Yesterday’s meal was inspired by The Pioneer Woman, who was inspired by Tasty Kitchen, who was inspired by…well, I’m not sure who inspired them.  It all started with a dynamite recipe for Grilled Corn Guacamole.  I’ve always had a weakness for guacamole, and this combination of creamy avocado, sweet corn coupled with a salty chip or a seasoned meat is wonderful! 

Avocado’s get a bad rap.  Yes, they are loaded with calories – 1 avocado packs about 227 calories and about 21 grams of fat.  But it’s the kind of fat that is key in this case.  Total saturated fat is around 3 grams according to the USDA National Nutrient Database, and the monounsaturated fat that dominates this little fruit is a powerhouse.  A diet that replaces saturated fat with monounsaturated fats can help to reduce overall cholesterol and LDL (the bad stuff) cholesterol.  Each fruit also has around 9 grams of fiber… a plus when you consider that very few people in the US get their recommended 25 grams of fiber daily.  A diet high in fiber can also help to lower cholesterol levels.  Great reasons to give the pebbly skinned fruit a try!

I began my day making yummy Pico!  I just used the leftover tomatoes, onion, jalapeno and cilantro in the fridge.  Add a little lime juice and kosher salt and your set.  Who doesn’t love Pico!

Next I grilled up some corn…

And when it cooled I cut it off the cob…

Added some chopped up avocados and chopped garlic…

And finally added a good bit of the pico and stirred well….I mushed it up some with a fork and added a little more lime juice and salt…

(a note regarding avocados – they will turn brown…there is no avoiding this, it is oxidation.  You can delay oxidation by adding an acid such as lemon or lime juice and the dish should hold up pretty well the day you make it, the next day not some much.  When you pack up your leftovers for the night I would recommend using plastic wrap and putting it directly on the guac and smoothing it down to make a seal.  This will prevent air from touching the avocado and should slow down the oxidation a little more.  The next day even if it is brown, it still tastes ok…it just looks a little ewww….)

Ok, yummy guac is done.  Next what to do with it.  I didn’t just want chips, I wanted a meal.  So….

I decided grilled shrimp would be perfect with the sweet corn and creamy guac.  The shrimp offered a great flavor and texture difference.  Shrimp, like avocados sometimes gets a bad rap.  It is has a reputation of being high in cholesterol, but it’s not as bad as it seems.  According to the good old USDA National Nutrient Database, 4 large shrimp have 20 calories, 35 mg of cholesterol, and (here’s the kicker) 0.28 grams of total fat.  Less than 1 gram of fat!!!  And only 20 calories!!!  While dietary cholesterol may play a role in serum cholesterol in a small segment of the population, the biggest contributors to increased cholesterol levels are saturated and trans fats.  Since shrimp are practically nil on that count, I say enjoy, as long as the cooking method is low-fat also – hence the grilling.   

The decision to use shrimp actually ended up increasing the prep time on this meal.  I used shell on, large shrimp and had to thaw, shell, and clean them.  It took a good bit of time.  If you can find them pre-cleaned, the rest of the process was a snap.  I just tossed with olive oil, lime juice, cumin and diced garlic, then grilled in a grill basket until done.  Be careful not to overcook or they will get rubbery.

And don’t worry if you don’t like seafood, this process works just as well with chicken thighs…

Just pile everything onto a tortilla and enjoy!