Spicy Guacamole

I don’t feel guilty about my avocado craze either. While avocados are high in fat, most of it is monounsaturated fat, the same fat found in olive oil. Much of this monounsaturated fat is in the form of oleic acid, which, studies have found, helps to lower cholesterol. Avocados are also high in potassium (60% more than bananas, in fact), which is known to help regulate blood pressure. And (!) they are rich in vitamins B, E, and K, and have a high fiber content.

The chips, however, are another matter…

Most guacamole recipes call for two basic ingredients—avocados and lemon juice. (Though some people use lime juice, which I find very unappealing for some reason. It just doesn’t have the “clean” flavor that lemon juice does. In other words, you can taste the lime juice.) The recipes vary from there. Some people add salt, garlic powder, fresh cilantro, green onions, white onions, fresh chiles, and/or tomatoes. I skip all of these and go straight for the Joy’s—Joy’s Salsa Mix, that is. I don’t want the texture of anything but the avocados in my guacamole. I don’t want to crunch raw onion, or chew rubbery tomatoes. And while I love cilantro, I don’t want to see its green stringiness in my dip.

Joy’s Salsa Mix is perfect because it contains the flavors of chiles, garlic, onions, and other spices, without mucking up the guacamole visually and texturally. Joy’s doesn’t contain any sugar or preservatives, either. It’s just pure dehydrated flavor. The more you add, the hotter it gets, so you can easily adjust the heat to fit your personal taste. And of course it makes the perfect salsa, too!

You can order Joy’s Salsa Mix by clicking here.

Check out their other great products, too.

Or, if you live near the company headquarters in Cortez, Colorado, you can buy their products locally. I stock-up every time I go back to Durango (my hometown).

Spicy Guacamole

2 large, or 3 medium, Hass avocados
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. Joy’s Salsa Mix; adjust to individual tastes

Wash avocados. Peel and pit. Mash avocados in a bowl, or, my preference, in a pie pan. Also, I use a potato masher, which gives the guacamole body. (Which sounds much better than “chunks”!)

Add the lemon juice and salsa mix to the mashed avocados. Mix well. Let sit for thirty minutes. (The Joy’s needs time to develop flavor. If you eat the guacamole right away, you will miss what Joy’s has to offer. I know it’s hard, but seriously, let it rest for thirty minutes!! You will be a happy camper.) Adjust seasoning as necessary.