Fabulous Guacamole - Two Ways

Here's a healthy recipe that's a snap to make, either the fast way or the faster way. I've developed the faster way because I know that it's often saving a few minutes that makes all the difference in today's busy world. Come home from work, and everyone wants a quick snack before dinner, so here's a quick (and even quicker) way with guacamole.





Ingredients:

2 avocados
1/4 cup chopped tomato
2 Tbs. chopped onion
2 Tbs. soft low fat cream cheese
1 chopped jalapeno pepper (optional)
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce, like tabasco, to taste

Directions:

Halve avocados, remove pit, and scoop out flesh. Put avocado, onion, cream cheese, jalapeno, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Here's a note about jalapeno peppers. The heat is mostly in the ribs and seeds. If you'd like some heat, but not a lot, cut the pepper in half, remove the white ribs and seeds, and then chop the pepper.


Here's the easier version - still healthy, but much, much quicker to prepare.

EASY Ingredients:

2 avocados
2 Tbs. soft low fat cream cheese
1/4 cup tomato salsa, plus 1-2 Tbs. more if needed
1 Tbs. lemon juice

EASY Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add additional tomato salsa, if the guacamole is too thick. If you don't have a food processor, mash the avocados in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, and mix well to combine. Again, you can adjust the consistency by adding more salsa if needed.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Avocados sometimes get a bad rap because they're 20% fat, but they're an excellent source of good fats, health-promoting monounsaturated fats. The oils provided include oleic acid and linoleic acid, both of which may help to lower cholesterol. Avocados also are a great source of potassium, vitamin E, B vitamins, and fiber.