Last week we looked at why avocados are so good for you. Packed with many nutrients and vitamins, eating these super-fruits can make your skin glow, hair look glossy and help maintain a healthy weight.
This week we are bringing you a number of easy to make, delicious to eat recipes that use the green goddess.
For avocado purists, eating half an avocado sprinkled with lemon juice and pepper is heavenly but they are also perfect as part of breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack.
Anytime is a great time to peel and eat an avocado.
The breakfast smoothie
Start your day the avocado way with this clean, green smoothie that’s packed with goodness and will keep you full for longer than sugary cereal.
½ an avocado peeled, stoned and sliced
A large handful of washed, organic spinach
A handful of washed, organic kale
One apple chopped – skin on, pips out
A small piece of ginger
300ml coconut water
Ice if desired
Place all the ingredients in a blender; the NutriBullet is an excellent choice. Blend for 30 seconds or until you are happy with the consistency and enjoy.
Lunchtime avocado and hummus pitta
It is so easy to grab a sandwich on the go, but white bread, butter and processed meats don’t fill you up and probably won’t offer your body the goodness and nutrients it needs. Adding avocado, hummus and salad to a pitta gives you a quick, healthy filling lunch that won’t have you reaching for a Kit Kat at 3pm.
You will need
- 2 big tablespoons of hummus – ideally homemade or organic if shop bought
- ½ a small avocado peeled and sliced
- Lemon juice
- Spring onions
- Several coriander leaves (optional)
- Sliced organic beef tomato
- Wholegrain pitta
Split and toast the pitta with the hummus, then add the avocado, onion, coriander and tomatoes and squeeze the lemon. Wrap your lunch up and take to work with an apple and some nuts and the staff canteen will be a place of the past.
Tasty teatime avocado salad
- One tablespoon of pumpkin seeds
- One tablespoon of walnuts
- One ripe avocado, the Haas is a popular choice and found in most supermarkets
- 200g packet feta cheese
- A bag of fresh, trimmed and washed watercress or favourite salad leaves
- Lime juice
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
Method
- Dry-fry the seeds in a frying pan for a few minutes until they look toasted
- Halve the avocados, remove the stones then peel and slice
- Cut the feta into equal sized cubes
- Put the avocados, seeds and watercress into a large bowl with the walnuts
- Mix the lime juice and olive oil together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the salad and mix the ingredients together before serving with warm pitta
Guacamole is a simple, easy way to enjoy avocado at any time of the day and it is easy to make. Take one ripe Haas avocado, peeled and pitted, and mash with lemon juice, crushed garlic and little salt and pepper. Enjoy with sliced carrots, cucumber or pitta and feel the goodness get to work.
Another tip for using avocado is to swap it for butter or mayonnaise when having sandwiches and using as a filling in a baked sweet potato.
Why not let us know what your favourite avocado recipe is?