Guiltless Guacamole (or Zukamole)
Guacamole is one more dish where you can sneak some zucchini. After all, we’ve been sneaking zucchini in everything from brownies to casseroles since forever. Now that I’m getting lots of zukes from my patio garden, I’ve been experimenting with different ways to use it (such as Zucchini Scalloped Potatoes). It was time to revisit and revise one of my old guac recipes.
Guacamole’s main ingredient — avocados — have a mild flavor, and once you’ve added cilantro, onions, tomatoes, garlic, chiles, and a squirt of lime, it’s hard to tell if you’ve substituted half of the avocados for zucchini.
Avocados contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, as well as potassium, fiber, B vitamins, and vitamins E and K. But they’re also high in calories. A medium-size avocado is 322 calories, and about 70 percent fat.
But if you i mix in some other good-for-you green ingredients like chiles and zucchini, you still get the nutrition of avocados without as many calories. Another bonus is that avocados can get expensive, and zukes are free if they’re from your backyard or your neighbor.
Zucchini has some good qualities on its own. It’s low in calories (19 per cup, raw) with no fat. It’s also a significant source of vitamin C and a good source of magnesium and thiamin. It’s a good stealth veggie because it takes on the flavors of whatever it’s mixed with.
Awhile back, I began trying recipes for “guiltless guacamole,” substituting frozen green peas, edamame or broccoli for half of the avocado. Yes, we had Guacamame and Broccomole as well as Zukamole. My taste buds said the version with pureed peas tasted a lot better than the broccoli. In an earlier zukamole recipe, I roasted the zucchini and garlic cloves. But the recipe below is streamlined so it takes only about 15 to 20 minutes to make.
Guiltless Guacamole (Zukamole)
1 medium zucchini, about 9 to 10 inches long
1 large ripe avocado
1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles (or about 1/4 cup roasted, peeled and chopped fresh green chiles
¼ cup prepared salsa
1 tablespoon dried chopped onion flakes, or ¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder, or more to taste
2 teaspoons lime juice, or more to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1. Cut the zucchini in chunks and microwave in a large bowl, uncovered, for about 8 minutes, or until chunks are tender.
2. Puree in a blender or with a hand-held blender, until smooth.
3. Mash the avocado and mix with the zucchini.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. Serve with chips or crackers. Makes about 2 cups of dip.