptied halves of the orange peel.

grilled chicken breasts and oranges

I originally developed this recipe for the new Guacamole Herb and Spice Blend from the Instantly Fresh line at Litehouse Foods.It’s a mixture of freeze-dried herbs and seasonings (including cilantro, garlic, red onion and red chili) that make it easy to get the guacamole bowl filled to the top “chop-chop” without endless slicing and dicing!  There are no preservatives or other yucky chemicals in this convenient spice blend that you can pick up on the spice aisle or in the produce department (although it doesn’t need to be chilled).  If you find a bottle, just swap out the red onion, jalapeno and cilantro in the recipe below for 4 tablespoons of this magical spice blend.

Litehouse Foods Instantly Fresh Guacamole Blend

Are you an avocado addict? How many would you guesstimate you eat in a month? What is best thing you’ve dipped a chip or carrot stick into lately?  Please share in the comments, XOXO – Jennifer 

“Gimme Mo” Mojo Citrus Guacamole
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
This Latiin-inspired take on guacamole adds loads of garlic and zesty orange juice! The perfect condiment for your main dishes . . . but mainly for dipping!
Course: Appetizer, Fruit, Salad, Side Dish, Snack, Vegetable
Cuisine: Caribbean, Mexican, South American
Servings: 8 servings
Instructions
  1. In bowl, mash together peeled and pitted avocados with orange juice and lime juice (if avocados are extra large, you may need a small splash extra of each).
  2. Stir in onion, pepper, cilantro,oregano (or 4 Tbsp swap of the guacamole blend mentioned in blog post), salt and garlic.
  3. Use zester, to remove approximately 1 tablespoon zest from orange. Stir into guacamole.
  4. Peel orange and cut away any pith and most membrane. Dice into small chunks. Gently stir into guacamole.
  5. Serve as dip or condiment for sandwiches, burgers, fajitas, salads, etc.

“Go For The Gold” Turmeric Hummus Served 3 Ways

Turmeric Curry HummusWhen I want a satisfying snack that tastes super yummy, has loads of health benefits, and won’t have me hungry again in an hour, my “Go for Gold” Turmeric Curry Hummus with Minted Roast Chickpeas is a winner! It’s definitely what to bring to a football tailgate or sports watching party to show that you are the decided victor of dips and champion of chickpeas.Turmeric Hummus with Minty Roast Chickpeas is creamy and crunchy at the same time! A healthy snack with protein and fiber, perfect for post workout of for a party appetizer.

If you’re not familiar with turmeric, you need to get acquainted ASAP. I’ve featured it before in many recipes — my Turmeric Honey “Health” Shots have been popular! While it’s the primary spice in many Indian dishes (such as curry) and lends everything it touches (including hands) a golden yellow to orange hue, turmeric is consumed not just for its warm and mildly peppery taste, but also for the many purported health benefits.

For example, numerous studies suggest that turmeric’s active component, curcumin, helps alleviate or reduce the incidence of everything from certain cancers to depression – and it’s is highly touted as a natural pain-killer and anti-inflammatory. I take turmeric often to recover from hard workouts faster, I’m a fan of these Curcumin Capsules (from Turmeric Root Extract) sold by NOW Foods.

Turmeric.
I do advise using fresh turmeric along with the dried ground turmeric as directed in the recipe. The fresh has a more pleasingly distinctive aroma, flavor and health benefits in root form (technically a rhizome like ginger) than from the ground powder.  However, the ground turmeric helps distribute the golden-orange color evenly. If you’re looking for fresh turmeric, ask your produce manager to stock it from Frieda’s.
Turmeric Hummus Served 3 Ways - appetizer dip, pasta toss and veggie sandwich!

Make a big batch and portion into individual grab-and-go containers to stash in lunchboxes, backpacks and gym bags along with veggie sticks or crackers. However, dipping stuff INTO hummus isn’t the only way to enjoy it! My two other serving suggestions are to 1) pile up high on whole grain bread or a wrap along with other veggies to make a filling sandwich and 2) to toss with warm pasta or vegetable noodles (like “zoodles”) as a creative sauce.  I wasn’t sure if the sauce idea would work one night when fixing a “clear the fridge” dinner in a pinch — but it most certainly did!

roast chickpeas for a crunch healthy snackAlso, if you love a crunchy, salty snack the roasted mint chickpeas that I’ve used to garnish the top make a fantastic snack on their own.

Just double up that part of the recipe and keep the extra batch for snacking right off the pan – or to use as grain-free “croutons

By the way, I originally developed this recipe for Litehouse Foods using their Instantly Fresh Herbs! Check it out.

 

Do you use turmeric in your diet, what is a favorite recipe? If you’re at a party, do you go for the dips or the desserts? What’s on your upcoming fall season race season? Please share in the comments, XOXO — Jennifer  

"Go For The Gold" Turmeric Hummus Served 3 Ways
Prep Time
40 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Cuisine: Indian, Mediterranean
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed, dried and “skinned” (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or nstantly Fresh Mint
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (divided)
  • 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic or Instantly Fresh Garlic
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or Instantly Fresh Ginger
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried, ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric root *if not available, substitute and additional 1 TBSP dried turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • additional olive oil for serving
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
  2. After draining and rinsing chickpeas, place them on a paper towel and fold over, gently rubbing them. This will remove any remaining “skins.”
  3. Toss mint and salt together in small bowl. Take ½ cup of chickpeas and toss around with olive oil until coated. Add chickpeas to bowl with mint and shake around until dusted.
  4. Place chickpeas in oven and bake, tossing occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden and crunchy.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool on pan.
  5. Place remaining chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, ginger, curry powder, dried turmeric, fresh turmeric, remaining salt and pepper in a food processor and blend till smooth and creamy. If needed, add a bit of additional lime juice or water to adjust the consistency.
  6. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and roasted chickpeas.

Summer Sides! Tomato Salad with Savory Ancho Granola

savory granola tomato salad overhead horizontalBotanically a fruit, embraced as a vegetable, the vibrant and vitamin-packed tomato is tops when it comes to versatility. Tomatoes are enjoyed at the annual rate of 31 pounds per person, eaten raw on salads and as a key ingredients in sauces, salsas and many soups. Even my tomato-avoiding son gets his fair share in the form of ketchup!

I’m flashing back to one of my favorite easy recipes of summer, Tomato Salad with Savory Ancho Honey Granola. Get the recipe in an archived post FOUND HERE:

Tomato Salad with Ancho Honey Granola is a gorgeous and good-for-you side dish for your summer meals.

 

 

 

The Tomato Salad with Savory Ancho Honey Granola recipe can be avory Ancho Honey Skillet Granola is delicious eaten alone, but also makes a great crunchy topping for salads, soups and baked fish.FOUN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ancho Honey Skillet Granola recipe FOUND HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like using Love Grown Food”s Super Oats for this Ancho recipe — it’s packed with all sorts of extra nut and seed goodness!


I’m also putting this gorgeous Crab & Heirloom Tomato Salad on my dinner lineup this week — it looks so light and refreshing!

Crab and Heirloom Tomato Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomat-O, tomat-OH, what is your favorite way to eat tomatoes? Please share in the comments below. Also, who’s training for what — I’m looking for some fall half marathons! XOXO, Jennifer 

Slow (ish) Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes

Editor’s note: This post was updated 9/25/2019

Tomato lover’s will be swooning over these Slow (ish) Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes — the are simple to make and bursting with intense flavor.

 

Read on to get all the recipe how-to, plus tips and serving suggestions for slow roasted tomatoes. Continue reading

Sweet & Salty Four-Seed Popcorn Bars

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of JOLLY TIME Pop Corn.  The opinions and text are all mine.

Sweet & Salty Four-Seed Popcorn Bars make a nutritious snack!

Jolly Time Popcorn healthy snackPopcorn makes a super on-the-go snack swap, especially as a replacement for common convenience options like granola bars, chips, and cookies that can be higher sugar and fat. Naturally gluten-free and considered a whole grain, popcorn is high in dietary fiber and low in calories – plus for the visual eater, a serving of popped corn looks like a whole LOT of food!  I’m especially fond of JOLLY TIME Pop Corn, their Healthy Pop line gets the thumbs up from Weight Watchers and most products are 94% fat-free and have just around 100 calories per serving (give or take) – that’s about 20 calories per cup!

Seeds may be tiny, but they pack a super-sized nutritional punch!

So, y’all know I’m big on getting protein into my snack too! A bag (5 cups) of JOLLY TIME Pop Corn has about 4 grams of protein, which actually surprised me – I thought it would have zip, nada, none! I was wrong, popcorn does have protein! But, I like to pump it up with additional whole food add-ins – especially seeds! Tiny little seeds are powerhouses of nutrition – they are an excellent source of heart-healthy fats, protein and essential vitamins and minerals. For example, hulled hemp seeds are one of the most nutritionally complete sources of plant-protein – containing every essential amino acid an fatty acid the body needs for optimal health.Sweet & Salty Four Seed Popcorn Bars make a nutritious snack that is nut-free and gluten-free.

Check out my recipe for Sweet & Salty Four-Seed Pop Corn Balls made with Healthy Pop Kettle Corn hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds. Instead of a caramel to hold it together like you’d find in a traditional popcorn ball, I’ve whipped up a nutritious binder made from sunflower butter and agave syrup, a low-glycemic index, natural sweetener.  This great snack or healthy dessert recipe is gluten-free, nut-free and has no added refined sugar – so enjoy and #haveaJOLLYTIME !

Trail Mix Pop Corn is also a family-approved winner at my house!

Trail Mix Popcorn

Also, please check out the Healthy Pop Challenge – get a free workout band, enter to win a FitBit Altra and grab coupons for JOLLY TIME Pop Corn. I love the idea that they have to workout while waiting for popcorn to pop – even little bursts of exercise add up. Depending on the length of your popping session and microwave settings (plan on an average of 4 minutes), you can get quite a few exercises done. Try these simple exercises in the kitchen while you wait:

Perform each exercise for 1 minute, as many times as you can safely, while you wait for  JOLLY TIME Pop Corn to cook:

jolly time exercise

  • Overhead band pulls (or pushup against wall, if no band)
  • Air Squats
  • Alternating Leg Lunges (in place)
  • Jumping Jacks

 

 

Sweet and Salty Four-Seed Popcorn BarsAre you a regular popcorn snacker, or only at the movies? Favorite popcorn mix-ins? Butter or no butter?

Please share in the comments below, XOXO, Jennifer 

 

Sweet & Salty Four-Seed Popcorn Bars #HPChallenge
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 9 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 package Jolly Time Healthy Pop Kettle Corn (5 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons hulled hemp seeds (often called “hemp hearts”)
  • 2 tablespoons roasted, salted sunflower seeds
  • 2 tablespoons roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1/3 cup sunflower seed butter**** Or the nut butter of your choice, I love Power Fuel from Nuttzo.com
  • 1/4 cup agave syrup or honey
  • baking spray
Instructions
  1. Prepare popcorn according to package instructions. Pour in large mixing bowl and let cool.
  2. In small bowl, mix together hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas and chia seeds. Set aside.
  3. In small sauce pan, add sunflower seed butter and agave syrup, stir to combine. Bring to medium heat, stirring continuously. Once mixture begins to bubble, keep cooking and stirring for an additional 30 seconds.
  4. Drizzle hot sunflower-agave mixture over popcorn and quickly stir to combine as evenly as possible. Sprinkle in seed mixture into popcorn mixture in about 3 batches, stirring quickly each time to distribute.
  5. Spray 8 x 8-inch brownie pan with baking spray and fill with popcorn mixture. Using a piece of wax paper and hands or back of spoon, press down over entire top to compact firmly.
  6. Cut into 9 squares.
Recipe Notes

****Or the nut butter of your choice, I love Power Fuel from Nuttzo.com