BY SUSAN SCHABACKER
CELEBRATE WITH ROCKIN’ GUACAMOLE!
It’s “Guac” Time! Get your “Guac” fix on for National Guacamole Day, September 16th! Switch up that old traditional Mexican dip! This Southern-inspired Sweet Potato Guacamole Dip is a must-bring dish that will sweeten up your fall gatherings!
A FALL CROWD-PLEASER
Wow your guests with this easy-to-make guacamole. This dip may be one of the most unusual dishes you’ve ever brought to a party! It’s a surprisingly sweet and simple recipe that contains just three ingredients. Adding sweet potatoes to the mix turns your ordinary green guacamole into extraordinary orange, the perfect color for fall!
AVOCADOS: DELICIOUS AND NUTRITIOUS
Not only delectably delicious, this dip is also nutritious! Avocados, known as antioxidant-rich super fruits, are loaded with 20 vitamins and minerals, contain more potassium than bananas, are filled with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids and can reduce cholesterol.
GET GUT HEALTHY (AND HAPPY) WITH AVOCADOS
Avocados increase your energy and can give your complexion a healthy boost. Thanks to these super nutritious fruits, you can improve your digestion. They are loaded with soluble fiber, and they feed the friendly gut bacteria in your intestine, leading to optimal health.
SWEET POTATOES OFFER POWERHOUSE HEALTH BENEFITS
Sweet potatoes come from the morning glory family and are roots, not tubers like potatoes. Loaded with nutrition and rich in Vitamin B6, Vitamin D, and iron, sweet potatoes are known to support the immune system, regulate blood sugar and provide anti-inflammatory benefits.
All that bright orange color provides plenty of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant to strengthen your eyesight and boost immunity to disease, and with plenty of magnesium, sweet potatoes can also help you cope with stress.
SIMPLY SOUTHERN SWEET POTATO GUACAMOLE DIP RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 Avocados (*Ripe and mashable. The easiest way to open a ripe avocado is to cut it in half length-wise. Separate the two halves and scoop them out with a spoon.)
- 2 Sweet Potatoes (Wash and pierce sweet potato skins with a fork. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, then bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender. Do not undercook. Let cool, spoon out contents and mash with a fork.)
- ¼ Cup Salsa Verde
Optional:
- 1 Lime OR1 Lemon (Cut and squeeze juice)
- Cinnamon (Season to taste.)
- Curry Powder (For curry lovers only. Season to taste.)
Directions:
Combine ingredients and blend together. Add optional ingredients, if desired.
Garnish with Chopped Cilantro, if desired.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Dip serves 4 to 6 people.
WHAT TO DIP
Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips, blue corn chips, and baguette rounds. Veggies are great for dipping, such as jicama (a root vegetable, known as a “Mexican yam” or “Mexican turnip”), carrots and celery, and don’t forget to include fruit, like apple and pear slices.
THERE ARE OTHER REASONS TO CELEBRATE SEPTEMBER 16th!
September 16this not just National Guacamole Day! Who knew that day is also Mayflower Day, Mexican Independence Day and National Play-Doh Day!
Any excuse will do for a party! And, you’ll get to share your Simply Southern Sweet Potato Guacamole Dip with your family and friends to celebrate the occasions.
Celebrate Mayflower Day . . . In 1620, 102 pilgrims, made up of men, women, and children, set sail from Plymouth, England, to America, the New World, where they could celebrate religious freedom. These courageous early settlers paved the way for millions to follow.
Celebrate Mexican Independence Day . . . Red, white and green flags, flowers, food, music, and dance are exciting fiesta celebrations held throughout Mexico to celebrate Mexico’s freedom from Spain. When the National Palace Bell rings out, crowds shout “Viva Mexico” or “Viva la Independencia!”
Celebrate National Play-Doh Day . . . What children and children-at-heart have enjoyed playing with started out, in the 1930s, as a product for cleaning wallpaper! In the 1950s, Play-Doh became marketed as a toy, and in 1998, Play-Doh was added to the Toy Hall of Fame. Now, two billion tubs of this creative, colorful putty have been sold. If all those tubs of Play-Doh were rolled into a gigantic ball, it would weigh as much as 2,000 Statues of Liberty!
