Yes, avocados have their share of calories, but they are healthy calories—most are from the monounsaturated avocado oil*.

Salsa bobos is our favorite salsa. Bobos means confetti in Spanish. The mixture of black beans, green bell pepper, orange carrot, red tomato, yellow corn and salsa looks even more festive than most confetti.

We’d happily eat this every day, and typically serve it as party salsa. Sometimes we make it, sometimes we buy it from Jardine’s (we buy it by the case).

So delicious, and truly healthful! Photo courtesy Avocado Central.

The salsa is so thick, you can serve it as a side dish even without the avocado. Salsa bobos also can be used for a seven-layer dip or as a topping for fish, chicken, baked potatoes (delicious with sour cream or Greek yogurt) or fancy nachos. Try it in the center of a shrimp cocktail, atop the cocktail sauce.

AVOCADO WITH SALSA BOBOS

Ingredients For Four Servings

Preparation

1. COMBINE beans, corn, carrots, cilantro, salsa, green onion and red pepper sauce in a bowl; stir to combine.

2. FILL each avocado half with 1/4 of the bobos mixture. Garnish with sprouts and serve.

TIP: Cut a thin lengthwise slice off of the bottom of each avocado half to make the avocados stable on the plates.
 
 

 
*One cup of avocado has 234 calories and 21g total fat, of which 14g is monounsaturated; 708 mg potassium; 10 g dietary fiber, 2.9 g protein, 24% DV vitamin C, 20% DV vitamin B-6 and other nutrients.

†A large avocado averages about 8 ounces.
  

Certified Humane is the seal of compliance bestowed by Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), the leading non-profit certification organization dedicated to improving the lives of farm animals. The program aims to improve the lives of farm animals by driving consumer demand for kinder and more responsible farm animal practices.

That’s you: a consumer who is reading this!

ABOUT CERTIFIED HUMANE PRODUCTS

When you see the Certified Humane Raised and Handled label on a product, you are assured that the food comes from a facility that meets precise, objective standards for farm animal treatment.

Look for the Certified Humane label. Can’t find it? Ask the meat department manager. Photo courtesy HFAC.

Nationally recognized as the Gold Standard for certifying animal welfare from birth through slaughter, the program is supported by more than 50 humane organizations. More than 100 U.S. companies, representing thousands of farms and millions of farm animals, are now certified. The assurances include, among other things, that:

WHERE TO FIND CERTIFIED HUMANE
PRODUCTS

With the addition of Alaska this year, Certified Humane products are now available in all 50 states. Certified Humane products are available for sale 9 out of the top 10 grocery retailers, in more than 10,000 locations nationwide. Products are also available in Canada and for online purchase.

To locate the nearest products, simply download the Certified Humane App from the Apple Store for iPhone, or from Google Play for Android.

Accessing CertifiedHumane.org from any mobile device will instantly pull up a “Where to Buy” button, made for quick access to nearby products. From a computer, visit the Where to Buy page of the website.

Learn more at CertifiedHumane.org.

Simply slice the bread, brush with olive oil and grill. For even more flavor, blend the olive oil with minced garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme or a combination. Sprinkle with a pinch of regular or flavored salt when you’re ready to remove the bread from the grill.

No grill? Use your broiler. The only thing you’ll miss is the the smoky flavor of hardwood on a charcoal fire.
BREAD GRILLING TIPS

There’s a lot of grilled bread excitement beyond the sliced loaf. McCormick suggests these complements with non-traditional grilling breads.

 
FIND MORE DELICIOUS BREADS TO GRILL IN OUR
TASTY BREAD GLOSSARY.

Easy and delicious broiled tomatoes. Photo
courtesy Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

Revel in the summer crop of vine-ripened tomatoes. Add them to every salad and sandwich. Make gazpacho and fresh tomato sauce for pasta.

And along the way, stick some under the broiler for a delicious first course or side. You can add dressed greens to the plate as a salad course: Consider arugula, spinach, watercress or a baby greens mix.
 
BROILED TOMATOES RECIPE

Ingredients

Preparation

1. CUT tomatoes in half. SEASON with salt and place cut side down on a rack or paper towel. Drain for about 30 minutes; blot dry with a paper towel.

2. PREHEAT broiler to medium high, with rack positioned in the upper part. Line a broiler pan with foil.

3. COMBINE the bread crumbs, cheese, herbs, garlic and olive oil in a small bowl. Grind fresh pepper to taste.

4. PLACE the tomatoes cut side up in the baking pan. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over the tomatoes (cut side). Place tomatoes under the broiler for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

5. OPTION: Top with the second cheese and broil until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Garnish with additional herbs; serve immediately.
QUICK, LOW-CALORIE METHOD

1. PLACE cut tomatoes seed side up in dish or pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. DRIZZLE with olive oil; sprinkle with herbs. Broil until hot and the tops begin to brown.

If you have leftovers, enjoy them reheated or cold.

August 10 is National S’mores Day, so here’s one more recipe on top of yesterday’s s’mores suggestions. This recipe is courtesy of Christina Ferrare, co-host of “Home & Family” on the Hallmark Channel.
RECIPE: S’MORE COOKIE BARS

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

2. CREAM together butter and sugar in a large bowl, until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.

3. WHISK together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

4. DIVIDE dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. Two five- ounce Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread Marshmallow Fluff evenly over the chocolate layer.

5. PLACE remaining dough in a single layer on top of the Fluff. This is most easily done by putting the second half of the dough in a gallon size freezer bag. Use your palms or a rolling pin to flatten it out, and then use scissors to cut down both long sides of the bag, so it will open up book-style. Open the bag carefully, and the dough will stick on one side of the bag. Then place the bag, dough side down, on the other three layers. From there peel the bag up and spread the dough where it is uneven.

6. BAKE for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
 
You can see a video of the preparation here.