I wasn’t planning to write my second blog entry so soon, but today is a very special and important day: National Guacamole Day – so I made an exception!
Guac is one of my favorite things to both make and eat. It’s easy to make and also healthy for you – what more could ya ask for? It’s something I taught myself how to make through experimenting and made often while I was away at college. I've made it on my desk multiple times when other people were in the kitchen LOL - no need for fancy facilities or tools! ;)
WHAT YOU NEED:
I rarely measure anything.. so for this reason, my guac recipe (and many other recipes shared on here) will be in terms of handfuls/strands/fractions etc.. haha. Hopefully you can still follow along if you try it out!
- 1 large ripe avocado, mashed
- lemon juice (from 1/4-1/2 of a lemon) OR lime juice (whichever you prefer)
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 3-5 strands cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 handful onion, diced
- 1/4-1/2 jalapeño pepper (seeds included), diced OR a splash of your favorite hot sauce OR a mix of your favorite spices (red pepper flakes, paprika, turmeric are a few of my faves you could try!)
- 1 mini bell pepper, diced
- 1 handful tomato, diced
- salt / pepper, to taste
WHAT TO DO:
I always cut my avocados long-ways all the way around and then spoon out the inside. I mash with a fork (if it’s ripe, this shouldn’t be a problem). I throw the pit away, but some people keep it to keep their guac from browning? I've never tried this - so I can't confirm or deny if it actually works. I usually add the lemon juice right away (as the citrus also keeps it from browning too quickly). The rest is easy, and it doesn’t matter what order you go in. Just chop up everything and mix together! NOM NOM NOM
EXTRA TIPS:
Ripe avocados should be SLIGHTLY soft when you squeeze them. If they’re rock hard, they aren’t ripe yet. If they feel too squishy, they’re already rotten. :( Another trick I recently learned is by checking “under the button” at the top of the avocado. Flick it off: if it’s green, it’s still good; if it’s brown, it’s not.
Some people only use the leaves of cilantro, but I’m too lazy to pluck them off so I usually end up using the whole strand (it doesn’t matter though, it’s purely up to you). ALSO! I recently discovered a way to keep cilantro longer: trim the bottoms, stick the trimmed bunch in a container/tall cup with water, cover the top with a plastic bag (supermarket produce bags work great for this), and store in the fridge. I recently tried this, and it works wonders and keeps the cilantro crunchy and fresh for 2-3 weeks (give or take).
For a chunkier texture - add all your ingredients to a bowl and mash / combine at the very end. This will help prevent over-mashing and allow for some bigger chunks of avocado if that's what you're into!
- Guac is best when eaten the same day it’s made, but if you have to store it for a day or 2 - the best way is to use a plastic container with some sort of lid. I usually put plastic wrap over the guac (so that plastic wrap and guac are touching), as an extra layer to keep the air out. I then cover that with a lid. If your avocado’s ripe (and not starting to rot) and you use a generous amount of citrus juice, the guac can last up to 3 days or sometimes even longer.
HOW I EAT MY GUAC:
One of the best things about guac is that you can eat it with SO many different things. Some of my favorite ways to eat it are: with chips, on toast, in a sandwich, on a bagel, mixed in with a salad, and by the spoonful (call me crazy but… guac is my Nutella). P.S. I’m sadly allergic to Nutella... lol
What’s in your guac? If you found this helpful or tried it out, I’d love to hear about it! Leave your questions/suggestions/comments below! :)