Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Our 4th of July kicked off a whole new season in our lives. Though we still didn't technically own our new home, we hosted our first "big" party with family and a few friends. It was one of those totally last minute deals where we were literally buying a gas grill hours before we lit it up . . . and I was in need of some majorly tasty party food -- and fast.

PS: I need a major post-move makeover, people!

Deviled eggs are an all-time favorite of mine. I could seriously eat an entire batch myself. And keeping with my Avocado Egg Salad theme, I thought to try them with some guacamole we had leftover from a Veggie-Loaded Quesadillas dinner the night before.

Let me tell you, these eggs are !!!


GUACAMOLE DEVILED EGGS

What you'll need . . . 

• 12 eggs, hard boiled 
• A couple tablespoons to Vegenaise or mayo*
• 1/4 cup homemade guacamole (or store bought), more if desired
• Dried dill, paprika, etc.

* Optional, but I love the tangy taste it adds to this recipe!

Method . . .

1. Hard boil your eggs on the stove. The best instructions I have ever run across for this process are from Martha Stewart. Works perfectly every time -- cover eggs with 1 inch of cold water, bring to a rapid boil, take off from heat + cover, and let sit for 12 minutes before putting in a bath of cold (or icy) water to stop the cooking.
2. Slice eggs in half -- carefully -- and place hardened yolks in a small bowl. Arrange on a plate for future filling.
3. Then add the Vegenaise or mayo and guacamole and mix until well incorporated. You may add more mayo or guac, depending on your desired flavor and texture.
4. Then scoop a generous amount into each egg 
5. Then top with generous sprinklings of dill and smoked paprika, etc. I also added some fresh grated black pepper and sea salt for good measure.

I will definitely be making another batch (for myself only!) ASAP. There's just something about that avocado + egg mixture that gets me every time. Oh, and if you're vegan, you can always tried the Tofu Avocado Salad recipe we posted last year. It's another winner!

Happy Monday -- and I hope you all had a great holiday! Here are some more photos from our party. I'd say this recipe is certainly a strong move toward making more of my clean eating goals a reality.

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Tofu-Avocado Salad + GF Day 1

One of the most popular recipes on this blog is Avocado-Egg Salad. And for good reason -- that sandwich is dynamite. Now, as I look back on the most recent recipes I've been giving you guys, almost all of them are for cookies, scones, breads, or some other flour-heavy concoction. One-track mind, I guess.

So, in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, here's something GREEN!

TOFU-AVOCADO SALAD
vegan alternative to Avocado-Egg Salad

What you'll need . . . 

• 1/2 block of extra firm tofu, drained and ripped into chunks 
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced out of skin in chunks
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard 
• 1 tablespoon dill, fresh or dry
• Juice of 1/2 to a whole lime, depending on your preference
• Salt + pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Vegenaise (you can also try Tahini!)

Method . . .

1. Put all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. 
2. Note: You can play around with the seasonings to fit your specific preferences. We never make it the same way twice.
3. Then just blend all ingredients together using a knife. More about this technique, check out my Easy Guacamole recipe. I learned it from one of my writing professors in college. 
4. Then eat on its own or use it to top crackers, toasted bread or inside wraps, etc.

I didn't get a great photo of the finished product, but it really just looks a mess like in that last process picture. Makes two gigantic servings or four "normal" ones. We ate ours in Mission Wraps, which I've said goodbye to in this gluten-free adventure.

GLUTEN-FREE

Tofu's gluten-free, right? I mean, I know it is -- I think? -- but I feel like everywhere I look, gluten is lurking. In oats of all places (though we have a package of Bob's Red Mill GF), soy sauce (really???), malt vinegar, some dairy products, etc. Crazy. Just crazy.

I'm going to do the best I can for the next 28 days, but I would like to note that I do not think I have a gluten sensitivity. I got a couple emails urging me not to "self-diagnose" -- which I'm certainly not doing. This period away from gluten is purely to get myself off eating TOO much of a good thing.

Overindulging in chocolate or alcohol or carrots or anything, for that matter, wouldn't be a good thing either . . .

I would say almost all our meals revolve around bread in some capacity. If you go back a few pages in the archives, you'll see what I mean. Naan buns for veggie burgers, pizzas, dinner rolls, scones + waffles for breakfast, the list goes on. Truth is, I got lazy with my cooking. It's easier to grab a slab of crusty bread than it is to take time stir-frying up some veggies.

I will not be going totally gluten-free at the end of the short experiment, I'm just hoping to gain some fresh perspective and start thinking OUTSIDE the bread box.

I'm also seeking . . .

• Better digestion. My stomach is upset a lot of the time and I feel bloated constantly. Maybe from the inflammatory properties in gluten, maybe not. I think this might also have to do with too much salt intake. 
• Beer, too. I have a beer a day -- but I'd like to swap that for wine or cut out alcohol entirely more nights of the week and see if my stomach feels better. (However, any suggestions on good GF beers? I hear Dog Fish makes one.)
• Brighter skin + aura of health. Yes. I just wrote that. I feel dull inside and out. Like the bread soaked the life-juice out of me. 
• Alternative carbohydrate sources to fuel running. I don't need to eat half a large pizza the night before a race, eh? There's got to be other, high-quality foods that can help my running performance.
• More variety in the foods my family eats. I still want to eat pizza every week, but I think we could mix it up a bit and try cauliflower crust and other swaps every now and again. More veggies = more nutrients = healthier family with or without bread.
• Energy. I guess this is an overarching thing -- but my energy levels aren't, well, level at all. I go through lots of peaks and valleys, and I think sugar consumption is also to blame. Of course I can still eat sugar without the gluten, but I think it will be at least slightly more difficult, thereby making me think twice before baking a huge chocolate cake.
• Fewer cravings. Apparently "Eating grains makes you crave grains and sugar since grains break down into sugar, they create a rise in insulin levels when those levels fall you crave more grains and, thus, the vicious cycle continues" (Source).

A lot of how I'll be "measuring" the results of this experiment is by feel. I won't necessarily do measurements or weight because that's not my primary goal. Also, I've started weight training and have been simultaneously getting fitter and heavier with the added muscle, so I don't think it'd be an accurate gauge anyway.


I suppose I'll update you guys a little bit after most of my posts. I hope you enjoyed the Tofu + Avocado Salad recipe. It's a sign of more vibrant, healthy foods to come this month and beyond.

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Beet + Goat Cheese + Avocado = Salad

We roasted more beets over the weekend. This time, a double batch filled two of our cast-iron dishes. I definitely prefer this method to using foil. An no matter how many times I follow it, I still marvel at the magenta hues they leave behind on my fingertips and in the sink.

Instead of toiling over a chutney, we decided to make a simple beet "salad." Roast, skin, slice, and eat. Beets alone? Doesn't sound like much of a salad at all. So, we rolled a log of goat cheese in some dill.

Added a generous helping of 5-minute naan. Yum.


But something was still missing. Then we found an avocado hiding out in the bottom of the produce bin in our refrigerator. Sliced it. Drizzled it all with some olive oil + salt and pepper. Balsamic would have been another tasty addition.


Ada enjoyed some beets, too!


Don't let that face fool you. She gobbled them all up. Almost as fast as she devoured her tofu the other night. Introducing foods to Ada is fun. Although, for the last couple days, she's been slowing down and refusing to eat solids. I doubt she's being picky just yet -- I think that's saved for toddlerhood.

Anyway, this was a fantastic way to use up our beets. I'm sure we'll get more soon, so I need to think of new uses for them.


What fun ways have you found to use up CSA produce? Our basket has been plentiful. It's a workout finding ways to eat it all.

Today on Writing Chapter Three, we've written up some way that we're moving forward with organics at the grocery store. And stay turned to this blog for a grocery/bulk bag review and giveaway!


PS: In my deals searching this morning I came across a deal for runners! The Garmin Forerunner 110 w/ heart rate monitor for $149.99 -- $80 off (Amazon.com's deal of the day). I often use Stephen's watch, the 210, but am considering getting this one for myself.

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Dill Potato Salad

GOOD NEWS: It's January 11th -- ten days after the New Year began -- and I'm still doing well with the healthy eating. This recipe makes a great, filling lunch that lasts for four days for one OR two days for two. The dill is key for us, but if you're into another type of flavoring, go with it. We used walnut oil because it's what we had, but olive oil (or grapeseed, even avocado!) is also a good substitute.

I'd like to focus the blog on menu planning next week. I've been a champ at it lately. Since we're on an incredibly tight budget, our food money has to stretch farther than ever these days. I've been mapping out meals on the weekends and buying specifically for those meals. It's working fantastically for us -- so much so that we're finding no reason to order out, even with a newborn in the house.

And we're still eating like vegetarian royalty.

DILL POTATO SALAD

What you'll need . . .

• 5 to 6 medium red potatoes
• 2 to 3 cups frozen green beans
• 15 ounce can of Canelli beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup walnut oil
• 2 to 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dill

Method . . .

1. Fill a stock pot with cold water and bring to a boil. I put a tablespoon of salt in there, too.
2. Scrub and rinse potatoes. Cut into 1/2 to 1 inch slices (I cut mine in half first). Then put them in the boiling water to cook for about 10 minutes. Potatoes should be soft, but not mushy.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the walnut oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and dill. You can add more oil if you want, but I found that 1/3 cup does the trick.
4. Put a tablespoon or 2 of the oil mixture into a pan and heat over medium heat. Pour your green beans into the pan and cook until softer, but still slightly crisp.
5. When your potatoes are done cooking, drain and then place them in the bowl with the oil mixture. Add the green beans, too. Then add your drained and rinsed white beans. Mix well until everything is coated.
6. Portion out for 4 lunches in all.

NOTE: You'll obviously want to refrigerate those portions, but you can serve this salad hot or cold. I prefer it somewhere in between those extremes.

Sorry to be brief today. I'm working to get Ada on SOME sort of schedule. If you'd like to read more about life at our house these days, check out (never home)maker, baby! Ada is 8 weeks old, and I'm sharing a postpartum update.

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