Guacamole Salad with Cactus

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Guacamole Salad with Cactus - 9g Carbs Serves 4 1/2 cup guacamole and 1

cup lettuce per serving 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 medium

limes) 1 tsp acceptable vegetable oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 tsp

chili powder 1/8 tsp ground cumin 1/8 tsp black pepper Dash of cayenne 2

small cactus pads 1 medium avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced 2 Italian

plum tomatoes, diced 1/2 small red onion, chopped 4 cups shredded

iceberg lettuce (about 1/2 head) In a small bowl, combine the lime

juice, vegetable oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, and

cayenne. Set aside. With a vegetable peeler, shave off any stickers or

eyes on the cactus pads, making sure no stickers remain. Use the peeler

to remove any fibrous or dry parts of the pads. Thoroughly rinse

cactus pads under cold water. Place whole cactus pads in a pan that is

fitted with a steamer rack and filled with water (to just below the

rack). Bring the water to a simmer. Steam cactus pads, covered, over

medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they reach the desired

tenderness (tender-crisp is preferred for this recipe). Plunge the pads

into ice-cold water to set the color and stop the cooking. With a sharp

knife, cut the pads into matchstick-size strips. In a large mixing

bowl, combine the cactus pads, avocado, tomatoes, and red onion. Place

shredded lettuce on four plates, divide the avocado mixture among the

plates, and top with the reserved dressing. Cook's Tip: The common

Hass avocado is ripe when the pebbly skin is dark and the fruit yields

to gentle pressure near the stem end. To ripen them quickly, place

avocados in a paper bag for 1 or 2 days. Once ripened, they will keep

in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. It is important to remove the

small stem before cutting the avocado open so it doesnt get scooped

out with the green flesh. Cutting the avocado into quarters lengthwise

makes it easy to remove the pit. If the avocado is ripe, you can easily

peel the skin from the flesh. Calories: 106 Protein: 2 g

Carbohydrates: 9 g Total Fat: 8 g Saturated Fat: 1 g Polyunsaturated

Fat: 2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 20 mg

the American Heart Association Around The World Cookbook, 1996 by

the American Heart Association.