I have been craving Mexican lately, all week I have been following the trend, last Sunday I made those delicious Chipolte Quinoa stuffed Sweet Potatoes, Wednesday I had a vegetable burrito at the delightful Gabby's in Ellenville, NY, and I have been craving avocados for days! Maybe it is the cumin and chili powder and that lovely heat that burns slowly in your stomach that I am craving or perhaps it is actually just the avocados! I love avocados, they are creamy, salty, delicious perfection while being heart healthy, and loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. I can't say enough about them, the versatility is amazing, mashed, sliced, cubed, eaten straight with a spoon - I will take them anyway I can get them.

Avocados are an essential aspect of an Alkaline diet for they are one of the top 10 alkaline foods and can be used to enhance many a recipe, from smoothies to salad. They are filled with tons of omegas, beta- carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, selenim, and can actually lower cholesterol and help you lose weight. You can see that I am partial to the unique fruit and as I had a few limes sitting in the fridge that needed to be used I decided that tonight would be quac night! Guacamole is one of my favorite ways to showcase avocados, I love using it on toast, chips, crackers, and pretty much just shovel it in with a spoon every chance I get. It always seems to make every dish better. And it is so simple to make!

Although I could add guacamole to any dish, I really wanted to showcase its simplicity by serving it with chips. I mean who doesn't love chips and dip? The salty crunch and the smooth guacamole is a divine combination! I could definitely use potatoes to make my baked chips but I prefer to use turnips as they have more nutritional value and a slightly earthy, sweet taste that seems to pair nicely with the lime and onion used in the guac. I hope that you enjoy!

Baked Turnip Chips

2 Medium to Large Turnips, sliced evenly

2 tbs Olive Oil

1./2 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Paprika

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a mandolin slice the turnips into thin rounds. Toss the sliced turnips with the olive oil and seasonings. Lay them on a cookie sheet or on a rack placed on a cookie sheet (this allows for even cooking and helps them crisp faster). Once they begin to brown remove them from the oven. Snack away!

Fresh Guacamole

2 Avocados

1 Small Red Onion, chopped

1/2 of a Jalapeno, diced

2 Tomatoes, chopped

Juice of 1 Lime

Handful of fresh Cilantro

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Slice the avocado in half, scooping out the flesh into a bowl, mash depending on how chunky you like it. Stir in the onion, jalapeno, tomatoes, lime, cilantro, and salt. Let sit for 15 minutes for the flavors to meld. Enjoy and Healthy Eating!

Often after a hectic week I wind up feeling sluggish and sleepy. I need a little bit of an energizing zing and what better way to get one than with some fresh juice! I love juice, it is both nutritious and centering especially after you have consumer too many acidic forming foods. So when I woke up this morning I decided that I needed a little outdoor activity and a lot of juice in my life!

Juicing is great because you can use any variety of fruits and vegetables and wind up with easily absorbable vitamins and minerals that get you back on track. It is such a simple process, after you cut everything up, you throw it in the machine and then you can sit back and sip. I have a slow juicer so I can make juice and store it for a few days, this is very helpful, especially if I need an extended cleanse after a particularly stressful week. So after a little hike, I made a carrot, green apple and ginger juice as well as a celery, beet greens, apple and ginger juice.

Juicing is a really wonderful method for consuming vitamins as well as an easy way to rid your body of excess toxins and cravings however, I do not like to create waste and when you juice you wind up with a lot of pulp. I do compost but I hate throwing out perfectly usable veggie parts, especially when they are a snackers paradise in waiting! The pulp from your juice, combined with some spices and flax meal creates amazing, tasty, crunchy crackers that can be dipped in hummus, salsa, or tahini or used as an accompaniment to cheese. The best part about using juice pulp as a base for your crackers is that there are an endless number of flavor combinations that can be created. Salty, sweet, spicy, herbal, your options are endless! As my pulp had an abundance of green apple I decided to go for a curry flavored snack, perfect for munching on while relaxing.

Making these delicious, crunchy morels is so easy and they are totally guilt free! All you have to do is put your ingredients in a food processor and throw them in the oven or dehydrator if you are looking for a raw option.

The mixture forms into a dough that can be rolled out and cut, creating cracker of any size. A lot of juice pulp crackers tell you to roll out the 'dough' and score it before backing. I actually prefer to cut the dough into bite sized pieces before cooking as it makes crispier crackers and allows for a more even browning.

Green Apple and Curry Juice Pulp Crackers

2 cups pulp from juicing - any pulp will do, mine happened to have a lot of green apple in it

1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds

1 tbs Sesame Seeds

1 tsp Flax Seeds

1 tbs Curry Spice

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1/4 cup Ground Flax Meal

water as needed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees or plug in your dehydrator. Grease a cookie sheet with olive oil or coconut oil.

Place the juice pulp into a food processor. Pulse to break up the pulp. Add the sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, spices, and flax meal. Process until the 'dough' starts to come together. Depending on the moisture content of your dough, you may need to add a little water. I added 1 tbs of water as my pulp was very dry. You will be able to tell when the dough is correct by squeezing it between 2 finger, if it stays together than it is ready to be rolled.

Gather the dough into 2 balls. Roll one ball out onto a cutting board or counter top, creating an even layer. I have found that the dough rolls easiest if you go in one direction as opposed to a back and forth motion. Cut the flattened dough into squares and transfer to the cookie sheet. Repeat with the second ball.

Bake the crackers for 30-40 minutes or until browned to your liking. Remove from the oven and let cool. The crackers are best enjoyed the day that you make them as that is when they are crispest. You can store them in an airtight container but they will lose some of their crunchy goodness. Enjoy and healthy eating!