Tropical Guacamole

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo I wanted to make some fun guacamole, something I had not tried before.  I started thinking how great roasted plantains would be with avocado but I didn't have any around.  I knew I had avocados around and some ripe bananas and from there this recipe came about.
Isn't it funny the things we can think of while out on a run?  This one paid off--

This is DIVINE!

Kiwi Guacamole

There's a wonderful contrast between the crunch of the kiwi seeds and the creaminess of the avocado and add to that the sweet-hot flavor of peppadews and this will have you going through that bag of tortilla chips in no time--so watch out!

I added a touch of sweetness to this with a teaspoon of agave nectar, but if you have pineapple juice on hand that would be great!

Tomato and Avocado Cilantro Salad

The name says it all.  Prepare a bit ahead so you can refrigerate it and serve it cold--it's really refreshing and pairs perfectly with a variety of dishes, but especially something with some heat!  Maybe chile dusted scallops or barbecue ribs/chicken.

I served this with "chorizo" stuffed chile rellenos and garlicky-habanero green beans .

This will only get better as the summer months yield local tomatoes so enjoy!

"Chorizo" stuffed Chile Rellenos

Ok, you could probably use the real deal here but I didn't!  I used a vegetarian chorizo made from seitan(high protein wheat gluten).  I've had other "chorizo" products made from soy but this is the best for this kind of dish.  I used a brand called Upton's Naturals, no gmo's and vegan.  So if you leave the cheese out of this the dish will be vegan.  I used some Manchengo cheese and a crumble of mango ginger cheese, the sweetness it added was wonderful with the smoky, spicy flavor from the chorizo.
Here's the link for Upton's: http://www.uptonsnaturals.com/products/

I served this with a tomato and avocado salad loaded with cilantro, post to follow!

Baked Chile Rellenos with Quinoa

A twist on the traditional chile rellenos, stuffing the charred poblano with a quinoa mixture keeps them light and adds protein.  The stuffing can be made ahead of time and just fill and bake quickly to heat and melt the cheese!
I have served these as is with a salad dressed with lime and olive oil or with a couple sauces on the side.  Below I have a tomatillo sauce using frozen tomatillos from last years garden but if you have fresh tomatillos all the better!  I've also included a quick corn sauce. 

Served with corn sauce and a cracked coriander lentil salad