PowerFood#2 - Avocado: Effortless Guacamole With Cucumber Chips

Nutrition facts of Avocado from www.avocado.org sent to me by my uncle many moons ago:

• Avocados provide more than 25 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid.
  
• One-fifth of a medium avocado or about one ounce is 55 calories, but contributes beneficial nutrients such as fiber, potassium, Vitamin E and lutein to the diet.
• One-fifth of a medium avocado provides beneficial phytochemicals such as glutathione, beta-sitosterol, and lutein. Phytonutrients are thought to help prevent many chronic diseases.
• Avocados act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.
• The avocado is virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat.
• Avocados are a good source of fiber and fiber may help maintain heart health. 

Avocados can be eaten by itself, with a squeeze of lime/lemon, in a salad or as a dip called Guacamole. Guacamole is a thick, avocado-based dip typically served with tortilla chips. Guacamole boasts an infinite number of recipes, with ingredients depending on the cultural surroundings and taste preferences. This is my mom's version of Guacamole.I love the dip the best due to its ease of making and certainly its delish factor.

Here goes the recipe:Ingredients:
 For the Dip:

• Avocado - 1 ripe, preferably Hass
• Red onion - 2 tbsp, diced
• Tomato - 2 tbsp, diced
• Black Olives - 3#s,pitted,  thinly sliced (optional)
  
• Lemon/Lime Juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt
• Pepper - 1/2 tsp

For the Chip:

• Cucumber - 1, skinned and thinly sliced like chips
  

Procedure:

• Remove the skin and the stone of the avocado.
• Smash it with a fork or a mortar-pestle in a bowl.
• Add the red onion,tomato, sliced olives(if using) and give it a gentle mix.
• Sprinkle the salt and pepper. 
• Pour in the juice of lemon/lime and give it a final mix.
• Refrigerate until serving.
• Serve with cucumber chips.

Makes 2 Servings.

Enjoy!

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PowerFood#1- Salmon: Salmon Cakes With Craisins

Some benefits of eating Salmon is lowering the risk of coronary- and stroke-related deaths, lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and even helping prevent macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people older than 49.It is low in mercury and high in omega-3 fatty acids. Need I go on? So suffice to say, there are some great benefits of eating this pink-bodied fish. Period. Did I mention that they also taste great no matter what dish they feature in? This makes its way to Cooking For Infants and Toddlers event hosted by RV @ SourashtraKitchen and Sudeshna's Cook Like a Bong.Here is the recipe for one of my favorite dish with Salmon as the star ingredient:

Ingredients:

• Salmon - 1 pound (~3-4 palm sized thick chunks)
• Craisins - 3/4 cup
• Red Onion - 1 Small, diced
• Garlic - 1 cloves, grated
• Roasted Red pepper - 2 tbsp,diced (optional)
• Carrot - 1/2 , grated
• Flavored Breadcrumbs - 1 cup or more
• Spinach - 1 cup, chopped finely
• Egg - 1
• Salt
• Pepper - 1 tsp
• Olive oil - 3 tbsp

Procedure:

• In a skillet, pour about 1 tbsp of oil and sear the salmon. Once the salmon is 80% cooked remove from the skillet and cool.
• In a bowl, flake the cooked salmon using hands or fork.
• To the bowl, add the onions, garlic, carrot, spinach,roasted pepper(if using), bread crumbs, salt and pepper.
• Break the egg and whisk it in a seperate bowl.
• Add the egg to the bowl and mix it with hands forming lemon sized balls. Gently press the balls forming patties.
• Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and arrange the patties snugly. Cook for about 3-4 mins each side in medium flame.
• Serve it on a bed of greens by itself or with some ketchup.

Makes 9-10 patties.

Enjoy!

Tip: The patties can be used for making salmon burgers.

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