5 Uses-Avocado's!

Hello all.  One thing I want to incorporate more of with my blog is a "5 uses" portion.  I previously posted a "5 uses for the over ripe banana" and a lot of people really enjoyed that information.  It's not like the information is new that I provided, but it was in one place.  That's what I want to do with today's and upcoming "5 uses" posts.  I chose avocado's for today because they are one of my absolute favorite foods. I love avocado's.  We eat them several times a week.  Avocado's are an extremely versatile food as well as a super food for your body.  Also, did you know that an avocado is really a fruit? Confusing little guys! Maybe that's why they pair so well with tomato's?  Here are some nutritional facts for your brain:

• The avocado is virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat.
• Avocados are cholesterol- and sodium-free, and more than 50 percent of the fruit's fat content comes from monounsaturated fats.
• Avocado's help prevent inflammation.
• Arthritis—including both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis—are health problems that have received special research attention with respect to dietary intake of avocado.
• In healthy cells, avocado works to improve inflammatory and oxidative stress levels. But in cancer cells, avocado works to increase oxidative stress and shift the cancer cells over into a programmed cell death cycle (apoptosis), lessening the cancer cell numbers. In other words, avocado appears to selectively push cancer cells "over the brink" in terms of oxidative stress and increase their likelihood of dying, while at the same time actively supporting the health of non-cancerous cells by increasing their supply antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5

There are sooo many more benefits to name, but I will let you do some of the work! :0) It's seriously worth your time. Here are 5 ways I love to incorporate avocado's into my meals.

1.) Quinoa and avocado salads are amazing! They pair so nicely together because they both have a nutty flavor.  And it is a super filling meal.

2.) Eggs and avocado. Yummy! I make a mean scrambled egg, spinach & avocado
pizza topped with mozzarella and green onions. Yes please.  It's simple and very
filling!

 

3.) Baked avocado & egg breakfast or dinner item! We actually did this for a dinner.
I paired it with some "cleaner" style mashed potato pancakes. I simply boiled the potatoes with garlic cloves. Mashed them together with greek yogurt and
seasonings of choice (garlic and onion powder). Seared them in a bit of sunflower
oil to brown each side. Yums. The avocado & egg-simply carve some of the avocado
out and crack eggs in the area of the pit. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes or until done.

 

4.) Avocado's also make a wonderful substitute for pasta sauce. I posted before the
lasagna rolls I made with an avocado sauce(pesto) and it's great.  I also recommend
simply taking your avocado with spinach, garlic,  salt and pepper, grated parmesan, lemon juice(2 tbsp.)
& sunflower oil. Process it together and you've got a clean "Alfredo".  Pour over your
pasta of choice or spaghetti squash or even over a nice roasted vegetable medley.
Can't go wrong with this :)

5.)Last tip: Use avocado's in a homemade facial!! Yes. Easy breezy. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 soft avocado
• 2 tbsp. hot water
• 1 tsp. honey

Preparation and Usage:

Mash the Avocado with a fork or in a mixer. Dissolve the honey into the water

add it to the fruit. Put it into your face, avoiding your eyes and mouth. Let sit for

10 minutes or so and rinse.  Your face will be so refreshed!

Again, I know these are all tips you've seen on pinterest or can gather from a quick Google search, but I wanted to post a few for you to have at one click! I love this food. It's so awesome for you. 
We eat avocado as a side a lot of nights. How easy is that on your load? Just slice it up and put it on the plate. It's so filling! This is our "meat substitute" if you will. 
You can use it for a substitute for mayo, ranch, butter, cream, and even make it into a yummy pudding/mousse.  I recently also tried this as a frosting, it turned out pretty good, but I need to tweak it more before posting.  I encourage you all to incorporate this food into your life. It's benefits are too great to overlook.  Like I've said, it's about the small changes.  Try guacamole instead of cheese dip.  Use avocado instead of mayo or cheese on your next sandwich.
Last tip that will save you money too. Store your avocados in the refrigerator. Yes. It keeps them much longer! But if they are too firm, let them sit out for a couple of days until they are just barely tender enough to squeeze, then refrigerate. Trust me folks! :) Good day and thanks for reading!!