Here are 20 easy and delicious ways to prepare meals using avocados:
Breakfast
The Egg-o-cado Halve an avocado and remove the pit. Pour a raw egg into the indent left by the pit and bake until the egg is cooked through. Serve with salsa. Avocado on Toast Replace the butter or cream cheese that you would normally slather on your morning toast with avocado and sprinkle with sea salt. Avocado Pancakes Take your favorite pancake recipe (and, no, we are not talking about the just add water mixes) and replace all but a tablespoon or two of the oil or butter with avocado puree, simultaneously reducing saturated fat and adding some vitamins. Kiwi Avocado Green Smoothie Make a creamy and delicious superfood smoothie with avocado, kiwi, lime, a handful of kale and a drizzle of honey. Breakfast Pizza Throw together a simple breakfast pizza in a hurry by layering together a tortilla, some mashed avocado (or guacamole) and a fried egg. Top it off with some hot sauce or a squeeze of lime.
Lunch
Green Egg Salad Replace the majority of the mayo in typical egg salad with pureed avocado for a nutritious and filling take on an old favorite. Smashed Chick Peas and Avocado For a completely animal-free alternative to egg salad, blend chick peas and avocado in a food processor with some lime juice and cilantro. Serve as the filing of a sandwich. Grilled Chicken and Avocado Salad Toss some grilled chicken and avocado slices into a salad of baby spinach. Serve with the chopped up fruit of your choice and a vinaigrette salad dressing. Tuna and Avocado You may be noticing a pattern here. Avocado is an excellent replacement for other, less healthy fats. Try replacing all the mayonnaise in traditional tuna salad with mashed avocado. Add a pinch of sugar for some added sweetness. Zucchini and Avocado Soup In a food processor, puree cooked zucchini and green onion with avocado and vegetable broth. Season with cilantro and lime juice.
Dinner
Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos Combine grilled shrimp, black beans, fresh cilantro, avocado and lime juice into tacos. Serve with some salsa verde. Pasta with Green “Alfredo” Make a creamy pasta sauce without the cheese by mixing pureed avocado with lemon juice, basil, garlic and olive oil. Serve over spaghetti. Avocado Lime Salmon Prepare a rough chopped salsa of avocado, red onion, hot peppers, lime juice and olive oil. Dollop on top of baked salmon. Serve on a bed of brown rice. Avocado Mac n’ Cheese Blend together in a food processor, avocados, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix into cooked elbow macaroni and add butter and grated Parmesan cheese until you reach the desired taste and consistency. Grilled Shrimp, Mango and Avocado Skewers Put shrimp, large chunks of mango and avocado on wooden skewers. Brush with terriyaki sauce and grill until cooked through. Serve with rice.
Dessert
Avocado Ice Cream Freeze a couple of peeled avocado slices and blend them with honey or simple syrup to make an ice cream. Chocolate Avocado Pudding Combine coconut milk, melted chocolate and pureed avocados to make this delicious pudding. Avocado Whip Whip together in a food processor avocado, sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Chill and serve. Fudgey Brownies These brownies replace the egg with pureed avocado. Guacamole Cream Pie What happens when you cross a banana cream pie with a popular green Mexican condiment? It sounds gross but it tastes great. Featured photo credit: Avocado/Liz West via flickr.com
