2 Ingredient Guacamole

Photo credit: Julia Gomelsky

Avocado is a serious super food. It’s nutrient dense, which means you get a lot of nutritional benefits from them for little in the way of calories.

My favorite thing about avocado is that it’s a healthy fat. Consuming healthy fats is important for lots of reasons, here are some of them (this is just the tip of the iceberg):

• You need to eat fats so that your body can absorb fat soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E and K

• Your cell membranes (all of them in your body) are made from fats

• You need fats for energy production in your body

• Fats are important for healthy hair and skin

Avocados are also a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant nutrients.

Cooking with avocado oil is something I recommend because it has a higher smoke point, meaning it’s safe for cooking at high temperatures (whereas olive oil is not, FYI). It also has a very neutral taste, unlike olive oil, so it’s more versatile in my opinion. That’s why I use it to make my mayo.

Because avocados are so good for you, guacamole can be a great addition to your healthy diet, if you do it right of course.

JCBN Guacamole fits that bill, and it only has 2 ingredients!

Ingredients:

1. Avocado

2. Pico de gallo

Instructions:

1. Mash avocado

2. Mix in pico de gallo to your liking

3. Enjoy!

Jennifer Brand, MPH, MS, CNS is a clinical nutritionist helping children with dry, flaky, weepy, red, itchy, painful rashes navigate the journey to healthy skin and enjoy a childhood free from disruptive skin symptoms.

Mayonnaise

“Mayonnaise is a food group, right?”

-Jennifer, Clinical Nutritionist

I love mayonnaise.

When I was a kid, my favorite snack was mayo on Wonder Bread.

You can’t make that up…

Fast forward many years, I still love mayo. Just not the junk that comes along with store-bought versions.

That’s why I make my own.

And I’ve even come up with a few tweaks that people love!

Ingredients:

• One whole egg

• ¾ cup – 1 cup oil (less oil makes it thicker), neutral-tasting oils that work well are avocado, sunflower seed, and grapeseed oils.

• Add-ins (optional)

  • Garlic (1-3 cloves, or more depending on how much you like garlic) 

  • A few shakes of hot sauce

  • Dash of apple cider vinegar

  • Pinch of salt

Instructions:

• Add the egg and optional add-ins to a blender or food processor, until well combined.

• Leave the machine running and start to drizzle in the oil. This is the make it or break it step, you may want to watch a YouTube video first. FYI, it took me more than a few tries to get it to work. What should happen is that it will emulsify, and voila! Mayonnaise!

Store in the fridge for up to a week

Enjoy!

Jennifer Brand, MPH, MS, CNS is a clinical nutritionist helping children with dry, flaky, weepy, red, itchy, painful rashes navigate the journey to healthy skin and enjoy a childhood free from disruptive skin symptoms.

5 Ingredient Macaroons

Simple, fast, delicious

“Baking doesn’t have to be complicated.”

-Jennifer, Clinical Nutritionist

Coconut meat is nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6, and minerals like iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. 

Coconut is a rich source of medium chain fatty acids. These fats are broken down faster than long chain fatty acids, they don't contribute to high cholesterol, and may even raise levels of good cholesterol in your body. Because of the way they are metabolized, they become more easily available for your body to use as energy compared to some other fats like long chain fatty acids.

Long chain fatty acids play a role in the development of insulin resistance increasing your risk for diabetes, and they promote fat accumulation. Medium chain fatty acids on the other hand may be associated with increased oxidative metabolism, reduced fat accumulation, and may have a beneficial impact on insulin signaling in the body.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (or to your taste)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 5 egg whites

• Chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl 

2. Place tablespoon sized 'dough' on a parchment lined cookie sheet

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes

4. Let cool and serve

Makes about 1 dozen macaroons

Enjoy!

Jennifer Brand, MPH, MS, CNS is a clinical nutritionist helping children with dry, flaky, weepy, red, itchy, painful rashes navigate the journey to healthy skin and enjoy a childhood free from disruptive skin symptoms.