Cinco de Mayo Means Guacamole and Limey Drinks #ZestyInADash

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by ConAgra RO*TEL.

We know how to put on a fiesta every weekend here in Texas. But, Cinco de Mayo is an extra special reason to celebrate because five out of seven years the party falls on a work day – and that’s a legitimate reason to tell the boss “adios” and cut loose early to enjoy some patio time. This year, Cinco de Mayo is on a Tuesday which so conveniently aligns with Taco Tuesday, Tostado Tuesday and Guacamole & Tortilla Chips Tuesday. I am a food blogger and thus allowed to make up these extra observances dedicated to food and drink.

There can be no fiesta without guacamole. In these parts, guacamole is not just a healthy dip and satiating snack — it’s an appetizer that draws people together, have you ever seen the mob scene near the guacamole bowl?! Smashed up avocado is also a condiment smeared on everything from eggs and enchiladas to burgers and burritos, and salads and sandwiches – and, of course, devoured right off a dipped chip. You can even serve it up with a super healthy spin by serving it in tomato cups along with mild green chilies! Ole!

RO*TEL's Rockin' Guac -- this avocado guacamole is easy to make and delicious!

There are only four ingredients (plus salt and pepper) in RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac – more time to enjoy the fiesta!

One of the best recipes I’ve found is RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac – it’s so simple to make and gets a zesty (but not too spicy) kick from the tomatoes and green chilies.

I’m keeping things simple this Cinco de Mayo and making Black Bean, Zucchini and Corn Tacos – they are just screaming for RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac! It’s a vegetarian recipe, but even those carnivorous folks in the crowd love it (I think it’s the guac that makes it so satisfying). The beauty of this recipe is that I can sauté the veggies up in a skillet, keep it warm, and then sit back and enjoy the party – no sweating over the grill!

So, what will we all drink? Creamy watermelon smoothies for the kids and the adults will enjoy Bud Light Lime-A-Ritas, a margarita-like drink that isn’t quite as strong. Tequila has never agreed with me, so these perfectly-portioned cans of yum (made with malt alcohol) don’t give me a hideous hangover the next day. That is a GOOD thing to ensure I can fiesta on the Seis de Mayo, too!

Almost Cinco de Mayo! Fast avocado fix @RO_TEL Rockin’ Guac #ZestyInADash #Ad

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Zest up your fiesta with RO*TEL’s Rockin Guac and Bud Light’s Lime-A-Rita. How are you planning to celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

Lettuce Party! 8 Healthy Appetizers for New Year’s Eve

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Ring in the New Year without all the “oh I shouldn’t have eaten all that” guilt. Whether watching the ball drop in Times Square at home in your jammies or hosting an elaborate cocktail party, all your clean-eating resolutions can start early thanks to my eight healthy appetizer ideas – each under 100 calories!

Apricot Almond Chocolate Bites – It’s hard to believe that this little trio of tasty goodness has only has 20 calories, but it’s true! Plus, dried apricots are rich in iron, so there are no worries about having a few!

Mini Gorgonzola Cheese Balls – Each little ball of bold, beautifully creamy cheese has just 85 calories – even less if you substitute fat-free cream cheese for the gorgonzola. You can check out the full recipe along with variations I put together for the Living Litehouse blog.

Lime Coconut and Basil Roasted Chickpeas – With 95 calories for ¼ a cup (a handful), you get loads of Thai-inspired taste plus a bonus of fiber and protein.

Southwestern Shrimp and Guacamole Starter – You’ll say “ole” to this avocado and shrimp pairing, especially when you find out it only has 55 calories (and that includes licking the little cup).

Hatch Green Chile Stuffed Mushrooms – Mushroom caps are the perfect healthy vessels to be stuffed with delicious ingredients — that’s because mushrooms sop up flavors like little sponges, have virtually no calories, and are packed with tons of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Each one of these succulent, almost meaty (although no meat – vegetarian recipe) mushroom caps has only 67 calories!

Baked Root Vegetable Fries – A fantastic substitute for traditional chips or fries, these root vegetable “fries” are baked in the oven and have only 53 calories per serving. If you add in 1 tablespoon of a light dip (I like the OPADIPITY line by Litehouse Foods made with Greek yogurt), you add only another 35 calories, bringing the grand total up to 88 calories.

Grape, Blue Cheese and Walnut Bites – This recipe was inspired by a much-requested fall fruit salad with the same ingredients. No official recipe to follow, just skewer up a single grape, small hunk of blue cheese and raw walnut half on a little toothpick for a big explosion of flavor — only 30 calories each!

Veggies-‘n-Dip Cup – Another “no-recipe” recipe, just place 1 tablespoon of your favorite light dressing (again, I used OPADIPITY Greek Yogurt Ranch) into a condiment up and add in the veggies of your choice. This fun finger food assortments has only about 50 calories per cup, depending on your exact dressing and produce selections.

Lettuce Party! 8 Healthy Appetizers for New Year’s Eve #NYE #Fitfluential

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What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? What do you reach for first when it comes to party food?

Quick & Easy Avocado Ideas and How To Freeze Leftovers

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Everything I need to know about avocados, I learned from my dad!

A box of bliss was delivered to my door last week – a case of Bravocado Avocados from my friends at the California Avocado Commission. With the peak season being from May though September, California avocados are always on hand for my summer entertaining and I’ve been known to use avocados in everything from guacamole and “green eggs” to salads and smoothies.

In fact, this latest windfall of ripe avocados was a reward for winning first place in the 2014 All-American Recipe Contest. You’ve might have seen my recipe for Mom’s Black Bean Avocado & Corn Salad, it’s a favorite on Pinterest and has been popular pick at potlucks and family get-togethers. The judges said it was packed with flavor and “combines sweet corn, black beans, bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar and spices with fresh avocado for a flavor combination that stands strong all on its own, but goes perfectly with grilled meats or tortilla chips as a dip. Put this one on your must-try list stat”

There are just so many delicious things you can do with a case of creamy, dreamy avocados – but two of my favorite ways to eat them are just so simple. And, surprise – these quick and easy recipes not straightforward guacamole (although, if I could jump in a bathtub of mashed avocado with lime and jalapeno, I would).

Bacon Avocado Stuffed Tomatoes: These cute little cups made out of super sweet Campari tomatoes are the perfect vessels for avocado blended with lime, jalapeno, cilantro – okay, I guess that is guacamole. But, sprinkle on some crumbled bacon and serve on a bed of lettuce with black beans and corn and you have a light and healthy summer meal.

Avocado and Lime on the “Half Shell”: It doesn’t get any easier than this – slice your perfectly ripe an creamy avocados in half lengthwise and pull out the seed. Sprinkle with sea salt and squeeze fresh lime – and eat with a spoon!

If, in the rare instance, you find yourself with too many avocados to eat before spoiling sets in, you CAN freeze them. Earlier in the year, I did a tutorial on how to freeze guacamole — check out the link. You can also freeze avocado slices with a pretty good outcome too! The texture is not quite as creamy when you thaw the frozen slices, but it’s still yummy and so much better than tossing your ripe avocados out.

Do tell, what is your favorite way to eat avocados?

AvocadOMG | How to Freeze Guacamole

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Happy Cinco de Mayo! I don’t know about you, but this holiday is my fast pass to an ice-cold Mexican beer and bowl full of chips and guacamole. I could eat guacamole all day long, everyday, on eggs, sandwiches, salads — you name it and I’ve probably put some smashed avocado on it. But sometimes my fresh avocado hoarding outpaces my appetite and they sadly get rotten and brown. There is nothing more distressing than tossing an avocado past its prime, dreaming about the guacamole that could have been. That is, until I found out that it is EASY to freeze mashed avocados and it really WORKS! Whoohoo, viva la guacamole!

Follow this easy recipe tutorial on How to Make Freezer Guacamole (below) and you can enjoy the creamy goodness of avocados without having to hit to supermarket or shake down a tree. You’ll notice that the “specifics” of the guacamole recipe are vague — that’s because everyone likes to make their a little different. I like lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt in my secret but simple guacamole, maybe a few red onions or pico de gallo on top for garnish. Oh, I also am fond of Hatch green chile guacamole – YUM!

If you’re looking for some healthy recipes to put all this guacamole on, check out the 100 Mexican Recipes at CookingLight.com for nutritious versions of enchiladas, tacos y mas!

Chimichurri Halibut Tacos from Cooking Light!

Uno, Dos, Tres! Avocados Three Ways

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

I recently received a box full of bliss on my doorstep. So what did the UPS man deliver? No, it wasn’t a new pair of sandals for spring or video game ordered by the boys – it was a case brimming with beautiful California Avocados. Smooth, velvety goodness ready to nourish my body with healthy fats and essential vitamins and nutrients – now THAT is something worth coming home to! I could wax poetic about the health benefits of avocados all day; surely you remember how many avocados I was eating during my “fat-loading” phase for the last marathon!

So, each one my new beautiful avocados were perfectly shaped and without a dent, bruise or brown spot – plus, none of them had those awful stringy things on the inside. By the way, the stringiness found in some avocados near the stem end is a result of a younger tree vigorously putting out fruit. As the tree matures, it typically stops producing fruit with this stressed-out, overabundance of cellulose fibers. Unfortunately, you can’t tell from the outside of avocados which ones are strung out – haha! And, while you CAN eat the stringy fibers, who wants to?

With peak California Avocado season in full swing now through fall (haller-lu-ya) and Cinco de Mayo just days away, what better way to start devouring my stash than with some south-of-the-border inspired avocado recipes.

Cilantro-Lime Guacamole Recipe

Simple, smooth and just so darn good that I have been known to eat the whole bowl at one sitting! A perfect dip for chips or healthier options like carrot, jicama, or zucchini sticks.

1 large avocado, peeled and pitted
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons garlic salt
Garnish (optional) : chopped red onion

Using a fork or back of spoon, mash avocado until smooth with just a few small lumps remaining for texture. Add lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt; stir well to combine. Top with red onion, if desired. Serves 4.

Avocado Pineapple Relish Recipe

I originally made this dish as an experimental side for smoked brisket and turkey; obviously I wasn’t in the mood for coleslaw and other normal barbeque sides. We gobbled it all up and then I made it again for fish tacos and tortilla chips!

1 medium avocado; pitted, scored and flesh removed
2/3 cup diced fresh pineapple
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tablespoon finely minced jalapeno
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

Score avocado in shell as pictured below and remove or peel and dice. Mix all ingredients in non-reactive bowl and gently toss together. Serves 6.

Scoring avocado is the easiest way to prep for salsa & relish recipes.

Baja Beef Avocado Bowls Recipe

Made last month as part of a “chopped” style competition at a nutrition event (and the winner, natch!), this vibrant and very easy dinner recipe uses the avocado shell and part of the flesh as a bowl – the scooped out remainder is made into guacamole and dolloped on top! Get the full recipe for Baja Beef Avocado Bowls on my protein for performance post.

So what will I be doing with the rest of my avocados? Come back in a couple days to find out!

Avocados provided by the California Avocado Commission, but all recipes and opinions my own.

I love to live vicariously, please share your favorite way to eat avocados in the comments!

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Tag Archives: guacamole

Cinco de Mayo Means Guacamole and Limey Drinks #ZestyInADash

Lettuce Party! 8 Healthy Appetizers for New Year’s Eve

Quick & Easy Avocado Ideas and How To Freeze Leftovers

AvocadOMG | How to Freeze Guacamole

Uno, Dos, Tres! Avocados Three Ways