Guiltless Guacamole

• 4 ripe avocados
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
• ½ small sweet onion, very finely chopped
• 1 fresh hot green jalapeño pepper (stemmed, seeded and very finely chopped)
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, softened and very finely chopped
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste Fresh lime juice (about ½ of a lime)

Mix all ingredients together in either a food processor or using a mortar and pestle. Sun-dried tomatoes give this dip a burst of flavor.

Recommended dipping chip: Corazonas Original

Pico de Gallo Salsa

• 4 medium tomatoes, diced
• ½ cup diced red or purple onion
• ½ cup chopped green onions (scallions)
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp minced jalapeño pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chili powder ¼ tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together in a medium size bowl. For best flavor, let salsa soak for 1 hour before serving.

Recommended dipping chip: Jalapeño Jack

Bold Black Bean Salsa

• 2 cans black beans — rinsed
• 1 can white corn — rinsed
• 3 tomatoes — chopped
• 1 red onion — chopped
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• 4 Tbls lime juice
• 2 Tbls vinegar
• 2 Tbls olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Mix it all together and serve as a dip or side salad. It tends to season nicely as it sits to make ahead of time, if you can. This is a very healthy recipe and yummy to boot!!

Courtesy of Mary Shvodian.

Recommended dipping chip: Salsa Picante

Heart-Healthy Chili

This is a great low-fat, reduced-sodium chili that will please lots of folks. Note that it uses chile powder, made from pure ground chiles, not chili powder. You can find ground chile in the spice section of most major groceries or in Latin American grocery stores.

Serves 8 to 10

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups diced red onion (2 small), divided
• 1¼ pounds ground turkey
• 2 (15-ounce) cans low-sodium black beans
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with puree
• 2 cups diced red bell pepper (2 medium)
• 1 quart low-sodium reduced-fat chicken broth
• ¼ cup ground chile powder (such as ancho, pasilla, or New Mexico)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ¼ cup cornmeal

In a large pot over medium-low heat, warm the oil and sauté 1½ cups of the onions until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the turkey, breaking it into large pieces only (you don't want it to get too crushed). Brown briefly, then add the beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, broth, chile powder, garlic, cumin and oregano. Stir well and set the pot lid ajar. Simmer the chili over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Remove the lid and add the cornmeal while stirring. Leave the lid off and simmer another 15 minutes, until the chili thickens slightly. Serve with the remaining ½ cup onions sprinkled on top.

Suggestion: Garnish each serving with Original flavor Corazonas heart-healthy tortilla chips.

Per serving (assumes 1 ounce of Corazonas as garnish): 377 Calories; 15g Fat (32.3% calories from fat); 25g Protein; 44g Carbohydrate; 11g Dietary Fiber; 50mg Cholesterol; 512mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; ½ Fat.