Amy Myers, M.D. is a functional medicine physician, trained and certified by The Institute of Functional Medicine. Dr. Myers earned her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) at the LSU Health Science Center, and completed her Emergency Medicine residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Dr. Myers retired from her functional medicine clinic, Austin UltraHealth, where she served thousands of patients, to empower those who were failed by conventional medicine. She’s a 2x New York Times bestselling author, and the founder and CEO of the health & lifestyle e-commerce brand, Amy Myers MD®.
If you love zesty flavors of guacamole, you’re going to love this AIP-friendly guacamole recipe that is loaded with veggies. This Five Vegetable Guacamole is extra nutritious thanks to the addition of carrots, cucumber, zucchini, and yellow squash. It’s really easy to make and is a great party appetizer or snack. This recipe is naturally gluten-free and Paleo-friendly.
Heart-healthy avocados
Avocados are nutrient-dense and contain monounsaturated fat, which is good for the heart and the brain. Since avocados contain healthy fats, they aid with the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K. Avocados also contain antioxidants, including Vitamin C, and lutein, which help protect our cells against free radicals.
Because avocados are high in healthy fats, they are high in calories, making them a filling, hearty addition to any recipe or meal.
Dr. Amy Myers
June 17th, 2022
https://www.amymyersmd.com/recipe/five-veggie-guacamole/AIP guacamole
Guacamole with added vegetables
Guacamole is a great healthy dip to begin with, thanks to heart-healthy avocados. In this recipe, I add several vegetables to increase the nutrients in the guacamole. The vegetables also add a great texture to guacamole while reducing the amount of calories per serving because the added vegetables are lower in calories than avocado.
For this vegetable guacamole, I add grated carrots, zucchini, cucumber, and yellow squash. Grating the vegetables is a really easy way to prepare them for the guacamole and makes them small enough to mix into the smashed avocado to still get that great guacamole texture. Once the vegetables are grated, make sure you squeeze excess water out of them in a colander to make sure your guacamole does not get soggy.
You can also julienne the vegetables if you prefer a chunkier texture to your vegetable guacamole..
Carrots contain a lot of beta-carotene, which converts to Vitamin A in the body and helps keep our immune system and vision healthy. Zucchini is rich in antioxidants and Vitamin B6, which are important for preventing cancer and regulating blood sugar. Yellow squash is high in Vitamins A, B6, folate, magnesium, and potassium. Cucumbers are a great low-calorie vegetable that also helps lower blood sugar and help with diabetes.
Aside from the creamy avocado and delicious veggies, this guacamole gets its flavor from freshly chopped onion, grated garlic, and fresh cilantro leaves, and fresh lime juice. It is seasoned with sea salt.
You can use a red onion or yellow onion for the guacamole, depending on your preference. Onions are rich in antioxidants and flavonoids, which have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Cilantro adds lots of fresh flavor that is traditional to guacamole. If you are one of the people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap, feel free to use parsley in its place.
To make the guacamole, simply smash the avocado in a bowl with a fork and add all the grated veggies and the rest of the ingredients. Stir together and serve immediately.
Dr. Amy Myers
June 17th, 2022
https://www.amymyersmd.com/recipe/five-veggie-guacamole/AIP guacamole
How long will guacamole keep?
Guacamole is best enjoyed fresh because avocado will turn brown over time. Adding more lime juice will prevent the guacamole from browning as fast, and the juices from the veggies in this guacamole also slow down the browning.
If you want to keep the guacamole until the next day, transfer it to a container—try to find a container that is not too big and will leave little space on top—and squeeze some lime juice over the top. Cover tightly and enjoy the guacamole within 24-48 hours. If the top of the guacamole turns brown, you can scrape that off with a spoon and enjoy the guacamole underneath. The browned guacamole is not harmful, even if it might not be as pleasant to eat.
What to serve with guacamole
We love this guacamole over our chicken burrito bowls, on sweet potato “toast”, over grilled chicken, on top of burgers, or simply served as a dip with gluten-free AIP crackers or AIP cassava flour “tortilla” chips.
Give it a try, it’s a great healthy appetizer or topping to add to your recipe rotation!
Five Veggie Guacamole
Five Veggie Guacamole
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 avocado mashed
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1/2 cucumber julienned
- 1/2 yellow squash grated
- 1/2 zucchini grated
- 1 carrot peeled and julienned
- 1 1 clove garlic grated or minced
- lime juice from 1/2 lime
- 2 29.574 tbsp ml cilantro chopped
- sea salt to taste
- lime wedge
Instructions
Instructions
- Mash the two avocados in a large bowl.
- Grate the cucumber, zucchini, yellow squash, and carrot on a fine or medium grater. Transfer to a colander and use your hands to squeeze out excess water from the vegetables.
- Dice the red onion and grate or mince the garlic. Chop the cilantro leaves.
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Add the grated veggies, diced onion, grated garlic, chopped cilantro, lime juice, sea salt, and black pepper (if using) to the avocado. Mix well and serve immediately, or cover tightly to prevent browning and chill until serving.
