Not-Guilty Guacamole

I love guacamole but I don’t love the guilt of the calories. So, I did a little research and found a beautiful recipe for guacamole that cuts out 40% of the calories! Plus, it really tastes great!

Try it with some lemon-thyme pita chips or baked tortilla chips and you’ll have a wonderful easy appetizer that whomever you serve it to will love.

What you need:
- 1 can (15 to 19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1  jalapeño chile , seeded
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped sweet onion
- Salt
- 1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted
- 2 plum tomatoes
- Baked tortilla chips or fresh-cut vegetables

What to do:
In food processor or blender, puree beans and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice until you reach a smooth consistency. Transfer  the beans to medium bowl.

In same processor, place the jalapeño, cilantro, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt; pulse until juicy and  nice and thick.

Scoop out the avocado from its peel into the bowl with the bean mixture; mash with a fork until the mixture is blended and still somewhat chunky.

Cut each tomato crosswise in half and squeeze the halves to remove seeds and juice. Coarsely chop up the tomatoes and add the onions. Stir the tomato-and-onion mixture into avocado/bean mixture until blended. If you like a little more zip to your guacamole, stir in additional lime juice to taste and/or add a drop of hot pepper sauce.

Guacamole is best served as soon as it’s made, but you can also cover and refrigerate up to 1 hour. Serve with baked tortilla chips or vegetables.

Nutritional information is for 1/4 cup.
Calories 65
Total Fat 3g
Sodium 155mg
Total Carbohydrate 8g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Protein 2g

*Photo courtesy of Good Housekeeping

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