Chili-Lime Corn Chips with Edamame Guacamole

The addition of edamame adds a bit of texture and protein, rounding out the fat/protein/carbohydrates you need to justify this as a balanced lunch. Right?

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Baked chili-lime corn chips with edamame guacamole

For the Baked Chili-Lime Corn Chips
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon coconut oil or mild extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
12 (6-inch) gluten-free corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Stir together the lime juice and oil. Brush each tortilla with the mixture. In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, chili powder and salt. Sprinkle each tortilla with the spice mixture. Stack tortillas, and cut into six to eight triangles.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned.

For the Edamame Guacamole:
2 large avocados, pitted, and flesh removed
1 1/4 cups shelled edamame
2 to 3 cloves garlic (even better: roasted garlic)
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup red onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

Put the avocado flesh, edamame, garlic, lime juice, sea salt, cayenne pepper and ground cumin in a food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in onion, tomatoes and cilantro. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Just before serving, test the guacamole for seasonings. Garnish with additional cilantro.

Crispy Potato Chips with Onion Kale Dip

Homemade potato chips take no time at all, and offer a deep potato flavor you just can’t get from a bag. Served alongside an addictive dip, this classic duo is a sure winner for everyone.

chips and kale onion dip

Crispy Potato Chips with Onion-Kale Dip

Onion Kale Dip
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups chopped kale leaves, packed
1 package (454g) medium-firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons  apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Sea salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

Potato Chips
2 russet potatoes, washed and sliced into paper-thin slices
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt

To make the dip, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onion. Cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and kale. Cook until the kale leaves are soft and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Put the tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, cider vinegar, onion powder, a sprinkle of salt, and a few dashes of cayenne pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the onion mixture. Process again until smooth. Taste for seasonings, adding additional salt and cayenne as needed (lots of cayenne is delicious here!). Refrigerate at least 3 hours, though the flavors will come together even more overnight.

To make the potatoes, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Put the sliced potatoes in a bowl filled with water. Let soak 5 minutes. Rinse well, until the water runs clear. Dry thoroughly.

Toss the potato slices with the oil, salt, and pepper, mixing well. Spread the potatoes onto the prepared pan in a single layer. Bake for about 12 to 20 minutes until browned, depending on thickness (if you weren’t consistent in your slices, you might have to check, remove some from the pan, and bake others longer). Once they are all baked, transfer them to a bowl and set aside.

Beer-Battered Asparagus

A simple recipe for beer-battered asparagus with a quick flour mix that would work well for any deep-frying.Though I never bake with rice flour, it provides a tempura-like lightness to deep-frying that works really well.

Beer-Battered Asparagus

1 large bunch of asparagus, about 2 pounds
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Scant 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 cup gluten-free beer (I used New Grist)
4 to 6 cups vegetable oil, such as canola
Additional salt for sprinkling

Wash the asparagus and cut off the woody ends. Cut the asparagus into three-inch pieces. Dry thoroughly.

Whisk together the sorghum flour, quinoa flour, sweet rice flour, xanthan gum, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt and paprika. Stir in the beer, mix until combined.

Put the oil in a medium-sized saucepan and attach a thermometer. The oil should be about three to four inches high. Heat until it reaches approximately 375°F (190°C). Dip the asparagus in the batter (coating completely isn’t necessary). Gently insert the asparagus (about six at a time, depending on the size of your pan) in the saucepan and fry, about two to three minutes, until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the asparagus to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt.Continue with the remaining asparagus. Serve warm.