Guacamole Salad

This has been my week of experimenting in the kitchen. As usual, it begins with a trip to the grocery to find the bargains of the week. Unfortunately, avocados were super cheap --unfortunate because I don't love avocados. I do love the color and the fact that they are healthy, but the flavor is so bland. But I added a few to the basket and headed home to look for a great recipe full of flavor. Once home, I tuned into the Food Network and there was Ina Gartin making Guacamole Salad! Destiny in the kitchen --- it was meant for me to buy those avocados and try her recipe. I checked out the recipe online and it was a 5 star favorite of more than 100 reviewers.

This is a very simple recipe with that packs in the flavor. Now all I had to do was wait for the avocados to ripen. The timing was perfect. They were ripe and ready for the Bunco dinner that included Payton's Chicken Stew, Spicy Southern Cornbread and Panna Cotta. The meal was well balanced and looked wonderful.

Guacamole Salad
adapted from Ina Gartin

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and 1/2-inch diced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 red onion, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
Zest from 1 lime
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes) or more to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled, and 1/2-inch diced

Place the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno peppers, and lime zest in a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss well. Just before serving, add the avocados. Serve at room temperature.