Bacon Garlic Guacamole with Taro Chips

Who said that a grain-free diet is boring and depriving? I hear that a lot, but Bacon Garlic Guacamole with Taro Chips? It sounds pretty indulgent to me…and these chips are far more delicious than those GMO corn chips anyway.

People are often surprised by the fact that I don’t eat grains, they often ask me: “If you don’t eat bread, pasta or rice, then what is there left to eat? How about “Everything else?!?!?!”  I don’t think my meals are ever boring. I have been following a primal/paleo diet for over two years and I am nowhere near running out of new recipe ideas.
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Another misconception is that grain-free people eat mostly meat and their diet is very acidic, making our bodies prone to disease. According to Dr Chris Kresser, the alkaline diet is a myth, (read article here), and the pH of foods can change the pH of our urine but not the pH of our blood. I will address this concern anyway: I can only speak for myself, but since I cut out grains my diet is far more alkaline. I used to eat a piece of meat, rice, beans and a piece of bread or tortillas for dinner, all these are acidic. Now I have balanced that pH by substituting the rice, beans and bread with a salad, steamed veggies and some fruit. Regardless of the food pH, I’ve replaced previously empty calories with nutritious foods.

This guacamole combines three of my five favorite foods: Avocado, Bacon, and Garlic. I guess if I top a grilled rare rib eye with this guacamole and some sautéed mushrooms, I have my dream meal. Now there is another idea…

I used taro root to make my chips, there are several types of taro, the ones that my store normally carries, are round and only about an inch and a half wide. You will need the large and elongated one. I found mine at an Asian market, but you can have your local supermarket order one for you or you can use sweet potato, yucca root, turnips or any on the type of root vegetable.

A taro root looks like this and it is about 3 inches wide:

You can also make my paleo tortilla chips or my patacones instead. If you want to try the taro chips with a different sauce I suggest my Chimichurri Sauce

 

Ingredients:

3 slices of bacon
2 avocados
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 green onion, sliced
1 tbsp of chopped cilantro or parsley
1 tbsp of lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 medium taro root
Melted coconut oil, bacon fat or desired cooking oil

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 420 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grill or bake the bacon slices until crispy, allow to cool and crumble into small pieces.
• In a medium bowl, mash the avocado. Mix in the garlic, green onion, cilantro, lemon juice, and salt.
• To make the chips, peel and slice the taro root. The slices need to be very thin like a chip otherwise they won’t get crispy. A mandolin slicer makes this step much easier (See link at the bottom).
• Place the taro slices in a bowl, sprinkle some salt if desired and generously coat with the oil.
• Arrange slices in a cookie sheet on a single layer.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the chips are golden brown and crispy. (cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chip).
• Some chips will be done before others. rotate them or take them out as necessary.
• Dip away and enjoy.