Fresh from the farm or garden, tomatoes are one of my favorite summer foods. My husband and I especially enjoy them in this 4-ingredient guacamole recipe I created. I’m always smiling when I get some tomatoes in my CSA Box from my farmer, Pekarek’s Produce!
(NOTE: If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll have noticed I reduce recipes to the simplest procedures and shortest list of ingredients that still yield delicious, nutritious results to help you eat healthy every day. You’ll see in my photos how these recipes look when served in everyday dishes without any fancy trimmings.)
4-INGREDIENT GUACAMOLE WITH TOMATOES
Though avocados are high in fat, most of it is heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. They contain a variety of nutrients including fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, and folate. Avocados are sodium-free. One-fifth of a medium avocado (about 1 oz.) provides around 50 calories.
I created this recipe as a “go-to” basic, everyday guac recipe. So many guacamole recipes include just a few teaspoons of lime juice, leaving me with extra lime for which to find a use and the cost and sometimes inconvenience of buying a lime. I save those recipes for events when I have more time to plan. By starting with the best-tasting ingredients possible — a fresh, in-season tomato and a ripe avocado — few other ingredients are needed. I don’t bother to remove the seeds or the pulp from the tomato.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered cumin
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- 1 ripe tomato, diced
- Salt (if desired)
Directions
- Mash avocado with potato masher, pastry blender or fork. I like to keep the mashed avocado somewhat chunky.
- Mix in cumin and cayenne pepper.
- Stir in tomatoes.
- Taste; add more cumin and cayenne pepper as needed. Add salt to taste, if desired.
- Enjoy. Tastes great served with corn chips. This recipes maintains the best color and flavor if eaten soon after preparation.
Alice’s Tips
- To ripen avocados, store them at room temperature, avoiding direct sunlight. An avocado is ripe when it yields to gentle pressure. To hurry the ripening process, place in a closed brown paper bag (such as a brown lunch bag) with an apple for about two to five days or until ripe. The more apples you add, the quicker the ripening process. Once ripe, an uncut avocado can be stored in the refrigerator for an additional 2 to 3 days.
- Store tomatoes out of direct sunlight at room temperature for the best flavor and so they ripen evenly. Once tomatoes have ripened, prolong their freshness by storing them in the refrigerator.
Source
Recipe created by Alice Henneman, MS, RDN, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension Educator. For more recipes and tips for fast, healthy and delicious foods, visit cookitquick.org
My husband and I enjoy eating healthy foods, but they must taste good and be quick to prepare.