I grew up in a home where we ate quite a variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables. But somehow the avocado eluded us. And guacamole? The first time I tried it I was in my late twenties.
It was love-at-first-bite.
But chips, guac’s side kick, are rather low on the healthy eating spectrum, sprouted, organic, GMO-free or not. And despite their salty, crunchy tastiness, I’ve been looking beyond the vegan label to examine what I’m actually putting into my body. Because eating a plant-based diet doesn’t necessarily = a healthy diet.
So when I want a healthier compadre for my guacamole, I round up some sweet potatoes and put them to work. According to WebMD, sweet potatoes are full of calcium, potassium and vitamins A & C.
Both recipes are simple to prepare and contain a small handful of ingredients.
But before we get to the recipes, I wondered…are there any foods or dishes that somehow eluded you in childhood that you discovered as an adult?
CLICK TO PRINT A PDF of the guacamole recipe
CLICK HERE TO PRINT A PDF of the oven baked sweet potato chips recipe
oven baked sweet potato chips & guacamole (oil free, vegan)
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
Keywords: bake raw appetizer snack side gluten-free nut-free oil free paleo soy-free sugar-free vegan vegetarian garlic avocado cilantro sweet potato Cinco de Mayo Mexican
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato Chips
- Sweet potatoes
- Salt
- Chili powder
- Cumin
For the Guacamole
- 1 avocado
- 1- 1½ tsp. fresh lime juice
- 1-2 T cilantro
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
For the Sweet Potato Chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Meanwhile, peel sweet potatoes, then slice into rounds about ¼” thick.
Place rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with seasonings to your taste.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hours, turning at least once until potatoes are cooked through.
For the Guacamole
Peel the avocado, remove pit and mash.
Add remaining ingredients to the avocado and stir thoroughly.
Best if served immediately.
Recipe Notes
Plan to prepare approximately 1-2 sweet potatoes per person depending on the size of the potato.
Sweet potato chips are best when freshly cooked, but can be stored in the fridge and then reheated
Avocados are ripe when their skins are black and they yield gently to the touch.
A fork or potato masher work well to mash the avocado.
Sometimes I add in diced onion and/or finely diced tomatoes to mix things up a bit.
These look so delicious! I always make sweet potato chips in the oven too but never think of adding guacamole. Im usually always baking things so I will have to try this. lf you need a sweet treat this health blueberry muffins recipe is what i always use! http://www.thebrookeeper.com/food/healthier-heavenly-blueberry-muffins/
Thanks for passing along the blueberry muffin idea…blueberries are one of my favorites!