Minted Guacamole with Pomegranate Seeds
Makes about 1 Cup | Prep Time 10 minutes | Cook Time 0 minutes
Cooks get their inspiration in the strangest of places. Like old ghost towns. No lie. For my 50th birthday Jill, my best friend from back east, decided to meet me in Jerome, Arizona. Once an abandoned copper mining town, it transformed itself into a hip arts community with a hole-in-the-wall Southwestern restaurant that we serendipitously stumbled upon. On the table was a guacamole studded with pomegranate seeds. Our eyes and tongues lit up; I think Jill said something like “Oh my! This is so good…and it looks like Christmas!” I took a mental snapshot of the look and taste and recreated it here. Both mint and pomegranates have outstanding nutrients for well-being. Jill and I both went shopping around Jerome after our meal, but I think the impetus for this recipe was the most valuable thing I brought back home.
Instructions
In a medium size bowl, mash the avocado with a fork and add the red onion, lime juice, sea salt, cayenne, cilantro, mint and combine well. Add 2 tablespoons of the pomegranate seeds and combine. Garnish with the remaining pomegranate seeds.
COOK'S NOTES: Here's a quick trick for removing pomegranate seedsfrom the fruit. Cut the pomegranate in half crosswise. Then, working over a large bowl, hold one half with the cut side facing down, into the bowl. Give the uncut side of the fruit a few good whacks with the back of a large wooden spoon to release the seeds. When pomegranates are in season, I buy several and store the seeds in an airtight container in the freezer to use throughout the year. They make any dish pop with color and flavor.
I like to serve this guacamole with jicama sticks. Take a vegetable peeler to the jicama, then cut it in half with a sharp knife. Cut the halves into ½-inch-wide strips, then turn the strips onto their side and repeat the process, cutting them into ½-inch-wide strips. To store the jicama strips, put them in a bowl, add cold water to cover, and mix in the juice of 1 lime or lemon. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
PER SERVING: (2 tablespoons per serving) Calories: 85; Total Fat: 7.5 g(1 g saturated, 5 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 5.5 g; Protein: 1 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 57 mg
STORAGE: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reprinted with permission from The Longevity Kitchen: Satisfying Big-Flavor Recipes Featuring the Top 16 Age-Busting Power Foods Copyright © 2013 by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.
Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
2 tablespoons red onion, small dice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
pinch of cayenne
1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped
3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds