Chips and Guacamole are one of my favorite snacks…I even make it a meal sometimes. These baked yuca chips are an easy and healthy alternative that are unique and of course vegan and gluten free to boot. They are super easy! Did I mention delicious?
6 large farm eggs, room temperature, preferably over a week old (they peel better)
1 medium ripe avocado
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1 large scallion, thinly sliced, divided
1 teaspoon green thai curry paste, optional*
Juice of 1/2 a medium lemon
Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Sliced jalapeño for garnish (optional)
Serves 6
Fill a medium sauce pot with about 5 inches of water and bring to a boil. Using a large spoon- gently lay the eggs into the water, placing them directly onto the bottom of the pot. Boil for 11 minutes and then drain, shaking the pot as you do so to crack the shells. Fill the pot with ice water and allow the eggs to cool completely.
When they are cooled, tap the shell against the counter or side of the sink and peel under gently running water. Be sure to get under the membrane that is between the shell and the egg to leave the whites intact.
Slice the eggs in half the long way and gently remove the yolks. If the whites have some yolk on them rinse them lightly and set aside. Add the yolks and remaining ingredients (reserving 1/4 of the green onions for garnish) to a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning and curry if necessary.
Scoop the filling out and place in a small ziplock bag, pushing the filling to one corner. Trim 1/2 inch from the corner of the bag. Place the whites inside up and pipe the filling into the hole of the whites, being sure to divide evenly. Top each egg with a few of the sliced scallions and a slice of jalapeño. Carefully transfer to a plate and serve.
Tips & Notes~
Boil the eggs a day ahead and store in the refrigerator.
Omit the curry if you do not want them to be spicy.
*Some Thai curry has shrimp paste in it. For a veggie option: Thai Kitchen brand from most regular grocery stores is your answer.
Everybody loves black beans, or I should say I can’t imagine how they someone couldn’t like them. I love them! This is a great salad for the warm weather and holds really well. It’s perfect to make ahead and also great leftover and added to some hearty greens.
Southwestern Black Bean & Corn Salad
Ingredients:
3-4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon cumin
2 large ears of corn- removed from the cob
2 cans black beans, rinsed (3 cups)
1 cup small diced ripe mango (optional)
1 large tomato, diced
small
3 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds*
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, mint, basil or oregano
A few dashes of cayenne or hot sauce to taste (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Makes 8 large servings
DIRECTIONS:
Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic and cumin in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl; toss well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Refrigerate or serve room temperature.
Tips & Notes~
Make ahead and cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Toss with mixed greens and a little extra oil and vinegar and top with crumbled feta or goat cheese if desired.
Cut down on the vinegar and heat in a pan and serve warm.
*To toast nuts; place in a sauté pan over medium heat and toast for 4-6 minutes, stirring every so often. Note that pine nuts have a high oil content and will cook quickly.
This recipe is a winner, not that you could ever really go wrong with avocado. Still, it is not your typical guacamole application! It will impress your guests, or frankly, just be a treat for yourself!
Avocado “Fries” with Curry Garlic Yogurt
Ingredients:
Coconut oil or olive oil for coating the baking sheet
1/4 cup whole wheat flour (I like whole wheat pastry flour)
2 large eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups whole grain or gluten-free breadcrumbs
2 firm-ripe medium avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
Salt to taste
Grated Parmesan for serving (optional)
Makes about 3-4 servings
This is SUPER easy and crowd pleasing. It makes a nice appetizer cut into smaller pieces or a great entree with a salad. Change up the squash for another seasonal vegetable, zucchini, fresh corn or tomatoes are perfect!
Winter Squash Flatbread with Goat Cheese
Ingredients:
1 pound store-bought pizza dough, preferably wheat, thawed if frozen
1 pound delicata, acorn or butternut squash, seeded, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (if using butternut be sure to peel it)
1/2 medium red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
8-10 large fresh sage leaves
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Good quality olive oil, as needed
8 oz of goat cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste
cornmeal for the pan
1/3 cup pistachios, chopped
My most favorite all time amazing snack. They are spicy, crunchy, decadent and healthy all at the same time. Oh and they are easy too! Beware however…they are Seriously Freakin’ Addicting…
Spicy Nacho Kale Chips
1 large bunch curly or Tuscan kale, washed and very dry**
Cheese Sauce~
1 cup cashews (soaked in water for at least 6 hours, drained)
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
Juice of 1 medium lemon (2-3 Tablespoons.)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup water
1 large clove garlic
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
A good dash of cayenne pepper if you like it spicy
Servings depend on how much self control you have 🙂
Trim the toughest part of the kale stems, and cut or tear leaves into bite-size pieces. Fill a large bowl with water and place kale pieces in water. Swish the kale around so that any debris floats to the top. Drain, and dry completely in a salad spinner or with towels. Once dry, place kale pieces in a large bowl with enough room for mixing the kale with the cheese sauce.
To make cheese sauce~ combine all ingredients for the sauce in a high-powered blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth.
Combine cheese sauce and kale pieces, and use your hands to massage kale with sauce. (It’s fine if coating is uneven or if there are big globs of cashew cheese. In my opinion, the cheesy parts are the best part of the final product!)
Preheat oven to 200°F. Spread kale pieces on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for about 1 hour. Remove form oven and flip and bake for another 1 1/2 hours or until crunchy. The curly kale will take a bit longer.
Tips & Notes~
**Completely drying washed kale pieces is an important prerequisite for yielding kale chips with maximum crunch factor. You can even washed the kale a day before and leave the pieces to dry overnight to ensure they are perfectly dry.
You can add any dry spices or even fresh herbs that you would like such as curry powder, chili powder, parsley, basil or rosemary.
