The Very Versatile Avo

We all make mistakes when we’re young. For some, it’s choosing the wrong career. For others, it’s choosing the wrong partner. For still others, it’s not knowing the proper etiquette of one night stands. For me, it was not recognizing the beauty of the avocado.

Until this year, I hated plain avocado. I thought it was detestable green goop that my mother tried to force on me whenever it happened to be in season. I would only eat guacamole, and even that had taken me a while to adapt to. Oh how young and foolish I was, such folly!

This year, I changed my imprudent ways and finally began using avocado for a variety of things. Not only is the avocado incredibly healthy, but it is also very tasty and useful. It provides both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, which have been shown to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease. It also provides potassium, fiber, protein, and a variety of vitamins and minerals including folate, phosphorus, magnesium, and riboflavin. It can also be used as a healthy fat substitute in baking, a thickener in smoothies, and an ingredient in homemade face and hair masks.

Here are some recipes using this wonderfully versatile fruit. Use them quickly, however, as the horrifying impending avocado shortage might soon be upon us.

Hummus and Avocado Toasts with Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients:

6-8 slices of bread [gluten-free, whole wheat, etc.]
1/2 cup hummus [store bought or homemade]
1 avocado – halved, pitted and peeled
4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
salt + pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Arrange the tomatoes on your baking sheet, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until the tomatoes are beginning to caramelize.
4. While the tomatoes roast, toast your bread. Using a cookie cutter or circular object, cut out 1-2 circles per toast, depending on how big the piece of bread is.
5. Spread ½-1 tablespoon of hummus on each circular toast.
6. In a bowl or plate, mash avocado with a fork, leaving large chunks.
7. Layer the mashed avocado over hummus, season with salt + pepper, and then top with a roasted [or fresh] tomato.
8. Serve immediately.
9. Optional: top with goat cheese or feta, or serve on the side.

Makes 6-8.

 

Parmesan Turkey Avocado Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 ripe avocado
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Spices to taste (salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin and onion powder work well together)

Directions:

1. Mash avocado.
2. Mix turkey and mashed avocado in bowl.
3. Add parmesan and mix well.
4. Add spices.
5. Roll into ~10 small patties or five large patties.
6. Grill until pink is gone (~8 minutes).

Makes approximately 10.

 

Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of all-purpose flour (maida)
3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1/4 cup of chopped avocado (I used one small avocado which was a bit more than 1/4 cup)
1 cup of water
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line or grease a cupcake tray and set aside.
2. Chop up the avocado and add to a blender or food processor.
3. Top off with oil, water, vanilla, vinegar, and sugar.
4. Blend well until the avocados get pureed completely.
5. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and mix.
6. Tip the wet ingredients into the dry.
7. Gently whisk together until you see no traces of the dry mixture in the batter.
8. Pour into the lined cupcake tray about 3/4 of the way.
9. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with dry crumbs. The top may crack a bit, that’s totally fine.
10. Top with whatever icing you like! Here are two vegan frosting recipes: Rich Chocolate Vegan Frosting or Vegan Buttercream.

Makes 10.

 

Avocado Zucchini Bread

Click on the link to get the ingredients + recipe!

 

Kiwi Avocado Smoothie with Lime and Honey

Ingredients:

1/2 ripe large avocado
2 peeled kiwi
1/8 cup + 1 tablespoon lime juice
1/8 to 1/4 cup Almond milk/soy milk/coconut milk/aloe juice/fruit juice
1 to 2 tablespoon honey
2 to 3 ice cubes

Directions:

1. Blend it all up!

Makes 1 smoothie.

 

Avocado face mask

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of fresh avocado, mashed
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon plain full-fat yogurt
½ teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. While you’re waiting for the mixture to chill, clean your face with a soap-free cleansing wash. Make two mugs of green tea and put an ice cube or two in one of them.
3. Smear a thin layer of the chilled mask on your face, avoiding your eyes. Sit back, relax for 10 or 15 minutes, and sip the warm tea.
4. Rinse with lukewarm water. Slowly splash your face with the cooled tea, and then rinse with water again. Powerful antioxidants in tea help skin stay healthy.

 

Avocado hair mask

Ingredients:

1 egg
½ ripe avocado
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Mash the avocado as finely as possible, and mix in the egg and oil. Smear it onto your hair and let it soak for half an hour. Then rinse it out and wash your hair with shampoo!

 

So put your parents’ kitchen to good use this spring break, and cook up some avo before the shortage takes it all away.