Great Tips for Avocados

Avocados are one of those super foods that are so yummy - and so good for you.  Yes!  I love foods like that.  Did you know that even though they are 3/4 fat - it is the good kind of fat that improves the memory function of your brain and reduces the bad LDL cholesterol while improving the good HDL cholesterol?  They are also loaded with insoluble fiber which helps digestion and keeps you from feeling hungry.

This is an avocado tree that grows right outside the front door of my 

friends in Quito, Ecuador.  What you can't tell is that these avocados 

are about 3 times the size of our large grocery store avocados.  

Amazing!

Here are a few tips I've learned along the way about avocados:

To remove the pit, sharply whack it with a large knife, then twist.  It should twist right out.

Rather than peel an avocado, just dice or slice it right in its skin.  Use a spoon to scoop out the pieces.

Bury the avocado pits in fresh guacamole to keep it from turning brown sooner.

As an alternative to guacamole, make an avocado salad using the same ingredients.  So refreshing and satiating - plus you can skip the chips.  I often eat this for breakfast.

If your avocado is too firm, just store on the top of your refrigerator until soft.  This often takes only one day.  Then store softened avocados in the refrigerator.  They should keep for several days.

A friend from Mexico showed me this:  peel a pit and then draw on it with a sharp tool like an ice pick.  As minutes pass, your marks will turn a bright rust color to make a fun little toy.

Grow a beautiful plant by poking toothpicks into a pit and submerging the broad end in a glass of water.  Keep the glass in a sunny window and change the water every 2-3 days. After about 3 weeks, you should see growth.  Your avocado tree probably will never produce fruit, but it will make a lovely plant.

And finally, my favorite tip:  put leftover guacamole in a glass or slender container.  Press it down to remove most of the air pockets.  Pour a layer of salsa or tomato sauce on top of the guacamole to seal it from air.  When you are ready for more, skim off the salsa or mix it in.  It's so nice to enjoy leftover guacamole without any brownish/gray yuck.

Are you hungry for avocados now?

Thanks for stopping by,

Ellie