Truth be told, I rarely follow recipes. I love reading about recipes and have a substantial cookbook collection, but I usually just use what I have on hand. I usually throw things together and hope for the best. Then I might tinker with it, feed it to my brave-faced husband or summon it to the compost pile---in only the worst case scenario.
After making this dip several times and several different ways, another friend asked for the recipe. Although Tara loves to throw caution to the wind when it comes to knitting, when cooking she prefers to follow clear directions and not my verbal 'pinch of this, pinch of that' instruction. This made me realize that although I love to improvise in the kitchen, not everyone does.
So, here it is: good for dipping tortilla chips, quesadillas or veggies, drizzling onto tostadas or burritos or, in my daughter's case, eating straight from the bowl.
And yes, I use garlic powder in this recipe! Truth be told, it's my secret weapon in my spice arsenal. It doesn't have the pungent bite of fresh garlic that sometimes turns kids off. The most subtle flavour works well in dips. With that said, I always buy fresh ground garlic powder (from the farmer's market or an organic variety at the store) as it seems to taste better than the other types on the market shelves. Don't mistakenly buy garlic salt as it is almost always too salty and not garlic-y enough.
Go ahead and double the recipe. You will love it and it won't last...and I don't mind that the kids may want to eat this with a spoon!
Avocado & Greek Yogurt Dip
Cayenne pepper gives it a wee kick. I usually leave it out if it is intended for my kids consumption but it adds a nice heat if you like some spice. Greek yogurt gives it nice body for a dip, if you want a drizzle consistency, you can add plain yogurt instead.
NOTE: Look for a dark-coloured, slightly soft avocado. It must be ripe for this recipe. For avocado tips, click here.
1 ripe avocado, mashed
1 lime, juiced (2 tbsp)
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/4 tsp organic ground garlic powder
1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
optional: 1/16 tsp ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
1. Cut avocado in half lengthwise, remove pit and scoop out avocado flesh into small bowl. Mash with a fork. Stir in lime juice.
2. Add yogurt, garlic powder and salt. Add cayenne pepper if desired.
3. Can be consumed immediately or covered and refrigerated until use. Can be made up to one day ahead.
