I'm dipping into...

Hello, Mr. Avocado!



I used to hate you a lot. I stayed far, far away from you. You tasted yucky. I always made sure to tell the nice Mexican waiter No guacamole, please! just to be on the safe side.

But last week, things changed. I got a craving for you. Guacamole was on my mind, and I couldn't resist it. So I did the only logical thing: Drug my husband to 3 Mexican restaurants to taste a variety of guacamole.

I decided that I do like you. A lot. Enough to spend $10.41 on the supplies to make guacamole with you as the star ingredient.

Sure, you're extremely fattening. You're loaded with monounsaturated fat. One of you is roughly 300 calories! Sheesh! But I try to look past that and notice that you provide me with loads of dietary fiber, vitamin B6, folate, copper, and vitamin K. You give me more potassium than an entire banana!! Combine that with the Flintstone Vitamins that I bought yesterday, and my body's flying high!

So I researched a recipe to make guacamole and found Alton Brown's (one of my FAVORITE Food Network stars! Good Eats always provides a wealth of information about foods!). But I never like to completely follow the directions - so I added a jalapeno AND cayenne pepper to give it an extra kick (as the Neely's say!)

But first I squeeze lime juice all over you. I've added two limes for a little something extra.


I chopped up half an onion and tossed it in.


You were coming along just nicely. I took a taste here and there to see just how it was turning out!


After some cilantro (an acquired tasted that's NEW to me - thanks to MckMama!) and a tomato, you were all set for DIPPING!



My $1.99 tortilla chips from Kroger went perfect with you, dear avocado.


and no, I'm not pregnant. I don't know what's up with me, but I do know that I love guacamole now. I'll admit - it looks like a disgusting green mess. But it sure is yummy!


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So apparently avocados are the cat's pajamas in the dietary world. Who knew? Certainly not me, or Paula Deen - who HATED avocados until she recently found out how fattening they were. Then she jumped on the bandwaggon and decided she loved them just because they're full of calories. I love that woman.

Anyway.

-Avocdos have more than FOUR TIMES the amount of beta-sitosterol (the stuff that lowers cholesterol) than fruits like bananas, canteloupse, grapes, cherries, apples, and plums

-Twice as much beta-sitosterol as corn, green soybeans, and olives

-This fruit has the highest concentration of Vitamin E

-Avocados are the BEST fruit source of lutein (an antioxident)

-They protect against liver damage and cancer

-Avocados contain more potassium than 26 other popular fruits (including raisins, bananas, peaches, cantaloupes, and orange juice) and 19 popular veggies (broccoli, carrots, corn & green beans)


So really. You have no exuse to NOT eat guacamole! Your body and your taste buds will thank you. I promise!



(PS Paigey - I was dipping my chips in the guacamole!)