Everyday uses for the beautiful Avocado

I wrote this for a dear friend of mine. She posed a challenge to me; the different uses for the avocado. I hope she enjoys :)

Not everybody is familiar with the avocado; most don't even know its considered a fruit. The most common use of the creamy green fruit is guacamole. Sure guacamole is great but lets be realistic I can only eat guacamole so much until I don't wanna ever see it again.
I will show you everyday uses to put that silky green fruit into your diet, that you'll love and will hopefully become part of your everyday life.

First lets get into a little bit of info on the avocado; this might help you understand why it is a very important food that should become one of you " go to's " !

• The average avocado contains 300 calories and 30 grams of healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat.
• Avocados have the highest protein content of any fruit.
• Avocados contain more potassium than bananas.
• One avocado contains 81 mcg of lutein, an important nutrient for healthy eyes
• Avocados are a good source of Vitamin E, which is not only essential for the normal functioning of the body but is also a potent anti-oxidant which protects polyunsaturated fatty acids in cell membranes from free-radical attack. Free-radicals are linked to the beginnings of cancer and heart disease.
• It is true that avocados do have a high fat content. Monounsaturated fat, which some studies show to actually help reduce cholesterol.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding moms should choose often, with the recommended serving size being 1/2 an avocado, which counts as one fruit and three fat servings
• The potassium and foliate in avocados also contribute to heart health. The fiber in avocados can help maintain the health of the digestive tract and may aid in the prevention of colon cancer. The high levels of antioxidants in avocados may provide a protective effect against cancers, immune disorders and cellular aging.
• one-half an avocado pear bears double the quantity of fiber than 2 apples put together.
• The vitamins in avocados will also help to moisturize your skin and hair, used as a facial or as a conditioner for hair.
• In earlier times, avocado pulp was used as a hair pomade to stimulate hair growth. Its oil is still used today in several hair and cosmetic products

Ok so now that you know the health benefits of the beautiful avocado, and mind you I only listed a few, there are so many more I did not. Lets get into the real yummy stuff !

1.  Smoothies: I LOVE using avocados in smoothies.  Take 1 avocado, blend with 1 banana, 1 tbsp honey, 1 cup almond milk blend till smooth. Try 1 avocado, 2 bananas, 1 cup frozen strawberries and 2 cups orange juice, blend until smooth. Or try 1 avocado, 1 cup grapes, 1 pear, 2 tbsp honey, 2 cups ice, splash of lime juice, and a pinch of allspice.
2. Salad Dressings: Blending avocado into my fresh salad dressings gives a really nice depth. It makes for a creamy smooth healthy salad dressing. Try these recipes : 1/2 avocado, 1/2 medium cucumber diced, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, 1 tbsp honey blend to combine, it will be thick but you can thin it out with 1 - 2 tbsp of water if needed.  Try 1 avocado, 1 green onion, 1 clove garlic, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp honey, salt and pepper to taste. Blend to combine.  and last try; 1 avocado, 1/2 apple juice, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 sweetened coconut, 1 tbsp honey, salt and pepper to taste blend till smooth.
3. Spreads: I LOVE using avocado in place of butter, jam, mayo, mustard, peanut butter and just about any other topping you could think of. Try spreading mashed avocado onto a wrap instead of mayo, or for your morning breakfast instead of jam or butter spread creamed avocado on toast and drizzle honey for a special treat. On a burger instead of mayo try using avocado as a rich healthy substitute instead of mayo. My daughters love avocado toast !

4. Sandwiches: Avocado is a lovely addition on sandwiches and wraps, sliced avocado on turkey burgers topped with red onion, Swiss cheese and lettuce.  On a crunchy veggie wrap try adding sliced avocado instead of mayo for a creamy addition to counter act the crunchy veggies. Believe it or not banana and avocado go hand in hand in my book, I love having rye toast with sliced banana and avocado drizzled with.
5. Pizza: Well there are 2 ways you can incorporate avocado into pizza, the first is after your pizza is baked, slice small chunks of avocado all over pizza and a creamy accompaniment instead of a dipping sauce. The second and my most liked is blend 1 avocado, 1 garlic clove, 1 green onion, salt and pepper and fresh parsley and spread on dough top with chicken, red onions, and tomatoes then cheese for an amazing out of this world pizza.
6. Dips: There are many ways to have avocado as a dip that isn't guacamole, try this; Cream together 1 avocado, 1/2 cup sour cream ( i use tofutti's brand soy cream cheese ) layer in a bowl, top with salsa and cheese, serve with tortilla chips. 
7. Nachos: I love nachos, we eat them alot here, they are so versatile and do not have to be loaded with a lbs of cheese and toppings.  We like adding diced avocado to our nacho as a cool treat, or creaming avocado and using it in place of sour cream, i simply mash 1 avocado add a pinch of salt and pepper and you have a better than sour cream that is so much healthier !
8. Baking:  Last but certainly not least. this has to be my best way of using the beautiful avocado. Most people trying to cut the fat in their baked treats substitute apple sauce now a days instead of oil, well.... I love using avocado, it is a million times healthier than oil, and oddly enough it makes your cookies cakes and muffins more moist and less crumbly. In cookies replace half the oil with avocado, and in cakes and muffins you can replace the entire amount of oil for avocado. Now to me that's pretty awesome !

Now lastly i just wanted to say will all these new and inventive ways to add avocado to your diet, I wanted to share my personal best way.
For breakfast I enjoy some brown toast, 1 fried egg, 1 plum tomato sliced and 1/2 avocado in chunks. To me it is a perfect breakfast, the tomato egg and avocado so well together and the crunchy toast tops it off !  Try it one you, you just may surprise yourself !

There is so much information on the avocado, it is so beneficial for us. For so many babies it is one of their first foods, I know my girls loved it and still do.  Women use it as a hair conditioner and facial. It has been used world wide for so many years as  natural healer and beneficial fat and health aid to reduce cancer, speed metabolism, healthy digestion and so much more.
I hope some of these ideas have inspired you to give the avocado another opportunity on your dinner table.

Love Sierra

P.S If I missed any ideas that you use, let me know and I will update my blog for you.