Gut Friendly Guacamole has recently become a thing in our house. Obviously, because Guacamole needed any improvement, right? Well, this special little addition not only gives the flavor a slight twist, but also makes this already nutritious food even more nutritious.
For many years we simply picked up a container of guacamole at one of our local stores. It was good, but they would often include tomatoes in it, which we didn’t like. Although tomatoes are delicious, they belong in salsa and not in guacamole. The tomatoes tend to add too much water to the guacamole and a texture that I am not a fan of.
With that said, we all have different tastes buds and some people obviously like tomatoes in their guacamole. What about you? Are you a guacamole with tomato or no tomato fan?
The basic ingredients for Gut Friendly Guacamole
Guacamole is one of those basic recipes that, once you have nailed, is super easy to whip up for a late afternoon snack or an evening summer barbeque with friends.
The ingredients:
- Avocados (surprise!)
- Cilantro
- Shallot
- Jalapeno (optional)
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt & pepper
- Lime juice
- Fermented vegetable juice
- Did you notice the unique ingredient in the list above? Yes, the fermented vegetable juice may seem a bit strange, but it works really well in guacamole. The flavor combination is incredible.
How to select a fermented vegetable juice?
Although this may sound like a foreign ingredient, there is a good chance you already have some in your fridge, which is exactly how it ended up in our guacamole. Fermented vegetable juice can be taken from any vegetable that has been fermented.
Some of the personal faves in our house include sauerkraut, dill pickles, and this wonderful taqueria mix, which is actually what we usually use in the guacamole. The taqueria mix works well because it has complimentary flavors from the jalapeño, jicama, and carrots that are fermented. I also love eating the veggies straight from the jar.
When you are looking at your jar/package of fermented veggies, it is important to look at the ingredients and make sure it is simply made with a salt, other spices, and water and not vinegar. Vinegar makes it more into a brine rather than a truly cultured food.
Another sign of properly fermented food is that the package might also describe it as “raw” or “unpasteurized.” If a food is pasteurized, the healthy microbes from fermentation are killed.
What makes this Gut Friendly Guacamole unique?
You got it! Why the heck add fermented veggie juice to guac? Well, Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha (another HUGE favorite of our kiddos), kefir, and high-quality yogurts are ideally packed with lovely little bugs that are digestive systems love.
Unless you have been living under a rock (no insult intended) these days, you have heard of probiotics. I wouldn’t go so far as to say they are a trend that will eventually fade off; rather, we are finally realizing how critical probiotics are to our health.
Yes, you can take a probiotic capsule, but isn’t it more fun to eat food? Heck yeah!
Ideally, we would all make our own cultured veggies, but that is a little too far-fetched, right? Time and motivation are often lacking so I rely on the grocery store and, thankfully, stores are starting to carry more and more varieties of fermented veggies.
A short lis of some of my favorite brands of gut-healthy foods:
Firefly Kitchens: Emerald City Kraut and the Yin Yang Carrots are my faves
Bubbies: Kosher Dill Pickles (AMAZING!)
Pickled Planet: Taqueria Mix (This is what we use in the guacamole.)
These are only a few of the available probiotic rich foods but they are what we generally keep in our fridge these days.
The products listed above are what I use and love and not affiliate links. I will clearly state if an affiliate link is present.
Kid approved gut friendly guacamole!
Have I mentioned that my children are perfect? They eat all the things: broccoli, kale, sauerkraut, kimchi, and liver. Yeah right! I am laughing at myself even thinking of how preposterous this sounds. They ate these things for like two days when they were little, but now they have opinionated taste buds and won’t go near most of these foods.
Instead of feeding them sauerkraut or other fermented foods, I find ways to sneak them into their meals. Shhh! A secret between us parents. This gut friendly guacamole was a result of this sly trickery.
My ever-so-wise husband suggested adding some taqueria juice (raw, truly fermented source) to our guacamole one evening. Since he is the guacamole maker and we are focusing on gut healing for our two-year old, I gave him free reign.
Thankfully, the experiment proved successful. Neither of our two boys even noticed the addition of the fermented vegetable juice and they gobbled up the guacamole. Sometimes we use both lime juice and the taqueria mix, but it works well with the taqueria mix on its own.
Enjoy this Gut Friendly Guacamole and those you share it with.
Even though nutrition is not the only focus of foods, it is still important. Understanding the old school methods that used to be used daily is also important. Although slower and more time consuming, these methods are part of what made food a community experience. This community experience is what gives food so much power to nourish our bodies and our souls.
I hope you, your family, and your gut enjoy this satisfying gut friendly guacamole.
Enjoy!
Gut Friendly Gaucamole
Ingredients
- 3 avocados
- 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro
- 1 small shallot minced
- 1-2 tbsp fermented vegetable juice See Note
- salt and pepper
- Red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- In medium bowl, mash avocados until desired consistency. You can mash and stir until avocados are creamy or you can leave it chunkier.
- Add in shallots and cilantro and combine then stir in 1-2 tbsp of fermented vegetable juice.
- Taste and then season with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes if using.
