Crush this avocado season with a twist on your favorite dip.

Guacamole is perfect for grazing and topping tacos. Not only is it quick to throw together, it also provides essential fiber and other nutrients. If you’re looking for a way to shake up your favorite snack, look no further.

This recipe is smoky, savory and a total crowd pleaser - just ask Charlotte’s very own Hornets Venom Gaming Team who made it alongside Amy Fair, a registered dietitian at Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute in Charlotte. The team learned the importance of eating veggies while taking home an easy recipe to make while gearing up for an NBA 2K match, a popular basketball video game.

“This recipe is great because it is versatile, you can use it as a snack with chopped vegetables or tortilla chips or as an addition to your meal. This recipe provides healthy fats for heart health and also includes fiber which helps with digestion,” Fair said.

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Struggling to lose weight? Want help with healthier eating? Or maybe you need a hand with Type 2 diabetes? Novant Health doctors and other specialized clinicians are ready to help.

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SMOKY GUACAMOLE

Source: https://patijinich.com/smoky-guacamole/

  • 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper or more to taste
  • 2 garlic cloves unpeeled
  • 1 slice of white onion about 1/2-inch thick
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 3 tablespoons cilantro leaves and upper stems coarsely chopped
  • 3 ripe avocados halved, pitted, meat scooped out

To Prepare:

  1. Place the pepper, unpeeled garlic and onion slice on a pre-heated comal or skillet set over medium heat, or place under the broiler on a sheet pan. Char or roast for about 10 minutes, flipping occasionally so they char evenly, until blackened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  2. When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic and cut the stem from the pepper.
  3. Coarsely chop pepper, garlic and onion. Place in bowl or molcajete, along with the lime juice and salt, and mash or mix until pasty. Incorporate the cilantro and avocados, and mash until you reach your desired consistency (I like it chunky). Done!

Yield: 4 servings. Per serving: 267 calories; 16.4 grams fat (3.3 grams saturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 10087 mg sodium; 30.2 grams carbohydrates; 12.6 grams sugar; 5.5 grams protein.