Tag: avocado

Unholy Guacamole

Don’t judge a book by its cover, a person by their clothing, or a dip by its color. The comparison is inevitable so I’ll go ahead and say it: The following recipe, no matter how brilliantly described or lovingly plated, will always and forever look like a glorious mountain of cow plop, steaming away on a hot summer’s afternoon.

Just avert your eyes and dig in. The smoky, spicy, earthy flavor of cocoa mole awaits your taste buds if you can suspend disbelief. Presenting a bold alternative to the ubiquitous green guacamole filling bowls across the country for Super Bowl festivities, it won’t score any points for presentation, but may just win the snacking game.

Yield: 2 Cups

GuacaMole

GuacaMole

When guacamole meets mole, the results may not be pretty, but the flavor is out of this word. This creamy, smoky, spicy, and earthy mashup will tempt you to double (or triple) dip.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 1 Teaspoon Chipotle Powder
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Ground White pepper
  • 2 Avocados
  • 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
  • 1 Small Heirloom or Medium Roma Tomato, Chopped
  • 2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, Minced
  • 2 Scallions, Thinly Sliced

Instructions

  1. Combine the cocoa, spices, and salt in a medium bowl and mix well.
  2. Pit, dice and scoop the avocado flesh out, adding it to the bowl along with the lime juice. Very roughly mash with a fork, incorporating all of the dry ingredients but keeping the texture rather chunky.
  3. Mix in the tomato, garlic, cilantro, and scallions last, stirring until the vegetables and herbs are equally distributed throughout the dip.
  4. Serve with chips or cut vegetable crudites.

Notes

Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1/4 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 68Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 71mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 3gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Dips, Dressings, Sauces, Spreads, and Condiments

Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments

All About That Hass

Morning, noon, or night, avocado toast always hits the spot. Something about the way a luscious, creamy slab of ripe avocado melts into a hot slice of burnished golden toast defies explanation, yielding a taste far greater than the sum of its parts. Dress it up with any variety of spices, seeds, fruits, or vegetables; there’s no way to go wrong with this universal foundation. That said, it’s hard to beat the original and I always crave even more avocado, piling it up as high as gravity will allow.

Seeking a new way to pack in even more of the rich green fruit, I turned to crafting a more perfect base. This bread gets its soft, tender crumb and vibrant hue from a buttery blend of both mashed avocado and avocado oil. It makes for brilliant sandwich bread as well, sliced thin and layered with sweet and savory fillings alike… But of course, I’d always opt to add more avocado whenever possible.

Yield: 1 Loaf; 8 - 10 Servings

Avocado Bread

Avocado Bread

This bread gets its soft, tender crumb and vibrant hue from a buttery blend of both mashed avocado and avocado oil. It makes for brilliant sandwich bread as well, sliced thin and layered with sweet and savory fillings alike… But of course, I’d always opt to add more avocado whenever possible.

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 Cup Warm Water (About 100˚F)
  • 1 Teaspoon Light Agave Nectar
  • 1 Packet (2 1/4 Teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
  • 2 Large, Ripe Avocados (About 9 Ounces Total)
  • 1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/4 Cup Aquafaba
  • 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 3 – 3 1/2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour

Instructions

  1. Combine the water and agave in a small bowl before sprinkling the yeast on top. Allow it to sit until the yeast is reactivated and bubbly; about 5 – 10 minutes.
  2. Transfer the yeast picture to the bowl of your stand mixer and add in the flesh of the avocados and apple cider vinegar. Using the paddle attachment, begin to mix on medium-low speed, mashing the avocado until completely smooth. Once homogeneous, introduce the aquafaba, avocado oil, and salt, mixing to incorporate.
  3. Add 3 cups of the flour and begin to mix slowly. Swap out the paddle attachment for the dough hook before adding in the remainder of the flour, if needed, to bring the dough together. Let the machine continue knead the dough for about 10 – 15 minutes on low speed, until the dough forms a smooth, elastic ball. It should be a rather soft dough, so don’t be tempted to add more flour.
  4. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
  5. When the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 350˚F. Transfer the dough into a greased 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch baking pan and gently smooth out the top with lightly moistened hands. Let rest once more at room temperature for another 30 minutes.
  6. Bake 40 – 50 minutes, until golden brown all over and irresistibly aromatic. Let the finished loaf rest in the pan for 15 minutes before removing it to cool completely on a wire rack. Slice, savory, and enjoy!

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 520Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 217mgCarbohydrates: 95gFiber: 16gSugar: 1gProtein: 18g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Yeast Breads and Rolls

Hannah (BitterSweet)14 Comments

Salsa By Any Other Name

Typically conjuring up images of a raw, spicy, tomato-based condiment (or a spirited dance step, if you’re more of an active sort), salsa by any other parameters can be somewhat difficult to swallow. Divorced from the traditional fixings entirely, nouveau renditions may rely on unexpected bases such as corn, mango, or even coconut- Not a tomato or jalapeño in sight. Are these oddballs really salsa, or just another cold relish? Where is the line drawn, and where would my latest crazy concoction fall?

Composed of rich, creamy chunks of avocado, contrasted by crunchy cubes of jicama, the departure from traditional salsa is further reinforced by the herbaceous, acidic bite of chimichurri. Bold flavors define this gloriously green amalgamation; peppery, lemony, and vinegary all at once, the cooling vegetable backdrop proves to be an excellent canvas on which to paint the Argentinian marinade. It’s the Swiss army knife of toppings, perfectly suitable as a dip with chips, crowning soups and salads, or an hors d’oeuvre in and of itself. Filling the curved interior of endive leaves, a more elegant summer snack could not be served.

Thankfully, it turns out the “salsa” can be literally translated to “sauce” in Spanish, so it looks like anything goes for this expansive category. Although, I have to wonder how sauce-like my creation here is, considering the chunky texture and lack of liquid… But I suppose that’s a discussion for another day.

Yield: 3 Cups; 6 Servings

Chimichurri Avocado Salsa

Chimichurri Avocado Salsa

Composed of rich, creamy chunks of avocado, contrasted by crunchy cubes of jicama, the departure from traditional salsa is further reinforced by the herbaceous, acidic bite of chimichurri. Bold flavors define this gloriously green amalgamation; peppery, lemony, and vinegary all at once, the cooling vegetable backdrop proves to be an excellent canvas on which to paint the Argentinian marinade.

Ingredients

  • 1 Clove Garlic
  • 2 Scallions, Roughly Chopped
  • 1 (3-Ounce) Bunch Fresh Parsley
  • Zest of 1 Lemon
  • 1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice Juice
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 3 Ripe, Firm Avocados
  • 1 1/2 Cups Finely Diced Jicama*

Instructions

  1. Pull out your food processor and toss in the garlic, scallions, parsley, and lemon zest. Pulse a few times to begin breaking down the herbs, pausing as need to scrape down the sides of the bowl and make sure that everything reaches to blades. With the motor running, stream in the oil, vinegar, and lemon juice, until well-combined. Add in the pepper flakes and salt, and continue processing until the herbs are extremely fine, but not completely smooth.
  2. Peel, pit, and dice the avocados, placing it in a large bowl along with the prepared jicama. Toss it with all of the herb mixture until evenly coated and distributed. Serve immediately, or chill for up to a day to allow the flavors to meld. The avocado may darken slightly when held overnight, so place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the salsa before sealing it in an air-tight container in the fridge to mitigate those effects.

Notes

*To prepare jicama, first slice it in half, pole to pole. Peel the tough brown exterior away and cut it into 1-cm slabs. Dice and toss into acidified water (1 tablespoon of vinegar in about 3 – 4 cups of water should do the trick) to prevent browning. Rinse, drain, and dry thoroughly before using.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 176Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 210mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g
© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: Argentinian / Category: Dips, Dressings, Sauces, Spreads, and Condiments

Hannah (BitterSweet)33 Comments

Do the Monster Mash

No need to be scared of things that go bump in the night, because around these parts, in all likelihood it’s nothing more than the midnight baker, bumbling about in the kitchen.  When the witching hour struck last night, however, the midnight baker was up to some devious plot, whipping up more spooky sweets that usual…

Topped with a monstrous green swirl of frosting and those ever-popular chocolate spiders, these cupcakes are by no means horrific Halloween eats, but still perfectly fun and festive. Who really wants to eat something so faux-gory that it makes your stomach turn in the first place?

Of course, there is still one hidden surprise that’s just a touch bloody…

Strawberry “blood” filling! No, you’re definitely not going to fool anyone, but for a last-minute Halloween dessert, this assemblage can’t be beat. Just bake your favorite vanilla (or any other light-colored) cupcakes, carve a little cone out of the center with a paring knife, and trim the bottom of the cone off. Fill the hollow with a teaspoon or two of strawberry jam, and replace the top. Save the scraps for cake truffles, or have yourself a little snack.

As for that green frosting, you won’t find any nasty food coloring here- That hue is all thanks to one little avocado, and you can’t taste it one bit. Feel free to take advantage of that color and flavor it with mint, or keep it more kid-friendly with a solid dose of vanilla.  Should you need a last-minute Halloween party treat, look no further- These are simple enough to please all palates, and easy enough to whip up in no time at all.

Yield: Makes Enough to Frost about 1 Dozen Cupcakes

Monster (Green Avocado) Frosting

Monster (Green Avocado) Frosting

You won’t find any nasty food coloring here. That bright green glow is all thanks to one little avocado, and you can’t taste it one bit. Feel free to take advantage of that color and flavor it with mint, or keep it more kid-friendly with a solid dose of vanilla. 

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Ripe, Medium-Sized Avocado
  • 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 Cup Vegan Butter
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract (or Additional Vanilla)
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Salt
  • 2 – 3 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar

Instructions

  1. Place your avocado and lemon juice in a food processor or blender and thoroughly puree, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary to ensure that there are no chunks of avocado remaining.
  2. Transfer the puree into your stand mixer and add in the vegan butter. Cream fats together until smooth and homogeneous, and then add in your extracts of choice and salt.
  3. Stop the machine before adding in the sugar and begin it again on a low speed so as not to fling powder everywhere. Once the sugar is mostly incorporated, turn up the speed to high, and whip for 2 – 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  4. Apply to cupcakes as desired.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 311Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 24mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 1gSugar: 54gProtein: 0g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Other

Hannah (BitterSweet)49 Comments