Amidst my excitement and some sadness, I’ve been packing like a fiend! And once I get to San Fran, I’ll need a little time to get back on track. Hence, I put out the call for guest posts, and my call was answered by some awesome nutrition folk. Without further ado, I present the first by the lovely Kara of peaceloveandfood.com. Thanks Kara! Enjoy!

Tomato and Avocado Salsa by Kara Lydon

Fresh tomatoes are a beautiful thing of the summer. In season from July to October, you can find them at your local grocery store, or better yet, at your farmer’s market, or wait, EVEN BETTER, in your own backyard garden. Yes, tomatoes are a juicy red reminder that summer is here to stay…for a couple months anyway.

For myself and I bet many of you out there, fitting in the recommended daily servings of vegetables can be a challenge! It is recommended that adults consume 2.5-4 cups of vegetables daily, with women on the lower end and men on the higher end of the range.

To help myself reach 2.5 cups of veggies per day and to take advantage of local tomatoes, I love making Eating Well’s recipe for Tomato and Avocado Salsa in the summertime. Great for topping off Mexican food OR scooping it up with some blue corn tortilla chips for a snack! The avocado is an added bonus, providing you with some healthy monounsaturated fat to help lower your bad cholesterol and raise your good cholesterol, keeping your heart in check!

This makes for a great summer afternoon snack that is only 72 calories per ½ cup serving! Pair with tortilla chips to give you a satisfying crunch! Also a great snack idea for summer parties and barbeques that will have your guests begging for more veggies!

What’s your favorite way to eat salsa?

Kara Lydon has a B.S. in Nutritional Sciences from Boston University and is finishing up her dietetic internship at Mount Auburn Hospital. Come September 2010, she will be qualified to take the Commission of Dietetics Registry to become a Registered Dietitian. You can find Kara blogging about nutrition, food, and wellness at peaceloveandfood.com.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine’s Day weekend, and I hope you’re ready for the winner of The Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge #1: Avocado!

First of all, thank you to everyone for all of your submissions. I was amazed with your breakfast creativity, and impressed that so many of you stepped up to take on the challenge – congrats to all of you on your breakfast creations!

Although all of your creations were amazing, unfortunately there can only be one winner. So using the random integer generator, the winner of The Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge #1 is… drum roll please…

Danielle of Coffee Run with her fabulous Rocky Road Oatmeal – congratulations Danielle!

Danielle took on our challenge and created a delicious Chocolate Chai Pudding with avocado, which she incorporated into a whole slew of breakfast creations – including her delicious looking Rocky Road Oatmeal. Congratulations on the win Danielle, send us your address at thesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com, and be on the look-out for your prizes in the mail: The Chef’n Vibe Avocado Slicer, courtesy of Kitchen Stuff Plus, an avocado gift pack, courtesy of Avocados from Mexico, and a ton of Newman’s Own Organic products.

Now, time to share Danielle’s Rockin’ Rocky Road Oatmeal recipe…

Rocky Road Oatmeal

Ingredients:

Chocolate Chai Pudding

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
• 12 oz. (1 block) silken tofu
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• Sweetener, to taste (I used 5 packets of Nu Naturals Stevia. You could also use agave- starting with 1/3 cup and adding more if desired)

Rocky Road Oatmeal

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup water
• Slices of banana
• Coconut Cream
• Crushed Walnuts
• Chocolate Chai Pudding

Directions:

Chocolate Chai Pudding

1. Blend ingredients together
2. Serve and enjoy as a pudding! Or incorporate into the oatmeal as follows…

Rocky Road Oatmeal

1. Cook oats with water
2. Top with/mix in rest of ingredients (including Chocolate Chai Pudding)
3. Serve and enjoy!

Thanks again to everyone who submitted a recipe for the avocado challenge, and stay tuned for the winner of the Flax Seed Challenge tomorrow. There’s still time to submit your Flax Seed breakfast recipes today, so challenge yourself today!

Happy Super Breakfast Bowl Snacking!

Lindsey Toth at Healthy Blog Snack