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

Baccala Pizzaiola (or Chicken)

Extremely versatile and packed with flavor!  Simple to vary ingredients with what you have on hand and what you prefer. 
I love this preparation for chilly evenings, served hot and with dried chili peppers on the side to chop in--or this can be made with tofu and served at room temperature or even cold the next day.  Serving it like this means you can enjoy it in the warmer weather,  substitute the greens with what is in season )spinach, chard, etc)

If using chicken, use chicken breast as it is lean as is baccala.
Here is the recipe with baccala

Spicy Parsley Spread

How many recipes call for a couple tablespoons of parsley or a bit more?  And how many times do you buy a bunch of parsley? 
All that extra parsley you have from other recipes goes to good use in this recipe.  Can be used as a sandwich spread, spread on crackers with cheese, make thinner and use as a dip for veggies or use on top of fish.