FOR THE LOVE OF AVOCADOS

I came to the appreciation of avocados late in life.  They were like mangoes - a Southern food that seldom appeared in our Northern states back when I was younger.  Even after we moved to the best place in the world, Florida, the old northern tastes prevailed, but once I was introduced to this wonderful fruit it began a love affair that has lasted to this day.

I love all kinds of avocados; the Haas with their rich, buttery taste and the lower calorie but much larger Florida avocados that require a little boost to kick up their blander taste.  Although far from low-cal, this luscious fruit is chock full of that monosaturated fat that is so good for you.  In a vegan or vegetarian diet, the avocado (also known as alligator pear for obvious reasons) is a sinfully creamy delight.  

Herewith, a few recipes for those of all tastes, purely vegetarian or omnivorous:

                                                             QUICKY GUACAMOLE

One ripe Florida green avocado or 2 ripe Haas avocados

Juice of 1/2 lime

2-3 T. mango salsa (I like the Paul Newman's)

fresh ground black pepper

Mash the avocados and mix with the rest of the ingredients.  Use as a dip or as a sandwich spread instead of mayonnaise (or just to eat with a spoon, it's that good).

                                                          AVOCADO SALAD

One ripe Florida avocado

2 T. fresh lime juice

1 jarred roasted red pepper

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

2-3 c. mixed salad greens
1/4 t. dried dill

Toasted walnuts

Slice avocado in half lengthwise and remove pit.  Scoop out flesh, just leaving a thin layer on the rind.  Cut up the flesh into about 1/2" chunks.  Slice the red pepper into strips.  Sprinkle 1 t. of  lime juice over the avocado shells.  Whisk the rest of the lime juice and the olive oil with a  fork and toss with the greens.  add the red pepper, dill and the avocado chunks and toss gently.  Pile into the empty shells and top with the walnuts.

2 Servings.
                                              CHOCOLATE AVOCADO PUDDING

One ripe Florida avocado, peeled, pit removed and cut in chunks
1 t. vanilla
4 T. unsweetened cocoa
4 T. real maple syrup
6 T. almond milk

Pop it all in the blender and blend until smooth.  Refrigerate until cold.  

Top it with a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt sweetened with a little stevia and serve with some fresh raspberries, if desired.

Two servings.

These are just a few ideas.  This versatile fruit can be used for a lot of 

delicious dishes.  Simply adding avocado slices to a sandwich or a

salad can make these ordinary meals really special.

ENJOY