Dinner Date

For Christmas this year, we gave the kids pre-planned dates for the whole year.  They each get to go on a date once a month.  One month with Mom, the next with Dad, and so on.  This is by far their favorite gift.  And it's the gift that keeps on giving, right?  All year!  So, one of the dates with Mom is to choose a recipe, go to the store and purchase the ingredients, and then make it together.   This is what my son and I did this weekend.  He chose "Pasta with Arugula, White Beans and Walnuts" for dinner and "Raspberry Napoleons" for dessert.  If you're thinking, wow, her kids like healthy food, just know I was just as surprised that he chose this as you!  I mean, really, what 9 yr. old wants pasta with greens and beans???  I have a bunch of "Everyday Food" magazines, and he went through some of them and that is what he chose.  I will say I do have great eaters for kids.  They used to be more picky, but overall they like a lot of things.  My son especially, he's like my husband, he will try just about anything.  I am so grateful to have easy to please kids...well, at least in the food department.  :-)

So here's a look at our date:

 Toast the walnuts... oh the flavor!

 Learning to slice garlic

 Cooking the pasta

I love how he put so much effort into a pretty table.

All the kids liked this dish.  One of my girls wasn't so crazy about her wilted greens, but she still ate most of them.  

Pasta with Arugula, White Beans, and Walnuts

12 oz farfelle (bowtie pasta)
coarse salt and ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 TBS butter
1 pound baby arugula
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

Toast walnut pieces in a 350 degree oven for about 7-9 minutes. Watch them so they don't burn. You don't have to toast them, but it brings out so much more flavor!

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain pasta and set aside.

Place pasta pot over medium heat. Add garlic and 1 tbs butter, cook, stirring until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes/

Add arugula to pot. Toss just until wilted. Add beans, pasta and remaining 3 tbs butter. Season with salt and pepper. Toss, adding enough reserved water to mixture to coat pasta. Garnish with toasted walnuts.

Needless to say, this dessert was a hit!  

Raspberry Napoleons:

All purpose flour for rolling pastry
1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed
1/2 recipe cooled vanilla pudding (recipe follows) please don't use store bought, I promise you won't regret it!
1 container fresh raspberries
confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 400. On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pasty to a 10 by 15 inch rectangle. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Prick pastry all over with a fork. Cover completely with another sheet of parchment paper. Weight with another baking sheet to prevent pastry from puffing up unevenly. Bake, occasionally pressing top sheet down until pastry is golden. In my oven it only took 20 minutes, but it can take up to 40, so keep an eye on it. Remove the top sheet and parchment, and let cool

With a serrated knife, carefully trim and discard edges; cut into 12 equal pieces ( this is for 4 servings, I was able to stretch it to 6 servings by cutting into 18 pieces).

To assemble, put a large dollop of pudding on the pastry piece, top with a few raspberries and another dollop of pudding, layer a 2nd piece of pastry, repeat the pudding and raspberries, and top it with a 3rd piece of pastry. Dust with confectioner's sugar.

Vanilla Pudding:
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups milk
4 large egg yolks
2 tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time) whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.

Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low, still whisking (wow, there's a lot of whisking in this recipe), cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding.

Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (this prevents skin from forming), chill at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Before serving, whisk (again) pudding until smooth.

Ummm... Hello?  Where did everyone go?  Just keepin' it real here.  {sigh}

Pasta with Arugula, White Beans and Walnuts

This is a lovely healthy spring-y recipe.  And we all need a little (or alot) of spring in MI right now!
This comes from Everyday Food Magazine:

Pasta with Arugula, White Beans and Walnuts

12 oz farfelle (bowtie pasta)
coarse salt and ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 TBS butter
1 pound baby arugula
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

Toast walnut pieces in a 350 degree oven for about 7-9 minutes.  Watch them so they don't burn.  You don't have to toast them, but it brings out so much more flavor!

Cook pasta i a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.  Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain pasta and set aside.

Place pasta pot over medium heat.  Add garlic and 1 tbs butter, cook, stirring until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes/

Add arugula to pot.  Toss just until wilted.  Add beans, pasta and remaining 3 tbs butter.  Season with salt and pepper.  Toss, adding enough reserved water to mixture to coat pasta.  Garnish with toasted walnuts.

Cherry Walnut Bites

This recipe was passed out at a recent gathering I attended.  I believe it comes from deliciousliving.com.
It's a yummy treat you can feel good about eating.  You won't even know it's good for you by the taste!  Cherries and Cocoa have great antioxidants in them, and the walnuts contain omega-3's.    Enjoy!

2 cups dried sour cherries
8 medjool dates, pittted
2/3 cup walnut pieces
2 Tbs fresh orange Juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
6 Tbs dark chocolate chips
4 Tbs unsweetened shredded coconut, plus more for rolling

Finely chop dried cherries, dates, and walnuts.  I used a food processor to do this, way quicker!  Add orange juice, cinnamon, chocolate chips, and coconut. Mix together with hands, working into a sticky mass.  It should hold together.

With slightly wet hands, roll mixture into balls.  Roll in excess shredded coconut.  Place into an airtight container and refrigerate.  They will become firmer as they cool.

Breakfast Cookies

 

(continuous Joy Photography is me too... oops wrong copyright!)

These are a staple around here.  And who doesn't like cookies for breakfast??  This is a cookie you can feel good about eating.  :-)  It's also gluten free and egg free if anyone cares.  If you leave the chocolate chips out, its dairy free too!  But that might not be as much fun, unless you're allergic to dairy.  

Another reason I love this recipe is because it's so adaptable.  Don't have 3 bananas?  Use 2, don't have coconut oil?  Use Olive Oil.   I've had to make adjustments sometimes, and they always turn out.

These are definitely one of my favorites.

This is adapted from "Bread & Wine" by Shauna Niequist

3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup coconut oil (you want it liquid, so warm it if you need to)

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups rolled oats

2/3 cup almond meal**

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mash the bananas, then add coconut oil and vanilla and stir.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  

Form the dough into  12 balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and flatten them a little bit.  Bake at 350 for 14-16 minutes.  

A note about almond meal.  I don't ever buy Almond Meal.  I use raw almonds and put them in the blender or food processor.  For this recipe, it doesn't have to be as fine as what you would buy, and it is expensive to buy it.  I get it as fine as possible, but if there are a few crumb like chunks, it's okay.

What about you?  Do you like cookies for breakfast?  What's your favorite "healthy-treat-like breakfast"?  

Pineapple Coconut Refrigerator Oatmeal

Well Hello world!
Yes, I'm still alive.  Not much time for blogging lately.  As much as I would love it to be a priority, There are just other more urgent things right now.  Mainly my four little ones are keeping me from the computer, and that is not all bad, but oh how I miss this outlet. I know lots of amazing bloggers who stay up in the wee hours of the night, writing and posting... I admire you.  This mama just can't do that right now.   Also, I'm in the middle of a kitchen remodel, so, not much cooking going on here.  Pretty much camping in my house.  But, can I just say, I am SO STINKIN' EXCITED, to be doing the remodel!!  You can be sure I will post pictures.

So last night I made this oatmeal for breakfast and mentioned it on facebook.  Some were asking for the recipe.  Well, that was just the inspiration, or push rather I needed.  So here it is:   I adapted this from The Yummy Life.  I want to try all her flavors.

1/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup coconut milk***
1/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt (or not greek)
1 1/2 tsp chia seeds
1/4 cup chopped pineapple (fresh, canned or frozen)

Put it all in a jar, or container with a tight fitting lid, and shake it up.  If you're using a smaller jar, you may want to shake it before you add your fruit, then stir the fruit in.  I've done it both ways.  Put it in the fridge, and it's ready to go in the morning.  Top it off with a little more fruit just before serving.

*** I made home made coconut milk by putting 1 cup of shredded coconut and 2 cups of water in my Vita Mix.  Oh my, so tasty!!!

Thanks for reading, I'll try not to stay away so long.  :-)

SRC: Homemade Vegetable Dip

It's time for another Secret Recipe Club post!!  Yea!  This month I was assigned Debbi Does Dinner Healthy & Low Calorie.  What a great site to be assigned right after the holidays!  Debbi's mission is to make healthy, low calorie meals without sacrificing taste, and she does it well!  I had alot of fun browsing through her site, and I'll definitely be back to try more of her recipes.  Thanks Debbi for all your inspiration!

So, where did I land?  The Home made vegetable dip.  I am so glad I chose this one.  We love to snack on raw vegetables, but my kids especially like something to dip it in.  I typically buy a yogurt based ranch dressing, it's an all natural sort of brand, and we love it.  Who doesn't love ranch?  But, this is real veggie dip, with all the flavors of one bought, but made at home.  It was easy peasy to make, and uses staple ingredients.  Total winner.

Ingredients:
1 6oz plain yogurt
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/3 cup light mayo
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
2 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt

Whisk it all together, and wa-lah!  I told you it was easy, or as my kids say... easy peasy lemon squeezy.  I bet this would be good with a squeeze of lemon, hmm.  Chill it for about an hour before serving to let all the flavors blend.

Don't you just want to munch on some fresh veggies right now?  :-)  Happy crunching.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cups

I love Fall, I love fall cooking, I love pumpkin!  So, here's a fun and easy recipe I first saw on Pinterest.
They come from Green Lite Bites.  I did add Pepita's (the little green pumpkin seeds) to it.  This is a great breakfast, or snack.  YUM!

1 15oz can of pumpkin (420g)
1/2 cup vanilla Almond milk (I used unsweetened)
2 eggs
1 tbsp Baking powder
3 cups (240g) Old Fashion or Rolled Oats
1 tbsp pumpin pie spice
1/3 cup of brown sugar or sugar in the raw
1/2 cup of pepitas.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Mix all ingredients together, and let sit while you prepare the muffin pans.

Spray a muffin pan and/or liners with with non-stick spray.

Divide batter into 15 muffin cups. They should be just about filled.

Bake 20-30 minutes, you’ll see the edges just starting to brown and they will be firm to the touch.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

These are my all time favorite pumpkin muffins.  I make them every year.  This is a lighter version substituting applesauce for oil.  This recipe makes 24 muffins.  I often cut it in half, otherwise I would eat way too many of them!

These are from Food.com

Ingredients
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil ( or substitute applesauce for this too)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 (16 ounce) cans pumpkin
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
12 ounces semisweet mini chocolate chips

Directions
Mix first 5 ingredients together; separately, mix dry ingredients.
Blend the two mixtures together, fold in chips.
Generously fill 24 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. (I have found the paper liners don't work very well.).
Bake at 400 degrees F. for 16-20 minutes.

Vegetarian Chili

I was looking for a vegetarian chili since my husband has decided to stop eating meat.  I wondered if I should just do my regular chili recipe, which I love, and leave out the meat, or just explore.  So, I decided to google.  What did we do before google?  Anyway, I adapted this lovely recipe from The Picky Eater.  I loved the name of that blog.  It describes me!  Well, I've branched out a lot over the years, but I do still have things I'm particular about.  :-)  For the beans in this recipe, I usually use dried, and prepare them in my pressure cooker, for more info on that, look here.  You can certainly use canned beans as well.  If you go that route, rinse and drain them. And, feel free to use whatever your favorite beans are, I just happen to like a variety.  :-)


1 cup dried Kidney beans
1 cup dried Black beans
1 cup dried Cranberry beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 jalepeno finely chopped
1 sweet onion, diced
2 15oz cans diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
5 garlic cloves, crushed in a garlic press
1 heaping tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp Ghirardelli cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
Black pepper to taste

If using dried beans, prepare them according to directions so they are ready before you begin.

Chop the garlic, onion, and bell peppers and jalapeno. Saute lightly over medium high heat in 1-2 tsp olive oil.

Once the veggies have sauteed for about 5 minutes, add everything else into the pot (tomatoes, beans, spices, etc.). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 min or longer as needed.

You can also do this in the slow cooker.  If you do, I would recommend still sauteing the onions and peppers.  But you don't have to, I just like the flavor better.  My whole family LOVED this recipe!  Let me know what you think!

Notice the corn muffins in the background?  Those were yummy too!  There's nothing like a hot corn muffin to go with your chili!

Tex-Mex Lasagna

This is my new favorite mexican type casserole.  The whole family loved this!  It's adapted from Cuisine At Home.

14 corn tortillas, cut into thirds
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 can of chopped mild green chili's
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 Tbs minced garlic (about 6-8 cloves)
2 Tbs Olive oil
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbs chile powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups black beans (I typically start with dried, then prepare.  If you use canned, rinse and drain)
16 oz shredded cheese.  I used 8 oz triple cheddar and 8 oz mexican blend.  You could use pepper jack if you want it a little more spicy.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray

Arrange tortillas in a single layer on baking sheets.  Bake until slightly crisp, about 15 minutes.

Saute' onion, bell pepper, chilis, corn and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat until softened, 3-5 minutes.

Stir flour, chile powder, cumin and coriander into vegetable misture, then stir in broth.  Bring to a boil and cook until thick, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

Line bottom of baking dish with 1/3 of the tortilla strips.  Layer with 1/3 of the black beans, begetable mixture, and cheeses.  Repeat twice, using 1/3 of the ingredients in each layer, ending with cheese.

Bake until cheese is bubbly and melted, 30-35 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with Avocado Lettuce Salad.  YUM!

You could also substitute chicken for the beans, or just add both.

Avocado Lettuce Salad

This recipe is adapted from Cuisine At Home.  It's a great side dish that offers the best of guacamole and a crunchy salad.  It compliments any mexican meal.  Okay, it compliments anything if you love guacamole like I do!

1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 avocados
6 Tbs mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
8 cups shredded Romain lettuce
4 roma tomatoes, diced
2/3 cup sliced scallions
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup seeded, minced jalepenos (optional)

Mash avocados in a large bowl until smooth.  Add mayonnaise, lime juice, and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper.

Stir lettuce, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, jalapenos, and bacon into avocado mixture until combined.

A couple notes:  If you like it really crunchy, you may want to use iceberg lettuce.  I like Romaine because there is still crunch to it, but it has more nutrients than iceberg lettuce.

The jalepeno's will add some heat.  I left them out because my kids are not big fans of hot-spicy food.

This recipe makes a lot!  I actually made a 1/2 batch for my family of 4.  My daughter tried it, but she is my picky one and didn't want seconds.  The rest of us all had a second helping and there was still a serving left over.

Enjoy, and please let me know what you think!

SRC: Strawberry Melon Smoothie

It's Secret Recipe Club time!  This month I was assigned Simply Food.  Nayna's blog has so many delicious recipe's to choose from.  Her pictures are mouthwatering, and I love that her recipes are made with real food.  Her blog is all things vegetarian which was so timely for me as my hubby has recently taken on a vegan lifestyle.  She also has tons of authentic international food, another thing I love to learn about.  Nayna describes herself as a home-cook without culinary school training striving to make her dishes feel complete without being complicated.  Her blog accomplishes that.  If she hadn't said so, I would not know that she hasn't had any formal training.

So after browsing through her yummy dishes I landed on the Strawberry and Melon Smoothie.  It was a warm Sunday afternoon, we had recently returned from vacation and I was trying to get back into the routine of life but felt a little draggy.  This smoothie caught my eye and was the perfect refreshing pick-me-up!

2 cups strawberries, washed and hulled
2 cups sweet honey dew melon, peeled and chopped into large chunks
2 mint leaves. torn
6 ice cubes

Add all ingredients to the blender and blend throughly.

Pour into tall pre chilled glasses and garnish if you wish with mint, melon balls, and/or strawberry.
Serve immediately.

Refrigerator Oatmeal

This is has been one of our favorite summer breakfasts!  It's so easy.  You prepare it the night before so it's a great grab and go breakfast, or just nice to have something ready when you get up.  You don't even have to cook it!  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do, let me know which flavors you try and how you like them.


I found these at The Yummy Life.  

The base of the mixture is always the same:

Rolled oats

Yogurt

Milk

Chia seeds*

Then you add your flavorings and fruit.  So easy!

*Chia seeds have tons of benefits, Monica from Yummy Life has a great list on her blog here.

If you're a little leery of eating seeds that come from a chia pet, have no fear (I just can't help but think of that commercial)! There's really no taste to them and again, check out the benefits!

Click here for Blueberry Maple Refrigerator Oatmeal

Click here for Raspberry Vanilla Refrigerator Oatmeal

Click here for Chunky Monkey Refrigerator Oatmeal

Chunky Monkey Refrigerator Oatmeal

Adapted from The Yummy Life.

1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1-1/2 teaspoons dried chia seeds

1 tbs natural peanut butter
1 tbs cocoa powder
1 tsp honey, optional (or substitute any preferred sweetener)
1/4 cup diced ripe banana, or enough to fill jar

Directions
In a half pint (1 cup) jar or other container, add oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, cocoa powder, peanut butter and honey. 

Put lid on jar and shake until well combined. 

Remove lid, add bananas and stir until mixed throughout. 

Return lid to jar and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days. Eat chilled.

Raspberry Vanilla Refrigerator Oatmeal

From The Yummy Life

1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1-1/2 tsp dried chia seeds
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs raspberry jam, preserves, or spread
1/4 to 1/3 cup raspberries or enough to fill jar

Directions
In a half pint (1 cup) jar or other container, add oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, and raspberry jam.

Put lid on jar and shake until well combined. 

Remove lid, add raspberries and stir until mixed throughout. 

Return lid to jar and refrigerate overnight or as long as 2-3 days. Eat chilled.

Blueberry Maple Refrigerator Oatmeal

From The Yummy Life.

1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1-1/2 tsp dried chia seeds
2 tsp maple syrup (more or less to taste)
1/4 cup blueberries (or enough to fill jar)

Directions
In a half pint (1 cup) jar or other container, add oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, and maple syrup.

Put lid on jar and shake until well combined. 

Remove lid, add blueberries and stir until mixed throughout. 

Return lid to jar and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.  Eat chilled.

Avocado Feta Salsa

Here's a fantastic salsa that's a bit unique.  I just made this for the first time and brought it to a family gathering, and it was a hit!!  Everyone loved it.  Honestly, I wasn't sure it was going to make it to the party after I sampled it, it's that good!  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

My friend KELLY VISSER turned me on to this, she got it from  Your Lighter Side.  

2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and chopped
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp snipped, fresh parsley
1 Tbsp snipped fresh oregano
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp white vinegar
4 oz. feta cheese, coarsely crumbled

1. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, avocado, onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, oil, and vinegar.
2. Stir gently to mix.
3. Gently stir in feta cheese.
4. Cover and chill for 2 hours or up to 6 hours.

Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips or crackers.  As far as I'm concerned, you could just ditch the chips and grab your spoon!!  I also think this would be great on chicken as well.  Top a nice piece of grilled chicken with it...YUM!

SRC: Avocado Cup Salad

It's my favorite time of the month again... The Secret Recipe Club Reveal Day!  I just love browsing through my assigned blog each month, I'm always so inspired.  There are so many talented people and amazing recipes to try.  This month I had The Ginger Snap Girl.  I was already in love when I saw the name of the blog, don't you just want to know about her by the name alone?  Besides, I love ginger, and my beloved cat's name is Ginger as well.  Gloria is the Ginger Snap Girl and she and her husband and their 3 cats live in Southern California.  I really enjoyed reading her "About Me" page.  She's a great writer, amazing in the kitchen, and takes some most beautiful pictures.  She notes that in her family it's all about the food and whose bringing what.  That's how I feel about our celebrations and gatherings too, we just might be soul sisters.  :D

Okay, on to the recipe...
I chose Avocado cup salad.

Don't they look amazing?!  Well, Avocado's are one of my favorite things.

Here's what you'll need:

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup fresh or frozen sweet corn (I cut mine right off the cob)
1/2 red, yellow or orange pepper, diced
2 roma or plum tomatoes, cut in half, seeded and diced
1/4 cup red onion finely diced
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon cilantro
1/2 anaheim green chile or jalapeno (if you like spicy), finely diced
2 limes
1 small jicama*, peeled and cut into matchstick size strips (about 2 cups)
2 small to medium sized ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced in half lengthwise
2 green onions, thinly sliced at an angle
Tortilla chips, broken in pieces for garnish

Start by making the corn salsa. Heat a small non stick skillet on medium high heat and add the olive oil  corn, red, yellow or orange pepper, and the chile. (I also added the red onion here since I prefer mine cooked a bit.)  Saute stirring occasionally until the corn, pepper and chile begin to take on roasted appearance, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Once mixture is cool, add tomato, 1 teaspoon of cilantro, the roasted corn mixture to a medium bowl and stir together. Squeeze the juice of one lime on the salsa and season with salt and pepper if desired and stir.

Next make the jicama slaw by combining the jicama, juice of one lime and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of cilantro in a small bowl. Stir to combine.

Next assemble your ingredients.  You could do individual plates for a main dish, or you could put it together on a serving platter like I did as we had it as a side.  Put the jicama on the bottom, then top with your avocado halves.  Then load them up with your corn salsa.  Finish with a sprinkle of sliced green onion and crushed tortilla chips.  

Enjoy!  

*Jicama was a new ingredient for us.  It's pronounced hik-uh-muh.  I've had it before at a restaurant but I've never bought or prepared it.  I'm always encouraging my kids to try something new, so this was a great opportunity.  I do confess, if you are one of my local friends, I had to go to 3 stores to find it!  But, I'm so glad I persevered.  It just added a nice texture and flavor to the salad.  It's kind of the texture of a crisp apple, but not as sweet as an apple.