Simple Guacamole with Smashed Plantain Chips

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

This is an ultra simple way to make Guacamole. I learned how to make it by the Personal Chef I work for, Bill, who was actually taught by an 85 year old lady from when he was down in Mexico cooking for some people on a beach right after they got off their private jets….hard life!! This lady walked up to him and asked him why he was putting so much “crap” in his guacamole. She said, “You only need 2 ingredients! Don’t mess with it, it’s guacamole, not a salad!”. Lime juice and Sea Salt are the only 2 ingredients she uses, but I like to put a swig of olive oil and lemon juice in it to prevent from browning. And the secret is to mix it with your hands; gives it a smooth texture with lumps of avocado still remaining.

The Smashed Plantain Chips I learned how to make from this neighbor I had who was from Puerto Rico. She makes them almost every meal. They’re a fun substitute from regular chips if you want to WOW your guests, and also a great Gluten-Free option!

Simple Guacamole + Smashed Plantain Chips

slice all around and twist.

give seed a bit of a hack with chopping knife, twist, and it comes right out.

use 3 Avocados for every 4 people.

roll your limes and lemons to loosen up juices inside before squeezing.

only need juice of 1 lime to every 3 avocados.

2 big pinches of sea salt.

glug of olive oil.

juice from 1/2 lemon.

trick: mix & mush with hand.

get a fun festive bowl…i collect these from thrift stores whenever I can.

perfect texture.

cut ends off plantains…color should be yellow with brown spots.

slice down and peel back to get skin off…the skins are A LOT tougher than banana skins.

going to be slight pink color to them.

fry on both sides in olive oil till slightly light brown.

SMASH part! smash with something flat.

put smashed plantains back into olive oil and cook both sides again till med brown.

drain on paper towels and season with GARLIC SALT.

i like to add fresh chopped cilantro before serving.

So incredibly healthy & delicious!!!

-Wholesome Gal

Easter

A ‘Grown-Up’ Easter Basket (no peeps or chocolate bunnies!)

My mom came to visit for Easter weekend so I wanted to greet her with a cute little Easter basket!

Of course making it semi-healthy with Dried Roses to steep in milk or tea,  Chocolate Almonds, Trail Mix, my mom’s favorite Werther’s Caramels, and a lovely Sea Island Grapefruit room fragrance spray from Votivo, and a vanilla candle :)

HAPPY EASTER!!!

-Wholesome Gal

An Irish Morning Cocktail

Guinness + Bailey’s Frappuccino

There’s really nothing to say about this drink I made for this IRISH MORNING, except that it’s just AMAZING!!!!

I’m wearing my Irish Cashmere wrap, drinking this DELISH Guinness + Bailey’s Frappuccino and watching the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on my couch with Kruz (my pug) and Dan :) Good start to my Irish birthday weekend!

Here’s the RECIPE: (makes 2)

……actually I drank both myself :)

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Memorial Day Weekend!

Road Trip Snacks!

 

-not a suggested way of driving!  Kruz looooves trips!!!-

I absolutely LOVE any kind of road trips. Even if it’s just a 2 hour drive to see my sister or dad in PA, because it means I have the excuse to pack goodies for the drive! I don’t know why I get all excited about packing lunches and snacks, I just do.  Can’t imagine how I’ll be when I have kids, haha. It’s nostalgie I guess from when I was a kid going on vacations. We never stopped to get fast food….come to think of it, we barely ever stopped unless it was an absolute needed bathroom break! Our vacations consisted of long drives down to the beaches in the Outer Banks, NC – around a 12 hour drive, but my dad loved these long drives- listening to the B 52′s and the Beach Boys! …….”LOVE SHACK!!”

So my mom always made us different kinds of sandwiches for everyone, Peanut-Butter & Jelly, Ham & Cheese, Turkey & Cheese, Banana & Mayo – (yep, the banana one sounds gross but was and is still my favorite!). And of course tons of Lil’ Debbie’s and chips and juices, then packed it all in a giant blue cooler that lasted the whole trip. It was something my brother, sister and I always looked forward to….”What’s in the big blue cooler this time?!”  An awaited little surprise during a horribly long drive.

Dan and I are driving down to Ocean City, MD this weekend…early start at 4:30am! It’s one of my best friends birthday’s and I actually used to live down there with her for a summer after high school about 10 years ago in the tiniest apartment ever, along with her cousin Autumn. It’s going to be a blast, I haven’t been down there since.

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