Green Pea Guacamole

Guacamole. It's a delicious, rich green buttery spread that goes well with a variety of foods - crudités, crackers, bread, pasta, tortilla chips, etc. It's also high in fat. It is the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from avocados, but it can still feel a little heavy. Guacamole can be lightened up with a wide variety of other green foods, and what I have used here is green peas. 

What many people don't realize is peas are actually a good source of protein and very high in dietary fiber as well. They make the guacamole lighter, greener, and very healthy. I also added some other flavorings based on what I had around the house. It's a really delicious spread, dip, or sauce. I highly recommend using defrosted frozen peas in lieu of canned. I used canned, as that is all I had on hand, but frozen peas would give the dip a brighter green color and avoid that 'canned' taste. If you have fresh garden peas, that is even better!

Green Pea Guacamole
one large ripe avocado
one cup green peas
juice of one lime, lemon, or orange
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt and pepper, to taste
oil, as desired, to achieve desired consistency

Blend all ingredients together until smooth. I actually did it by hand - mashed the avocado and peas together, then stirred in the rest. Therefore, my dip wasn't completely smooth but I liked the extra texture from the peas.