I love Mexican food and have become an advocate of eating avocados in some manner every day. The avocado is a nutrient superstar which provides a lot of health benefits. One of the superstar nutrients in avocados is dietary fiber. Eating ½ of an avocado adds 7 grams of dietary fiber.

Note: You can check out how much dietary fiber you need each day.  https://daybydayliving.net/?p=3288

Avocados are also a good source of vitamin K, E and vitamin C and more potassium than a banana.

Avocados are high in calories, low in protein and high in fat but the fat is from the healthier monounsaturated fat.

Health Benefits

1. May aid in diabetes management because of its low glycemic index which means it has little effect on raising the blood sugar faster.
2. May support heart health because it seems to lower total cholesterol especially LDL or the LOUSY CHOLESTEROL LDL.
3. May help prevent cancer because it’s a good source of sterols.
4. May help promote weight loss since eating avocados helps to increase satiety and the feeling of fullness.

 

Note: Avocados may decrease the effectiveness of warfarin (Coumadin) so check with your healthcare provider if you are going to eat avocados regularly.

How to Choose the Perfect Avocado

When choosing the perfect avocado, select your avocado with a dark color all over it. If it is a little soft when you squeeze it, it’s ready to eat. You can also easily pop off the nub off if the avocado is ready to eat.

You can store a ripe uncut avocado in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. If you have peeled and sliced your avocado, you can add a little lime or lemon juice to keep it from browning while in the refrigerator.

If you buy your avocado which is not yet ripe, you can put it in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana for 2 or 3 days. You can also freeze, but it may change the texture somewhat.

https://www.allrecipes.com/article/how-to-freeze-avocado/

Peeling Your Avocado

Start at the top and slice it lengthwise from top to bottom and twist into 2 parts pulling the 2 halves apart. Remove the pit. Score the avocado into slices up and down,  then scoop out with a spoon for slices. If you are mashing the avocado you can also cut side to side after scoring the slices. Discard the peel.

Note: I bought an Avocado 3-in-1 tool: Includes avocado slicer, corer, and paring knife for versatile avocado preparation. It’s dishwasher safe and easy to use. It was under $10 on Amazon.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-avocados-are-a-healthy-addition-to-your-diet

https://www.verywellfit.com/calories-in-an-avocado-3495640

https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-avocados-health-benefits

 

Enjoy the Easy Avocado Recipes Below

My Granddaughter’s Easy Homemade Guacamole Recipe

My granddaughter, Madelyn, came up with this easy guacamole recipe when she was about 10 years old. When I would grandparent her and her siblings she would always make me her homemade guacamole recipe. Madelyn is off to college now, but I have fond memories of her and all the fun I had with her 4 other siblings when I was grandparenting them!

Nutritional Information Per Serving:  162 calories, 2 grams protein, 15 grams of fat, 9 grams of CHO, 7 grams dietary fiber, 7 mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes                      

Serves: 8

Ingredients

4 ripe avocados, halved and pitted

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)

1 jalapeno, finely chopped or ½ cup diced jalapeno or to taste

Salt to taste

Instructions

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mash.

 

Chicken Avocado Spinach Salad

Here’s a new spring salad that is quick and easy to fix meal for the family. It’s colorful and contains fruit, nuts, a great protein source and powerful antioxidant packed spinach. 

 Nutritional Information Per Serving:  387 calories, 31  grams protein, 22 grams of fat,  19 grams of CHO, 8 grams dietary fiber, 122 mg sodium.

 Preparation Time: 15 minutes                      

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 cups (about 12 ounces) cooked chicken or turkey breast, cut into 1” pieces

1 cup chopped red delicious apple

½ cup thinly sliced celery

½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped red onion

1 ½ tablespoons chopped mint (about 10 leaves)

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

1 cup cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoon olive oil

1 fully ripened avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced

4 cups baby spinach or mixed greens

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine cooked chicken, apple, celery, walnuts, onion, mint, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice, and oil. Mix well.  Add diced avocado and toss gently. Serve over spinach.

 

Chicken & Avocado Wrap

This wrap is easy-to-fix. The avocado is high in monounsaturated fat and give the wrap an interesting taste. You can substitute red pepper for green, orange or yellow pepper.

Per Serving:  360 calories, 32 grams protein, 14 grams of fat, 23 grams of CHO, 7 grams of fiber,  552 mg sodium.

Preparation Time:  10 minutes                                  

Serves: 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoon  Light Miracle Whip® or light mayonnaise

4 (6-inch) fajita-size whole wheat flour tortillas*

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled or poached and sliced

1 medium avocado, peeled

1 red bell pepper, sliced

¼ cup sliced red onion

2 cups mixed salad greens

Instructions

Spread salad dressing on tortillas. Layer chicken, avocado, red pepper, red onion, and salad greens in the center of each tortilla. Roll and fold the filled tortilla. Can garish with salsa (optional).

*You can also use 2 12-inch tortillas and cut them in half.

If can use corn tortillas to make this recipe gluten-free.

 

Zucchini Salmon Cupcakes with Avocado Yogurt Sauce

I love to eat salmon but it can be expensive if you buy fresh wild salmon.  I grew up eating salmon patties. In fact, canned salmon is wild salmon not farmed salmon which is supposed to contain more mercury.  Here’s an easy recipe which is fairly high in protein, high in omega-3 fatty acids and a great source of vitamins & minerals.  If you mash the bones in the salmon before you add the other ingredients you will get a good amount of calcium as well. 

 Nutritional Information Per Serving:  188 calories,  15 grams protein,  10 grams of fat,  12 grams of CHO, 2 grams dietary fiber,  409 mg sodium.

 Preparation Time: 10 minutes  Bake Time: 25 minutes                       

Serves:  8 cupcakes

 Ingredients

1 can 14 ¾ oz salmon

2 eggs

¾  cup ground breadcrumbs (plain)*

½ cup skim milk

1 medium zucchini shredded

2 teaspoon curry powder

 

Avocado Yogurt Sauce

1 avocado

½ cup skim or low fat plain yogurt

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Drain salmon. Mash salmon and bones.  Beat eggs then add to salmon along with cornmeal, milk zucchini and curry powder.  Divide mixture into 8 greased muffin cups.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Puree avocado along with yogurt, lime juice, cumin and salt. Add the avocado yogurt sauce before serving.

*You can make this recipe gluten-free if you use gluten-free breadcrumbs.

 

Scrambled Egg, Cheese & Avocado Tacos

This recipe makes 2 tacos. If you don’t want to use butter, you can substitute margarine. Since I love any kind of salsa, I use more than the recipe calls for but it low in calories but high in taste.

Per Serving:   260 calories, 10 grams protein, 15 grams of fat, 21 grams of CHO, 5 grams of dietary fiber,  280 mg sodium.

Preparation Time:          5 minutes   Cook Time: 5 minutes                

Serves:  2 

Ingredients

2 large eggs

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon butter

2 corn tortillas, warmed

½ avocado, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons of thick chunky salsa

2 tablespoons of Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs.  Add salt & pepper to taste. Heat butter in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook eggs stirring to desired consistency about 1 – 2 minutes. Divide the cooked eggs over the 2 warmed tortillas* with the avocado, salsa, cheese and cilantro.

*You can use corn tortillas to make this recipe gluten-free.  

Mango-Avocado Salsa

Nutritional Information Per Serving:  130 calories,  2 grams protein,  8 grams of fat,  18 grams of CHO,  5 grams dietary fiber,  6 mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes                     

Serves:  4

Ingredients

1 mango, peeled, pitted & cube

1 avocado, pitted, peeled & cubed

½ cup red onion finely chopped

Juice 1 lime, plus wedges for garnish

Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Mix the mango, avocado, onion and the lime juice of 1 lime in a bowl. Season with cilantro, salt and pepper.