BEST BASIC GUACAMOLE

If you're coming back based on yesterday's post on how to deconstruct an avocado: welcome!

This is my basic guacamole recipe. Is it fancy? No. Do I really measure perfectly when I make it? No.

That's because it's not from a recipe. You do know people did cook/bake on their own before Pinterest, right? It's true! Sometimes people just threw things together until they tasted good... and that's how this guac recipe came about:

What you'll need (makes a ridic amount of guac):

4 small avocados

2 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno pepper

1 small onion

1/2 small tomato

2 small or 1 large limes

a ton of cilantro (at least 1/2 cup)

salt, pepper, and cayenne 

How to make it happen:

Step 1: Take apart your avocados (using this awesome how-to), and save the pits!

Step 2: Throw your onion, jalapeno, and garlic into a food processor and process until finely minced/shredded. 

Step 3: Cut off the thick, outer 3/4 inch of your tomato and add it to the food processor (throw away the gross squishy inside of the tomato).

Step 4: Add your guacamole and mash it in with your mixture from the food processor. Add the juice of 1 lime, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Mix it all up and TASTE.

Step 6: Rip your cilantro and mix in as well. 

Step 5: Add more lime, salt, pepper, and cayenne as necessary to your taste! Keep your avocado pits in the mixture...I swear it helps the avocado from oxidizing as fast.

That's it folks. Eat with some tortilla chips and enjoy! 

If you like things a little bit more spicy, sprinkle your chips with some cayenne!

For best results, make the guacamole close to when you're going to serve it, or else after a few hours it can oxidize (turn brown). Don't worry- it still tastes JUST as good, it just might now look as pretty :)

Lots of cilantro & lime makes this recipe great-

What do you put in your guacamole to make it amazing?

xo, lp

CRISPY GARLIC KALE CHIPS

Is the kale chip fad over? 

Maybe. 

Does that mean people should stop making kale chips?

No.

Even though I eat pretty healthy being a vegetarian, a lot of my recipes on the blog aren't so healthy (i.e chewy butter caramels, gnocchi mac & cheese, and peanut butter eggs). Thus, enjoy this healthy recipe to balance things out. (I think it's even Paleo-friendly!)

 What you'll need to make it happen:

1 head kale

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic (kept whole)

black pepper & sea salt for seasoning.

How to make it happen:

Step 1: Wash your kale and dry thoroughly. Soggy kale leads to soggy chips.

Step 2: Toss your kale and garlic in a large bowl with the olive oil until completely coated.

Step 3: Rip apart your kale into large chip pieces (they'll shrink up in the oven) and try to space as evenly as you can on a tin foil lined baking sheet. Make sure a clove of garlic is in the middle and each side of the pan. Sprinkle everything with sea salt and pepper. You won't need much, especially since the garlic will depart a lot of flavor into the kale!

Step 4: Bake at 275 for 10 minutes, then flip the chips and bake for another 10. Now, I'm paranoid about burning stuff, so I checked every few minutes after 15 to make sure they weren't turning black. You'll know they're done when they've turned dark greeny-brown and are crisp.

Step 5: Remove your garlic cloves and toss out. Let your chips cool, and enjoy!

Now, I won't lie to you...I didn't totally love the first kale chip I had. For that matter, I didn't like the first few. Then I started to realize they were kiiiind of delicious. 

They're addicting people, watch out. 

Are you a kale chip fan?

Try these. You might convert to being one!

xo, lp