HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!

Today is a great day to reflect on what you love about this great country, while snacking on food popping with Canada’s colors! My husband and I are headed to a social this evening in a condo close to downtown, with a great vantage point for what promises to be an epic fireworks display! I will be bringing this Glowing Strawberry Mango Guacamole… bursting with chunks of luscious and in-season strawberries to keep everyone in the festive spirit!

I want you to feel good about your food choices this holiday weekend (okay, nobody’s perfect! But at least having this dish in front of you will offset the less-than-optimal nibbles that we are simply unable to turn down!). This one is gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, vegan, and raw. From a nutrition perspective, does it get any better?!! Here are some additional health bonuses of the main ingredients in this easy and refreshing summertime appie:

Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese, a trace mineral. They contain both types of dietary fibre – soluble and insoluble – important for feeding the friendly bacteria in the gut. They are also useful for weight loss.

Like strawberries, mangos are packed with Vitamin C and also contain both soluble and insoluble fibre. One study found that the polyphenol compounds in mango reduced intestinal inflammation and levels of pro-inflammatory compounds, known as cytokines, in rats. (1)

Avocados are known for their heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, but they’re so much more! They’re a good source of fibre, and they contain compounds which protect against inflammation and may reduce the risk of cancer (2).

And these are just the highlights! On the whole, fruits contain a good variety of vitamins, minerals, and an array of anti-oxidants unsurpassed by any other food group.

Here it is, one of my summertime favs, from the vegan recipe book “The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out”, by Angela Liddon. May you eat, drink, and be merry this holiday weekend!

Glowing Strawberry-Mango Guacamole

2 medium avocados, pitted and roughly chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1 fresh mango, pitted, peeled, and finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 cups finely chopped hulled strawberries

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (optional)

1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, to taste

Fine-grain sea salt

Corn chips, for serving

Directions:In a medium bowl, gently mash the avocado, leaving some chunks for texture. Rinse and drain the chopped onion in a strainer to wash off the sulfurous compounds. This makes the taste of the raw onion more pleasant. Fold the mango, strawberries, onion and cilantro (if using) into the avocado. Season with the lime juice and salt to taste.

Serve immediately with your favorite corn or pita chips.

Avocado tends to spoil quickly, so leftovers won’t keep for longer than 12 hours or so. Makes 3 cups.

 

Recipe accessed here: http://www.austin360.com/news/recipe-the-week-strawberry-mango-guacamole-from-she-glows/zc7lyisCeX7p2et7tXh5uM/

 

 

 

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