Summer time, when cool and easy to prepare foods are a necessity! Guacamole is one of my favorites – appetizer, side dish or main dish. I’m only half kidding! I’ve been known to put a serious dent in a bowl of guacamole.

If you follow Ayurveda at all, you’ll know if you eat hot foods, you’ll feel warmer, while eating cool or room temperature foods can keep you cooler in the heat of summer.

A couple of tips: I like to buy my avocados before they’re ripe and then let ripen in a paper bag. I always wash my produce before slicing into it, even organic, you never know what might be on the outside and if you cut into it, you risk spreading bacteria or something worse. If you put the lime in the microwave for about ten seconds (no more or  you could have a disaster!), you can easily squeeze all of the juice out of it.

Guacamole

Ingredients

• 5 ripe avocados, mashed
• ½ red onion, diced
• 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 3 garlic gloves, crushed (or garlic salt)
• ¼ c. fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime (or lemon if preferred)
• 2 TBSP Smoked Paprika
• Salt & pepper to taste
• OR
• Add 1/2 cup (or more) of the fresh salsa to the avocados for a quick and easy guac!

Prepare

• Mash avocados with fork.
• Add lime juice.
• Mix all together and try a little taste to make sure you got the ingredients just right.
• Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Try not to eat it all!
  Did you know you can freeze avocados?

Salsa

Ingredients

• 5 medium ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 small red onion
• 2 garlic gloves, crushed (or garlic salt)
• 1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 TBSP Smoked Paprika
• 1 TBSP Salt

Prepare

• In food processor, add tomatoes, onion and garlic and pulse.
• Add cilantro.
• Add lime juice and salt and seasoning.
• Store in Refrigerator
• Tastes best if you make a day ahead of time to let the flavors marinate.

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