Buffalo Sausage Stuffed Peppers

This week has been sunny, cloudy, wet and windy here in the desert. All mixed up. Spring is definitely in the air. Flocks of cranes and geese echo their cocktail party conversation off the walls of Black Mesa, flying north. I hear them as I type. They are a noisy gaggle.

We're still lighting fires in the kiva at night. And still craving comfort food. I had three gorgeous bell peppers on hand- yellow, orange and green. Some spicy buffalo sausage. I knew what had to be done. I poured myself a glass of red.

It was time to stuff a vegetable.

Buffalo Sausage Stuffed Peppers

This is one of those recipes that you have to engage your intuition and adapt the ingredients to your own needs, depending upon the size of the peppers you choose, and the kind of sausages you like. Or don't like- truth be told this recipe makes for a great vegetarian meal. Just leave out the sausage (you can add a cup of cooked black beans, if you like).

Each choice influences how much stuffing you'll have. I make a pot of brown rice first, and assemble the stuffing in a skillet; I add the rice in last, a little at a time, to make just enough stuffing for the size of my peppers.

My flavors tend to be closer to Southwestern than Italian here, so if you prefer more traditional flavors, add Italian herbs instead of the smoked chile and cumin [but Dear Reader, the smoky addition of chipotle gives these babies a serious kick in the butt].

Stuffing::

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, as needed
2-3 spicy buffalo sausage (we found gluten-free buffalo sausage at Natural Grocer)
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup roasted corn kernels (you can pan-toast frozen kernels in a pinch)
2 rounded tablespoons pine nuts or toasted sunflower seeds
2 to 3 cups cooked brown rice
Chipotle powder, to taste [or other favorite chile spice]
1/2 teaspoon cumin, or to taste
1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

To assemble::

3 large bell peppers: 1 orange, 1 yellow, 1 green, halved and seeded
6 heaping spoonfuls of your favorite prepared salsa- spicy or mild
6 slices fresh goat cheese- omit for dairy-free

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Put a kettle of water on to boil.

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the sausages till browned; crumble the sausage into small pieces and return to the skillet.

Add a dash more olive oil; heat; add the chopped garlic, onion, corn, and pine nuts; stir and heat through.

Add the cooked brown rice, stir and lightly mix. Add a dash more olive oil, if needed, to moisten. Add chipotle, cumin and paprike. Season with sea salt and pepper. Stir well to combine the flavors. Remove from heat. Add in the chopped cilantro.

Choose a shallow baking dish that will fit the halved peppers. Stuff the halved peppers with the brown rice mixture, pressing in firmly; use as much stuffing as you can. Place the stuffed peppers in the baking dish.

Top each pepper with a spoonful of salsa, and a slice of goat cheese, if using.

Pour about an inch of hot boiled water into the bottom of the baking pan, around the peppers, and loosely cover the pan with a foil tent. This helps to cook the peppers (especially at high altitude). Bake in a 375 degree F oven for about 30-40 minutes, until the peppers are fork tender.

These colorful stuffed peppers can be served as a side dish or a main dish.

Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

Serves 6 as a side dish [one stuffed pepper per person].

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Santa Fe Brown Rice Bake

Santa Fe Brown Rice Bake

One of the most popular foods searched here at Karina's Kitchen is brown rice. And why not? It's naturally gluten-free. It's a good source of fiber for hearty omnivore appetites. And it's a complementary protein for earthy vegan tastes.

2 cups raw brown rice- long or short grain
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 sweet or red onion, diced
1 sweet bell pepper- red, yellow, or orange
1 fresh yellow tomato, chopped- I found a beautiful heirloom yellow tomato at Whole Foods this week but you could also use green or grape or plum tomatoes, even tomatillos!
3/4 cup roasted or frozen corn kernels*
2 roasted or fresh green chiles of choice, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar- or lime juice
Sea salt, to taste
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
A touch of cinnamon
Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, if desired
A splash more of extra virgin olive oil to moisten the rice
1 14-oz can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chiles, with juice

First step:

Cook 2 cups raw brown rice- long or short grained- in 5 cups fresh water. I use a rice cooker to do this, but you could easily cook the rice in a covered pot.

Meanwhile:

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic, chopped onion, sweet bell pepper, and cook for five minutes. Add the fresh yellow tomato, roasted or frozen corn kernels, roasted or fresh green chiles, and balsamic vinegar or lime juice, to taste. Stir-fry just until crisp-tender- you want to simply soften the veggies.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Note* To roast frozen corn, spread kernels on a baking sheet and roast at a high temperature until slightly charred; or pan roast them in a large dry skillet until sweet and toasty.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

When the rice is cooked, assemeble your casserole.

Spoon the cooked brown rice into a casserole dish. Add in and stir dashes (to taste) of: sea salt,
chili powder, cumin, touch of cinnamon, and chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, if desired.

Add a splash of extra virgin olive oil to moisten the rice. Stir. Add the Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chiles and the skillet vegetables. Add fresh chopped herbs, to taste. Toss to combine.

Cover and bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the rice is piping hot and heated through.

Serves 6.

Want more brown rice comfort food?

• For my version with pine nuts and feta cheese, scoot over to my recipe for Pinon Rice Bake.

• Try my easy, simple Baked Chicken Chili Brown Rice Casserole which takes advantage of- you guessed it- leftover chili. Favorites here are: Santa Fe Chicken Chili and Butternut Bean Chili.

• How about my Pineapple Salmon Brown Rice Bake with flaked salmon, green chiles and sour cream?

• Check my Brown Rice Pilaf & Variations for tasty and simple stove-top rice combo ideas.
  

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Ratatouille On Polenta with Baby Greens

Back in the day when your intrepid GFG was way more geek than goddess (read more high school nostalgia here) ratatouille was one of those popular vegetarian recipes every fledgling Molly Katzen inspired veg-head was stirring up. It was ubiquitous. So when the craze for it hit blogs last year (due to a certain animated movie) I was unmoved to jump on the ratty bandwagon. To me it was so, I don't know. Retro?

But wait. Retro can be fun. And what do I have against eggplant? Um. Nothing. Flash forward to New Mexico, February 2008. Ratatouille simmers in a thick iron skillet. Tasty goodness ensues.

And by the way- the aforementioned film? It's nominated for five Oscars. Stay tuned tonight.



Ratatouille On Polenta with Baby Greens

I'll be honest here. My ratatouille changes. (Shocking, I know!) It's never the same recipe twice. This latest incarnation features sliced Baby Bellas instead of zucchini. And olives instead of additional peppers. I served it on a bed of broiled polenta and baby greens drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. If you'd like to make more of a traditional ratatouille with squash, see my links below.

Leftover ratatouille can be chilled, then served at room temperature the next day, or reheated. It also makes a snappy appetizer. Process it a bit to make it into a spread. Serve it on triangles of grilled bread (gluten-free, of course).

For my version you'll need:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large sweet onion, chopped (or two mediums)
4 Japanese eggplants, cut into cubes (or 2 globe eggplants)
2 heaping cups Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1 large bell pepper, any color, cored, seeded, chopped
1 14-oz can fire roasted tomatoes (I chose Muir Glen with green chiles for extra heat)
1/2 cup light broth
1/2 cup green or black olives, sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1-2 teaspoons dried basil
1-2 teaspoons dried Italian Herbs (marjoram, thyme, oregano, rosemary)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

For serving:

Cooked polenta (make your own polenta- see below; or use a pre-made roll of your favorite organic polenta)
A bag of crisp baby greens
Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Optional garnish: crumbles of goat cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large oven-proof skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat and add the garlic and onion; stir and cook for five minutes. Add the eggplant, mushrooms and pepper; stir and cook for five minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth, olives, balsamic vinegar, parsley, herbs, sea salt and ground pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a high simmer.

Set the skillet in the oven and roast the veggies for about 30 minutes, until the veggies are very tender. Stir half way through.

In the meantime, prepare your polenta.

Note: If using a roll of polenta, slice the roll into 1/2 inch slices and place in a broiler pan. Brush with olive oil and season with sea salt and ground pepper. Place the pan into the oven and set the temperature to broil; broil until sizzling and slightly browned.

To make the polenta:

1 cup yellow cornmeal polenta
4 1/2 cups light broth
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

You can also add chopped fresh herbs or grated cheese or non-dairy cheese, if desired.

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, bring the broth to a high simmer and pour the cornmeal into the simmering broth in an even, steady stream, whisking as you go. Keep stirring. When the polenta has thickened and is pulling away from the sides of the pot a bit, add in herbs or shredded cheese and season with sea salt and pepper, to taste. This takes about 20 minutes, or so. Remove the pot from the heat.

If you make your polenta ahead of time, you have the option of spooning it evenly into a pie plate or cake pan and letting it cool. This makes a firm polenta you can later slice into wedges and broil (see instructions above for preparing the rolled polenta).

To serve:

Arrange baby greens on four plates. Drizzle with good olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Add polenta in the center. Top with the ratatouille.

For those doing cheese, scatter crumbles of goat cheese on top. I didn't add cheese, of course, and to be (again) honest, I didn't miss it one bit.

Serves 4.

More ratatouille goodness::

Dad's Ratatouille at Simply Recipes
Kalyn's Ratatouille Wanna-Be at Kalyn's Kitchen
Alanna's Ratatouille at Kitchen Parade
Book of Yum's Vegan and Gluten-Free Ratatouille

Susan's Roasted Ratatouille at Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

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Cappuccino Brownies

My additional food allergies put a definite crimp into my chocolate life. Making a brownie without eggs at high altitude has been a nightmare. I kid you not. You try it. The damn brownies never cook- they sizzle and ooze and just when you can take it no longer, Dear Reader, you yank the unctuous mud out of the oven out of sheer boredom and disgust (they've been baking for what, three days?) and set them on the cooling rack only to watch them harden into what can only be described as a slab of brown cement.

Not even the coyotes would touch them.

And yes, I've tried the high altitude tricks. And no, I can't use silken tofu or flaxseed gel or mayonnaise (due to the aforementioned allergies). What I can do is persevere (here is where perseveration comes in handy). This time, it worked. Maybe it was the Spectrum Organic Shortening. Or maybe it was the vanilla powder. Who knows? All I know is this attempt (number, what? Fifteen, maybe?) is finally edible. Not to mention, mighty tasty.



Cappuccino Brownies

These fudgy gems freeze well. Exercise self control when you thaw one- let them get to room temperature before indulging. The flavor is better. Of course, you could always cheat and nuke one for twenty seconds to get it instantly warm and melty, too.

Whisk to combine:

1/2 cup buckwheat flour* see notes
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Authentic Foods Vanilla Powder- or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat:

1/3 cup vanilla rice milk

And add in:

2 rounded teaspoons of instant decaf coffee or espresso crystals. Stir to dissolve the coffee. Set aside.

Beat:

1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Shortening
1 cup packed organic light brown sugar
1 Ener-G egg replacer- or 1 organic happy egg

Add the coffee milk to this and beat.

Add the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir/beat by hand until smooth. Gluten-free batters are stiff- but if this bater is *too* stiff, add a tablespoon of rice milk or two until it softens a bit.

Add in:

1/2 cup Enjoy Life or other allergen-free chocolate chips, and additional chips for topping, if desired

Mix well. It will come together as a sturdy batter much like fudge. If the batter is too dry to stick together, add another tablespoon of rice milk- or two- until the batter can form into a ball.

Dump, press and smooth the brownie batter into an 8-inch square baking pan. I use a narrow silicone spatula to do this, then finish with dry hands.

Sprinkle the top with extra chips, cocoa powder and cinnamon.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the brownies are fairly firm to the touch and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean (check twice if you hit a melted chocolate chip).

Cool on a wire rack before slicing. Sprinkle with cinnamon again before serving.

Cook's Note::

• I like to freeze my brownies for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. This makes a neater bar. Then I wrap each bar in foil and freeze in a freezer bag.

• I use buckwheat in my flour mix because it's higher in protein and fiber than typical gluten-free flours and starches. You could always sub with your own favorite hearty flour. But I wouldn't use starches in this recipe- the texture might change.
  

Makes 12 bars.

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Sesame Noodles, Solo

Find yourself bored with the usual PB & J on gluten-free bread? Tired of soy yogurt? Out of buckwheat waffles? Here is a lickity-split (not to mention, delicious!) hot lunch. Use leftover rice spaghetti and bagged washed baby greens, and you have an almost instant killer soup to slurp.


Sesame Noodles, Solo

Your choice of broth influences the flavor- so pick a favorite light tasting broth. If you cannot do sesame, try peanut or even sunflower butter and use chili oil. I'm allergic to soy so I do not use soy sauce, but if you do, you could certainly add a dash.

For one serving you'll need::

1 cup cooked rice spaghetti noodles
1 cup hot broth
1 tablespoon toasted sesame tahini
1 tablespoon dark agave nectar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil- or chili oil if you like heat
Pinch cayenne or hot curry powder, to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons sea vegetables, such as arame, wakame, etc
1 small carrot, shaved pieces
1 spring onion or scallion, sliced
1 small dash of coconut milk or rice milk
Baby salad greens
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

Warm up and soften the cooked noodles by briefly soaking them in freshly boiled hot water (if you just cooked the noodles, omit this step). Drain the noodles and pour into a warmed soup bowl. Cover with a plate to keep warm.

To the hot broth add: tahini, agave, rice vinegar, sesame oil, spices and garlic. Whisk to combine. Pour into a small soup pot and add the sea vegetables, carrot and scallion. Heat through until the sea vegetables are cooked. Add a small dash of coconut milk, if you like. (I'm currently avoiding coconut milk so I used plain rice milk and it was delicious.)

To the noodles- add some baby greens. Pour the soup over the noodles and greens. Season with sea salt and pepper, to taste.

Grab your spoon- and chopsticks. You know what to do next.

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The Best Vegan Baked Mac & Cheese Recipe

Some folks do it up fancy for V-day. Lobster. Steak. Chocolate-dipped strawberries. Not us. Not this year, at least. This morning Steve and I looked at each other and decided- simultaneously- that comfort food just felt right. Mac and cheese? he asked. Mac and cheese, I answered.

True love is groovin' on the same wave length.

And yes, there are gluten-free versions of mac 'n cheese on this blog- and hell yeah, they are darn tasty recipes. There's even a dairy-free one. (So are you bored with me yet?) But I just couldn't keep the latest vegan version of our favorite comfort food a secret. It's too creamy-cheesy good not to share.

Aren't you glad I like to tweak? Seriously.

If you're newly gluten-free and avoiding dairy too, this is the recipe that just might make you- or your GF/CF angel- smile BIG.

The Best Vegan Baked Mac & Cheese

Don't mourn for Kraft-y macaroni goodness, Babycakes. I've got something tastier (and healthier!). This homemade cheesy uncheese sauce is creamy and delicious. And it's corn and soy-free, too.

For the casserole:

10 to 12 oz. dry penne or macaroni pasta, partially pre-cooked* - see below; we like Tinkyada Brown Rice Penne or Spirals but you could use classic macaroni pasta

For the sauce:

4 tablespoons light olive oil
4 tablespoons sweet rice flour
2 1/2 cups plain hemp, rice or nut milk
1 rounded tablespoon toasted sesame tahini or almond butter
2 heaping tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1-2 teaspoons golden balsamic or rice vinegar, or lemon juice, to taste
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
A dash or two of Simply Organic Garlic Powder
A dash or two of Simply Organic Minced Onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons white wine- Frey Organic wine is vegan and egg-free

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon turmeric for yellow, or paprika for orange color

For the topping:

1 cup Crunchy Gluten-Free "Bread" Crumbs (these crumbs have herbs and olive oil)
10-12 grape tomatoes, halved
A sprinkle of dried basil and parsley

*To pre-cook the pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and pre-cook the penne just until it is slightly tender but firm to the bite. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it quickly under cold water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and stir in the sweet rice flour (I like to use a whisk to do this). Cook and stir the flour for about 10 seconds, then slowly add in the hemp milk, whisking to blend the flour paste (called a roux) and hemp milk.

Bring the mixture to a bubble (it will thicken as it heats) then reduce the heat to low.

Add the toasted sesame tahini, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, golden balsamic vinegar, sea salt, a dash or two of Simply Organic Garlic Powder and Simply Organic Minced Onion, nutmeg and white wine. Add turmeric or paprika for color, if desired. Mix well with a whisk.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour the cooked penne into a 6-cup baking dish. Pour the cheesy uncheese sauce over the penne and gently combine. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the gluten-free bread crumbs and halved grape tomatoes. Sprinkle with dried basil. (For the sensory sensitive, omit the tomatoes, crumbs and basil.)

For individual gratin dishes, combine the pasta with the cheese sauce first; then spoon it into the gratin dishes. Top with crumbs and tomatoes and sprinkle with dried basil.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes, until heated through and bubbling.

Serves 4.

Cook's Notes::

• For those cooking gluten-free, the trick with baking gluten-free pasta in a casserole is: do not over-boil it. Keep it very al dente because it continues to cook in the sauce when you bake it.

• For quick and easy stove-top cookery, cook the pasta until done and add it to the hot cooked sauce; stir gently to combine. Serve.
  

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Winter Pesto

Fresh basil is nowhere to be found- in our neck of the woods, anyway. But that doesn't mean yours truly lives without pesto. No way. It's too good stirred or plopped into soups, schmeared on croutons and grilled bread. It's fabulous on salmon and fish. Not to mention, of course, pasta. Roasted potato wedges. Eggs. It dresses up rice. Pizza. Hummus.

So I make winter pesto with cilantro and pecans. It's bright, warm and nutty all at once. I spooned a big dab into an Asian style noodle bowl yesterday (yay for sea vegetables!) and it simply hit the spot.

Cilantro lovers- smack your lips. Here's a pesto you will love.



Winter Pesto- Vegan and Dairy-Free

This vegan pesto is big on taste, zero on dairy. You won't miss the cheese, I promise. It never lasts long around here.

2 cups, washed, loosely packed stemmed cilantro
2/3 cup shelled pecans
1-2 cloves fresh garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 to 1/2 cup good tasting extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Sea salt, to taste

Combine the cilantro, pecans, garlic and dried basil in a food processor and process until it turns into a coarse meal. Slowly add extra virgin olive oil and process until it becomes a smooth, light paste. Add enough olive oil to keep it moist and spreadable. Season with sea salt, to taste.

Cover and store chilled for at least an hour to saturate the flavors. I like to pour a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil over the top to help keep it bright green.

Makes roughly a rounded cup.

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Yes, We Can

H O P E

V O T E

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Breakfast Cookies

Even before I was diagnosed with multiple food allergies and had to give up my Huevos Diablo and Blue Corn Chip Frittata I used to eat blond brownies for breakfast. And sometimes, a cookie. Or two. I admit it. And yes, I'm one of those sly and innocent individuals who adds chocolate chips to pancakes and says, Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants, right? [insert wide-eyed half smile here] So those who know me well will not be surprised I've been tinkering with my tasty Breakfast Brownie recipe and transforming it into (don't ask don't tell) some fabulous c-o-o-k-i-e-s. And, Yep. With chocolate chips.

It just wouldn't be breakfast around here without chocolate.

Breakfast Cookies

Steel cut oats are highly nutritious and full of fiber. Softening them a bit before blending the cookie dough helps the final texture of the cookie. I eat mine slightly chilled- and sometimes I dip them into my green tea latte made with vanilla rice milk. Or... I zap in the microwave briefly- maybe 20 seconds- until they get soft and the chocolate gets melty.

How yum is that?

In a mixing bowl, whisk together these dry ingredients::

3/4 cup rice flour [or sorghum flour]
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 2/3 cups organic light brown sugar

In a separate bowl blend::

2/3 cup light olive oil [or vegetable oil]
2 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons good vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons vanilla rice milk, as needed to moisten oats

Add to this wet mix:
1 1/3 cup Bob's Red Mill steel cut oats

Allow the oats to soften for at least twenty minutes.

Combine the two bowls- wet and dry ingredients- with a sturdy wooden spoon till moistened.

Prepare 2 organic free-range eggs or make your egg replacement.

If you are adding eggs, beat two free-range organic large eggs till frothy.

For egg replacer I used:

• 1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer
• 4 tablespoons vanilla rice milk
• Whip the egg replacer ingredients till foamy.

Add the beaten aggs or the egg replacer to the cookie batter and combine well. The dough should be thick. If the batter appears too wet, add a tablespoon of rice flour; more flour as needed.

Now add:

1/2 cup golden or dark raisins, or other chopped dried fruit
1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Option:

Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts- pecans, walnuts, peanuts

Mound the batter into a ball and chill for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Using an ice cream scoop make rounded cookie dough balls and place them on a non-stick or prepared baking sheet. Press down slightly- not too hard; it the balls are too flat the cookies will spread too thin.

Place the baking sheet into the center of a pre-heated oven and bake until the cookies are golden and set- from 15 to 20 minutes, depending upon how big you make your cookies.

Cool on the baking sheet for 2 - 3 minutes, then use a thin spatula to carefully remove the cookies to a wire cooling rack.

When completely cool, wrap two at a time in foil; bag in a freezer storage bag. Freeze for future oatmeal goodness.

Makes 32 big cookies (I baked four batches of eight).

Want more?

Check out Susan's fabulous
Oatmeal- It's What's for Breakfast with recipes.
Check out Kalyn's mighty tasty round-up
Beyond Cereal- Are You Eating Enough Oatmeal? at BlogHer.
My original totally awesome Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe.

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Joey's Kicked Up Rockin' Guac

Here's the best guacamole recipe. Yup. From our archives. There seems to be some partying goin' on this weekend. You already know how I feel about it. But who am I to deny that my Nachos Fabuloso and Lime Chicken Tacos wouldn't be some fun and super-tasty get together food? Not to mention my Jalapeño Lime Hummus. Or my Chicken Enchiladas New Mexico Style. And hands down, the tastiest guacamole ever. Seriously.

Party on, gluten-free guys and gals.

Joey's Kicked Up Rockin' Guac

Apparently in some circles my pal Joey's guac is famous. But lest I be considered indiscreet, we won't name names. Let's just say, this guac is rockin'. The best guacamole this side of the Mississippi. (Thanks to Will, for styling the limes.)

6-8 ripe avocados (depending upon the size)
3 tomatillos, chopped
2-3 ripe red tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1 small red or sweet onion, diced fine
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded, diced fine
1 big bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Sea salt, to taste
2-4 fresh juicy limes

Peel and pit the avocados; cut the fruit into chunks and toss into a large bowl.

Add the chopped tomatillos, tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeños, and cilantro. Toss with your bare hands. Get squishy.

Season with sea salt to taste. Squeeze fresh lime juice all over the guac and mix again. Taste test. Add more salt or lime, to taste. Taste test again (this is the fun part).

Serve in a festive bowl topped with lime wedges. Break out the tortilla chips.


Notes::

• Not only a party dip, this guac is the perfect side dish with any of my Mexican enchilada recipes, my vegetarian recipes. Not to mention, crispy brown rice tortilla chips.

• For the texture sensitive, mash the guac smooth and leave out the chunky veggies.
  

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