AVOCADO ENDIVE BOATS

I jazz up guacamole by serving it on endive leaves with homemade salsa.

—GILDA LESTER MILLSBORO, DE



PREP: 45 MIN. • MAKES:1/2 DOZEN


1 jar (12 ounces) roasted sweet red peppers, drained and finely chopped

1 cup finely chopped fennel bulb

1/4 cup sliced ripe olives, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided

2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and pitted

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons diced jalapeno pepper

1 green onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 plum tomatoes, choppped

30 endive leaves

Chopped fennel fronds

1. In a small bowl, combine first five ingredients; stir in 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

2. In another bowl, mash avocados with a fork. Stir in next six ingredients and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir in tomatoes.

3. Spoon about 1 tablespoon avocado mixture onto each endive leaf; top each with about 1 tablespoon pepper mixture. Sprinkle with fennel fronds.

Per appetizer: 43 cal., 3g fat (0 sat. fat), 0 chol., 109mg sod., 4g carb. (1g sugars, 3g fiber), 1g pro.

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.