I love avocados. They stay close at hand in my kitchen; they have many uses. Slices garnish my eggs at breakfast (I’m more of a savory-food-for-breakfast gal than sweet); they are often found in my fresh summer salads. Nothing beats homemade guacamole, which I often prepare in my molcajete. Sometimes I just sprinkle on a smidge of salt and scoop it straight out of the skin. Then there is the ‘BLTA’ sandwich: bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado…Hello? Only the best sandwich ever!! Heck, I’ve even heard of avocados being used in various beauty treatments…I’m sure they work, but I can’t bear the thought of not being able to consume them. They are filled with so much in the way of fiber and vitamins and other heart-healthy benefits. And taste. Mmm.
I prefer Haas avocados. In fact, I am quite addicted to them. When we lived in St. Thomas we had access to the Caribbean avocados grown there. They are much larger than other varieties I have seen. Our landlord even had avocado trees among his numerous other varieties (banana, mango, papaya, et al). I don’t find them as tasty as the Haas variety, but they are not so bad.
It used to be simpler around here to eat avocados. My husband did not like them in years past. Alas, he has recently discovered their creamy, healthy deliciousness and we now compete for the final slices of the last avocado whenever we run low. It’s a healthy competition…we are both winners when it comes to health.
For my birthday last year a friend gave me the Trudeau Avocado 3-in-1 Tool. I love that I can do it all with one gadget: slice the avocado in half, take out the pit, and scoop out the green goodness within. It gets used all the time. So much so that I make sure to wash it by hand, keeping it clean and ready to go when I need it.
GUACAMOLE: In my opinion, one of the best ways to enjoy avocados. I generally just wing my proportions, but this recipe from Saveur is pretty close to mine. Just add your favorite chips and perhaps a side of salsa or pico de gallo and you have the perfect snack. Truth be told, we’ve made a meal out of it on nights pressed for time. Hey, I won’t judge you if you don’t judge me!!
Avocado Fun Facts:
- Avocados are a fruit – more specifically they are considered a berry
- They are high in fiber (about 10 g in one medium avocado)
- They are packed with nutrients, including B vitamins and potassium. In fact, a medium one has more potassium than a banana!
- They mature on the tree, but only ripen off the tree
- They can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol
- If you have a latex allergy, talk to your doctor before eating avocados as it may cause similar allergic symptoms
- They were once considered an aphrodisiac
- The leaves, bark, pit and skin may be toxic to certain animals