This recipe brings out the best in the vegetables it contains. The peppers are deliciously sweet and the pomegranates add sparkle to the dish. What’s more, they are bursting with vitamin C and rich in fibre, which supports a healthy gut. You can normally find small pots of them in supermarkets, or buy the fruit and scoop out the seeds yourself. I have found it is another practice to do mindfully and with focus as a way of calming myself down. Don’t panic if you don’t have time or can’t get hold of any, though – the dish tastes good without them.
Jewelled Guacamole and Roasted Red Peppers on Rye Bread
– Serves 1, with leftovers –
2 red, yellow or orange peppers, deseeded and sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 large ripe avocado
1⁄2 garlic clove, crushed
Squeeze of lemon juice
Handful of pomegranate seeds
2 slices of toasted rye bread, with added seeds if possible
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1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.2. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil and a little chopped parsley. Bake them for 20 minutes, turning them halfway through. We like them slightly charred on the outside.
3. Scoop out the avocado flesh and mash it together with the garlic paste and a dash of olive oil. We prefer it a little lumpy, but if you want a smooth consistency, mash away to your heart’s content.4. Add a squeeze of lemon (not too much) and mix in the pomegranate seeds.
5. Once the peppers are cooked, you are ready to serve. Drizzle olive or hempseed oil over the hot toast, and then spread on the guacamole. Place the roasted peppers on top and add a sprinkle of parsley. The guacamole can be stored in the fridge but may go a little brown as the avocado oxidises, so it is better eaten the same day.
Recipe courtesy of Rachel Kelly’s cookbook, The Happy Kitchen