the other day, i was rushing through the grocery store (because it is quite possibly the most hated thing i have to do every week) and passed by the packaged guacamole.  then, i spotted the avocados, ripe and ready to mash, a few feet away and knew exactly what was on the menu for dinner that night: bison nachos with a heaping side of guacamole.

i could probably eat guacamole for every meal if it was acceptable, i love it, but i only love it homemade.  i usually have a mexican-themed dinner once a week, and homemade guacamole always makes an appearance.  this recipe is easy to whip up while your meat is browning!

quick tip: if you find an avocado that seems ripe (deep green color and not too firm)  you can flick off the stem to determine whether it’s good or not.  if you take off that little ‘button’ and it’s brown inside, then your avocado is already past it’s prime and you shouldn’t buy it.  if the color is a yellow/green color, take that baby home with you!  (i learned this tip from a friend awhile back)

quick and easy guacamole

(serves 4 or 1 if you’re greedy)

ingredients:

• 1 large avocado
• 1/4 C red onion, diced
• 3 cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 t garlic (or onion) powder
• a pinch of sea salt

directions:

1. cut open avocado, whatever your method may be, and scoop into a small mixing bowl.  mash the avocado with fork (or another masher of choice) until you reach the desired consistency.  (i like my guac more on the smooth side, while other people i know, like to keep it chunky)
2. once avocado is mashed, place all but tomatoes into the bowl and mix well.  these ingredients are based on preference, so feel free to keep the seeds of your pepper, or add more seasoning, if you’d like.
3. once everything is well incorporated, fold in tomatoes. ( i keep these last do that don’t get ‘mushy’ during the mixing process)
4. enjoy!  scoop a dollop on your tacos, quesadilla, burger, fish, or chips – whatever you’re feeling that day!

i know its been awhile since i checked in on the weight loss side of this blog; it’s because i’m trying to figure out my body.  i’m not sure if i’m currently fueling my body with enough calories to where it burns fat, instead of stores it.  i have a RMR test scheduled on the 23rd to determine how well my metabolism burns calories and what my macros should be set at, so i’ll be checking in with that next week.

from the website: What is Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)? Metabolism, quite simply, is the conversion of food to energy. Metabolic rate is a measure of how much food, or fat, is converted to energy in a day.  Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the measurement of how much food, or energy, is required to maintain basic body functions such as heartbeat, breathing, and maintenance of body heat while you are in a state of rest.  That energy is expressed in calories per day.  So an RMR measurement shows how many calories you burn at rest, doing nothing more than sitting in a chair.

i don’t think that this test is the key to me losing weight, but i do think it will help me understand my body so i can fuel it more efficiently and effectively.  i’m sure i’ve done some damage to my metabolism over the years from various eating habits, some very serious, others were just fad diets, so i’m interested to see how my body has reacted to all of that.

so, like i said, i’ll be checking in with those results after the test to share what i’ve discovered!

happy tuesday everyone!

Q:  do you have any tips or tricks when it comes to picking a certain fruit or veggie to ensure its ripe/fresh?