Love is guacamole and guacamole is love.

You already know how nutritionally powerful avocados are. With a few simple additions, you can create an even healthier and tastier snack.

My first key ingredient is the shallot. The flavor profile of the shallot is slightly sweeter than a red onion and adds the right bit of balance to the salt and acidity of my mix. When making guacamole for two, one small shallot is plenty. Shallots also have a superior nutritional profile to onions (in part due to density). From nutrition-and-you.com:

On weight per weight basis, they have more anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins than onions. They are rich source of flavonoid anti-oxidants such as quercetin, kemferfol…etc. Further; they contain sulphur anti-oxidant compounds…These compounds convert to allicin through enzymatic action following disruption of their cell surface while crushing, and chopping.

I adore garlic powder, but for my guacamole, I prefer fresh garlic and chop it up until it’s nearly mush. I use two cloves.

Got high blood pressure? Eat guacamole with fresh garlic. From whfoods.com:

Equally impressive about garlic is its ability to lower blood pressure. Researchers have known for about 10 years that the allicin made from alliin in garlic blocks the activity of angiotensin II. A small piece of protein (peptide), angiotensin II helps our blood vessels contract. (When they contract, our blood is forced to pass through a smaller space, and the pressure is increased.) By blocking the activity of angiotensin II, allicin form garlic is able to help prevent unwanted contraction of our blood vessels and unwanted increases in blood pressure.

The juice of ½ of a lime gives my guacamole its citrus blast. This mix is becoming a super food. Also from whfoods:

In addition to their unique phytonutrient properties, lemons and limes are an excellent source of vitamin C, one of the most important antioxidants in nature. Vitamin C is one of the main antioxidants found in food and the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body. Vitamin C travels through the body neutralizing any free radicals with which it comes into contact in the aqueous environments in the body both inside and outside cells. Free radicals can interact with the healthy cells of the body, damaging them and their membranes, and also cause a lot of inflammation, or painful swelling, in the body. This is one of the reasons that vitamin C has been shown to be helpful for reducing some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

I finish my simple mix by seasoning with a dash or two of garlic salt and pepper. Voila.

I began this post musing about love because filling your kitchen with your favorite album and the company of a single loved one while you whip up a batch makes for a perfect sharing opportunity of health, flavor and personal connection.

Simple guacamole recipe for two:

Ingredients

• 2 ripe organic avocados
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Garlic salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Recipe

1. Cut avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh out into a small bowl.
2. Mash avocados with a fork
3. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine