Jalapeño Avocado Crema

Are you ready for the sauce that is going to make all your taco dreams come true?  Jalapeño Avocado Crema is bringing creamy avocado, perfect mellow heat with a punch of jalapeño flavor and a hint of subtle sweet pineapple.  It’s easy to make and even easier to enjoy!

Truly, I’m not sure what’s easier….making this jalapeño avocado crema or eating all the things it turns delicious.  Sounds like a win win to me either way.  

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Have you been living your life just putting standard taco toppings on your tortillas?  Yes?  Maybe boring dressing on a taco themed salad?  

Darling, sit down and let me tell you about it.  Because while tacos are 100% always delicious, you NEED tacos that are going to change your life.  NO!  I take that back, you deserve tacos that are topped with Jalapeño Avocado Crema. 

What is Jalapeño Avocado Crema

A crema is simply a thickened cream based food used to flavor or add richness to a dish.  Here’s the simple breakdown of what makes up Jalapeño Avocado Crema:

• Roasted jalapeños
• one good and ripe avocado
• smidge of sour cream
• the most perfect splash of pineapple juice
• sprinkle of salt

Blend all those wonderful things in the blender, food processor, or my very favorite hand blender pictured above and that’s it.  You are ready to sauce the world in green, slightly spicy, slightly sweet goodness.

But wait…if you’re new to non-traditional taco toppings – e.g. salsa, cheese, maybe sour cream, you might be at a loss with what to do with avocado crema.  Here’s a few ideas for how to sauce up your life….(side note:  I really hope the Spice Girls “Spice Sauce Up Your Life” just started playing in your head.)

• Sauce up a taco…like these Cilantro Lime Flank Steak Tacos
• Use it as a dressing…like on this Grilled Corn Salad
• Dip some crispy roasted brussels sprouts in it
• Serve it alongside salsa and chips in place of guac
• Slather a crispy waffle fry in it(!)
• Put a dollop on top of some Chipotle Chicken Soup
• Serve it with fresh cut veggies instead of hummus

Tips for Making and Storing Jalapeño Avocado Crema

Avocado is fickle right?  Like it’s not ripe for a whole week and then you go and take a shower and when you get out it’s rotting.  What is the deal?? 

Some tips that might help you make the most of your ingredients:

• If your avocado isn’t ripe, leave it on the counter in a brown paper bag with a banana.  There’s some sort of science reason why this helps speed up the ripening process but I’m not seasoned on the details as to why, it just works.
• If your avocado is almost ripe, I throw mine in the microwave, in the brown paper bag just enough to warm it and help release it from the shell.
• The heat of a jalapeño pepper can vary pepper to pepper.  To make a pepper less hot/spicy, remove all the seeds and the white ribbing. 
• A jalapeño with striations or what kind of looks like stretch marks on the outside (me too jalapeños, me too) will signify an older pepper and more likely to be hotter.  
• You can substitute low fat greek yogurt or even coconut yogurt for low fat or vegan avocado crema.
• If you don’t have pineapple juice on hand, you can substitute orange juice in a pinch.  It’s still on the sweet side, but I’d definitely recommend you try it with the pineapple.

MADE THE PERFECT CREMA?!  HERE’S HOW TO KEEP IT FRESH:

This is going to sound a little crazy, but pour a very thin layer of water over the avocado crema.  The water will act as a barrier between the crema and the air, keeping it from turning brown. 

If you get some cracks in the crema, just mix it with a fork before serving.  Alternatively you can also just scrape the thin layer of brown off or just mix it in if you’re lazy like me.

And if you need a tasty beverage to wash down your sauced up eats, considered some of these tequila based cocktails!

• Naturally Infused Pineapple Tequila
• Spicy Pineapple Margarita
• Watermelon Basil Margarita
• Grapefruit Thyme Paloma

 

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