Best Guacamole? Only 2 Ingredients Needed

Lots of chatter today about National Guacamole Day and what makes the best guacamole.  I've seen recipes with 10 ingredients and enough "goodies" to dilute-not enhance- the taste and flavor of  avocado..it's a crime.  Want to know the best guacamole recipe? Listen up--come closer--you're not going to want to miss this....it's 2 words. Ready?

Avocado + Salt

That's it. Pure and unadulterated recipes allow us to actually TASTE the actual ingredient that's being highlighted. No need to accessorize this amazing fruit.  This is a family and fan favorite.

I've seen a lot of people slice their palms and finger tips by not following proper knife safety when preparing guacamole.  Check out this video by CHOW for the easy and safe way to remove the pit.

The Small Change Diet author Keri Gans tells all: her love affair.....with Hummus

I couldn't be more thrilled to have author, speaker and media darling Keri Gans, RD, guest blog on Robinsbite today.  Hummus is only one of her loves--she is also a devoted yogi, a lover of dogs and an extreme social media junkie. Check out her new book The Small Change Diet and pick up your copy today!

My Love Affair With Hummus…

Was it love at first site? I don’t think so.  I liked it, initially more as a friend, someone to occasionally hang out with it at parties. Gradually though I became infatuated with it. So many flavors to choose from and so many different ways to eat it, I couldn’t get enough. I started introducing it to my patients, friends and family. Now many years later my infatuation has turned into a solid relationship of which I am happy to report I am never bored.

Funny thing is, I have never made hummus from scratch. I know it can be really easy but I sometimes get rather lazy in the kitchen so I just buy it.  The main ingredient in hummus is chickpeas. Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas are full of health benefits. They have no saturated fats or cholesterol and also contain high levels of protein. Some studies have shown that chickpeas may fight the build up of cholesterol in blood vessels and help control blood sugar levels.

Other basic hummus ingredients include garlic, salt, lemon juice and olive oil. Olive oil provides health benefits because it is high in monounsaturated fat and studies have shown that, in moderate amounts, it can help maintain heart health by regulating cholesterol.

With so many different types of hummus available in the stores I sometimes have difficulty choosing which one to buy. I go through stages; lately my favorite is black bean. Over the past years other favorites have been roasted red pepper, edamame, horseradish, and artichoke.

Some of the ways I like to eat it:

o   Instead of mayo in egg salad (I use egg whites only and regular hummus)

o   Instead of cream cheese on toast (whole wheat toast spread with black bean hummus, topped with scrambled egg whites and tomato)

o   Instead of cream cheese for bagels and lox (scoop whole wheat bagel and add hummus and lox and a little avocado)

o   Instead of butter in a baked potato (black bean hummus and a drop of low-fat sour cream)

o   Instead of cheese or mayo on a sandwich (on a turkey burger, veggie burger, or turkey sandwich)

o   Instead of cream in “penne alla vodka” (1 heaping TBSP plain hummus added to tomato sauce)

o   And of course always great with raw veggies and whole grain crackers.

Hummus really is the perfect partner. It’s flexible and adaptable, goes so well with others and yet secure enough to stand on its own. But the more I think about it….so is avocado….hmmmm? J

Eating-But Not Wearing-Green Today

I'm not going to lie to you-I am not wearing green. It's just not my color. I am 100% on board with Valentine red, July 4th red, white and blue,  Halloween orange and well, that's about it. You won't see green on this body-ever. I'm just sayin.

Enter the fields of green produce. On any given day, you'll see me eating green foods....lettuces, spinach, kale, grapes, cucs, etc.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I'm giving a special shout out to the Superbowl produce powerhouse avocado, underrated and disrespected brussels sprouts and the now-second-to-the-newest-dark-leafy-green-media-darling-kale- spinach. Here's how I'll do it:

Lunch-avocado slices added to my bean burrito (and tomato, too)

Dinner-strawberry salad with spinach, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and grana padano cheese along with sauteed brussels sprouts-seasoned with a touch of olive oil, shallots, salt and pepper

Pretty basic. No need to be fancy to get your greens in for the day-St. Patty's day or not, these greenies have nutrients and phytonutrients that we need every day. Not to mention they are fiber rich and, best of all--THEY TASTE GOOD. I get it-I know-we aren't going to eat anything unless it tastes good.

Here's a few recipes to get you started to a tasty green menu today:

Ina G's Roasted Brussels Sprouts 
A tasty take on the spinach and strawberry salad mentioned above 
Another one of Ina's-grapefruit and avocado salad

Let's hear how you incorporated your "greens" today! Posting recipes is encouraged!

St. Patty's Day Gives us Reason to EAT Green, not Just Wear it!

Here's the deal. St. Patrick's Day can come and go and I wouldn't even know. I am not wearing green today, don't care if I get pinched and won't be partaking in corned beef or green beer. Yes, yes, I know-I'm no fun. However, I would like to take this rare opportunity to highlight this holiday (using this term loosely, I might add), to bring out the green of season. No, not money green-food green!

Green is one of those colors to look for in the store. The dark green foods=healthy foods. Antioxidant, vitamin and mineral rich and
fiber-rific! I mean really, what green food can you think of (besides the a few fake/highly processed foods and the light green marshmallows in a Lucky Charms box-they really aren't magically delicious-but note the tie into St. Patty's Day) that AREN'T good for you?


So here's the deal. Green foods have the substances isothiocyanates, EGCG, Lutein/Zeaxanthin and Isoflavones....powerful antioxidants that can help fight the damage caused to our cells over time that can lead to premature aging and a whole host of diseases. These particular foods and substances help support cell health, support arterial function, lung health and help us to maintain healthy liver function.


Here's the other deal. The fruit/veggie must be green on the INSIDE as well as the OUTSIDE to receive the maximum health benefits. So, see the cucumber, green apple, green pear and endive in the photo above? It's actually a misnomer. Why? When you cut into a cucumber, what color is it? White! Don't get me wrong, white fruits and veggies carry their own benefits, but we're trying to concentrate on the green theme with this blog.

So, here is a top 10 list of my favorite green foods and a challenge from me to you and to me.
I'm going to see how many of these green foods I can fit into my diet today. So far, I'm 0/0. But, the day isn't over! How about you? How are you doing with fitting in your green foods?

1. Greens of all types: spinach, lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, bok choy, mustard greens and the like.

2. Edamame (soy beans)

3, Kiwi

4. Green Cabbage (I love all types of cabbage, actually)

5. Broccoli

6. Avocado

7. Asparagus

8. Artichokes

9. Brussel Sprouts

10. Herbs of all kinds including parsley, rosemary, sage and mint.

11. Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream--just checking to see that you were paying attention!


Let me know how you do getting in your "greens"! Others to remember include green bell peppers, green beans and green tea, just to name a few.

Call me what you will about being a St. Patty's day non believer--but check back with me around April 1st.....that will be another story.

T & A Salad....

Needed a quick and filling snack today, so I picked tomatoes and avocados. Simple and tasty, this reminds me of summer and with the temperatures here reaching almost 90, it seemed appropriate.

You can make this salad a variety of ways, however, I go pretty basic so that I can taste the true flavors of the ingredients.

1/2 of an avocado
1 large tomato
salt
pepper

Chop, mix, season and eat. Sure, you can add olive oil, vinegar, your favorite vinaigrette, herbs, lime juice, etc.

Nutrition Brief-Tomato
Selection:

Choose tomatoes with bright, shiny skins and firm flesh.

Storage:

Store at room temperature away from direct sunlight,
for use within 1 week after ripe. Tomatoes taste best if not refrigerated; refrigerate only if you can’t use them before they spoil.

Nutrition Benefits:

Low fat; saturated fat free; very low sodium;
cholesterol free; low calorie; high in vitamin A;
high in vitamin C; good source of potassium.

Nutrition Brief-Avocado

Selection: Choose avocado with firm skin and no soft spots, firm but yielding to gentle pressure when ripe. Storage: Store when unripe at room temperature in paper bag. Refrigerate when ripe for 2-3 days. Nutrition Benefits: Sodium free; cholesterol free; low in saturated fat. Photos and nutrition information are from the www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org website. Check it out for a plethora of recipes, tips, videos, shopping guidelines, Mom2Mom section, getting kids involved resources and more! All centered around fruits and veggies, of course.