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You know what goes about as well with basketball as that blue and red bird?

Guacamole.

It’s mean, green and perfect for dipping. Bonus: It’s super easy to make yourself, no need to buy mixes or the pre-made stuff.

In fact, it’s so easy to make it, there’s about a million different recipes. Some have add-ins like various chilis for spice, mayo (for smoothness) and even peas to keep the fat content down.

But, I like it basic (shocker). So, my two go-to guac recipes are pretty simple. I’ve used both many times and mostly, time (or lack thereof) decides which recipe I choose. One recipe requires some chopping, which doesn’t take a lot of time, but it does take a bit. The other recipe requires no chopping whatsoever and literally can be made in 30 seconds.

The combination of ease and dip-ability make either recipe a winner during March Madness. As long as your avocados are ripe, you can have a dip platter ready for munching during the games in just a few minutes. Triple bonus: avocados are packed with good fats — monounsaturated fat and omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. A small to medium Hass avocado has 227 calories, 21 grams of fat, 9 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein and 20 percent of your daily vitamin C.

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For extra vitamin C, and fewer overall calories, I usually chop up red bell peppers in dip-able sizes and use them as vehicles for guac, rather than chips. Or, I’ll put it on cucumber rounds. Or I’ll make homemade veggie burgers and put it on there (see above, with a mango sauce on black bean sliders).

Not planning to dip into some basketball? Make guac for St. Patrick’s day this week. It is green, after all.

Chunky Party Guac

3 small or 2 large avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled

1/2 white or red onion, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

Juice of two limes

1 clove minced garlic

Mash avocado with a potato masher. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

Easy Guacamole (adapted from www.chefchloe.com)

3 small or 2 large avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled

2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

1/4 cup salsa (I like the chunky stuff the best)

In a large bowl, mash together avocado and lime juice, then fold in salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste.