"AvocadoDip" news and stories

Now that cookout season has kicked off, my healthy makeovers of traditional summer classics -- like creamy guacamole dip -- are in high demand.

It's true that avocados are high in fat, prompting people to call it the "butter pear." While a medium-sized avocado contains about 30 grams of fat, most of it is mono-unsaturated fat that actually helps to lower cholesterol levels. Diet experts have long steered consumers away from avocados, though the U.S. government revised its official nutrition guidelines a few years ago to encourage Americans to eat more of them.

Some people say it's impossible to mess up a guacamole recipe, but I beg to differ. In my book, there's no place for garlic. Yes, you heard right. Plum tomatoes are a must, with the seeds removed to keep from watering down the dip's velvety texture. I also think lime juice and cilantro are central to kicking up the flavor a notch, adding a nice contrast to the creamy texture of the avocados. I top the whole thing off with a pinch of heat from cayenne or other hot, ground dried chilies.

Get Jennifer's guacamole tips and Creamy Guacamole Dip recipe after the jump.

Now I've heard everything.

A woman in Los Angeles is suing Kraft Foods because the avocado dip she bought wasn't really guacamole. Or, in her exact words, "it didn't taste avocadoey." She's seeking damages and wants to force Kraft from calling the dip "guacamole." Kraft says that they aren't deceiving anyone because the labels list the ingredients. However, they have decided to change the labels, to point out a little bit clearer that the dip is only "guacamole-flavored." Hmmm...should they change before the lawsuit is brought to a judge? Isn't that sort of admitting at least a little guilt, that you can see their point and you're changing the label? (I'm probably wrong on that. All I know about law is what I get watching reruns of Ed.)

I hate when my guacamole isn't "avocadoey" enough. It's the same thing when I get a Caesar's salad and it's not anchoviriffic, or when I buy banana bread and it's not bananatastic.

[via Obscure Store and Reading Room]