Valley Guacamole served to your taste

Guac or salsa? Do we have to pick? What about queso and pico de gallo? And green sauce?

If guacamole is your thing, you may be open to anything that whomever else is doing the cooking blends in there. If you’re the cook, try the way I find in the Rio Grande Valley, when visiting my husband’s relatives. It’s a form of deconstructed cooking, I suppose.

 

A plate with a serving of mashed avocado is surrounded by separate smaller piles of chopped tomato, cilantro, jalapeno, pepper, etc. It’s an attractive presentation brought to your restaurant table. Diners blend it themselves. If someone doesn’t want to add the jalapeno, then there’s more for me. Worked in my favor!

 

 

Pro Tip: Here’s an extra thought for your Mexican fiesta. Thick and creamy nonfat Greek yogurt is an excellent substitute for sour cream. Save calories here and use them for more queso!

 

 

Where have you BEAN? - What's with all the "alternative" food out there? Sometimes switches are better for you and taste, meh. Sometimes they are wicked good. Harvest Snaps has added to their bags of baked green pea crunchy stuff to Crunchy Puffs, made with navy beans. Join this navy for great flavors such as Loaded Taco, White Cheddar Jalapeno and Honey Dijon. These puffs are big and would hold a nice dip. These are new items at www.harvestsnaps.com and I'm all about 'em. 

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie traveling Texas for culinary adventures. Share with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

You don't have to hide the califlower in the pizza

         

Pizzas with zoodles, avocado, cotija cheese and countless options are persuaders. The strawberry honey pie? That’s the one you may need convincing that it’s made with cauliflower.

                             Just let Amy Lacey have a few minutes with you. Turn pages of her book, “Cali’Flour Kitchen,” and view her smoky burrito bowl or her fig, goat cheese and arugula salad pizza. How could you not be persuaded to try her cauliflower meal made into pizza crusts as a base for super-healthy and delicious meals?

                             Lacey was willing to do a little work and research into a healthier lifestyle to deal with her diagnosis of auto-immune disease. She perfected her methods and several heads later, she mastered the cauliflower crust. Now we just have to follow her recipes.

                             When I first obtained the book, I thought “let there be desserts, too.” Naturally there were. I love it when cooks come up with better-for-you options for skeptics out there. With images in this book, even those who use fast food as a go-to would be willing to eat these natural offerings, which photograph so well. She’s not trying to “trick” picky eaters here, she’s trying to make them and their families enjoy doing the right thing.

                             Her recipes are great, but you can still use the crusts as a canvas to create your own goodies. And remember, there’s more to life – and this book – than pizza. Califlower fits into everything!

Kumana is avocado in a bottle.

                  Better let it out.

                  So, Venezuelans do this avocado sauce that I didn’t know about and Avocado in a bottle

                             Kumana has put it in a squeeze bottle and I’m squeezing it everywhere. I went through a bottle in a weekend, but is was Cinco de Mayo and I had some people over. Well, “people” was my mom and my husband, who already lives here. We all loved it. Fruits and vegetables are part of the avocado mixture that cooks into meats, serves as a chip dip and makes an easy salad dressing. I’ve been waiting for this. Here’s how the makers suggest using their different varieties:

                 

Be Original: Truest to the Venezuelan avocado sauce that inspired the Kumana line. It will take those traditional green beans to another level.

Be Mango:  Blends in mango puree which adds a hint of sweetness. Drizzle on ham (especially honey ham!) for a bold awakening.

Be Hot: Takes a splash of mango and finishes it off with just the right amount of habanero heat—delicious on potatoes.

            Darragh Doiron is an area foodie who has been eating her vegetables. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com.