There's more to avocados than guacamole! Their creamy texture can be used for recipes across the board, from nutritious and hearty breakfasts to scrumptious desserts.
Avocados are also high in healthy monounsaturated fats, are a good source of fiber, pack avitaminand mineral-laden punch, and research has alsoshown that consuming avocados might also help with cancer prevention. These health benefits alone should be enough to convince you toinclude avocados inyour weekly diet (discover more here), butI'm pretty sure that these sixdelightful recipes will convince you even more:
Selecting the Perfect Avocado
1. Spaghetti with Avocado Sauce
Instead of the classic pesto sauce, opt for this more nutritious version.
Ingredients (Serves 6-8)
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 2 avocados-halved, pitted and peeled
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 1 bunch scallions, roughly chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup chopped parsleyfor garnish
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of saltedwater to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente - about 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by pulsing an avocado, garlic, scallions, lemon juice, and olive oil until smooth.
3. Once the spaghettihas boiled, put 1/2 a cup of thewater used for boiling aside anddrain the rest. Add the water to the avocado mixture and process until smooth.
4. Add the sauce to the pasta and toss to coat.Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with some parsley. Serve immediately with some parmesan shavings if desired.
2. Avocado Stuffed Burger
This recipe will add some good fats into the mix.
Ingredients (Serves 3-4)
- 2 pounds ground beef (preferably grass-fed)
- 2 avocados, ripe
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (no oil)
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. sea salt (makes it salty depending on your sun-dried tomatoes)
- Bacon fat (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat yourgrill or broiler to medium/medium-high heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and black pepper with 1 tsp. sea salt and the zest of 1 lemon. Mix the ingredients well, using your hands, forming them into thin patties. The patties need to be thin, as two will be used to make one burger, as you'll see in the next step.
3. Then, in another bowl, combine the avocados, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice and remaining salt. Mash until all the ingredients are fairly smooth.
3. Add the avocado mixture to one patty, leaving enough room to seal without it leaking out. Place the other patty on top and seal the burgers together.
4. Grill the burgers to your liking, ensuring that they are cooked evenly on both sides. While grilling, drizzle some bacon fat if desired.
5. Prior to serving, allow the burgers to rest for 10 minutes,then use the rest of your avocado mixture on top.
3. Charred Corn and Avocado Pizza
Get some green into your pizza with this nutritious, healthy and delicious recipe.
Ingredients (for1 large pizza)
- 16 ounces pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
- 1 small ear grilled sweet corn, kernels removed from cob
- 1 roasted pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 avocados, sliced, pitted and skin removed
- 1/3 cup Cojitacheese
- Squeeze of fresh lime juice
- Tabasco sauce, for serving
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Meanwhile, place the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out into a circle and place into a pizza pan or on apizza stone. Spread olive oil evenly over the pizzaand top it with cheese, corn kernels, peppers and cilantro.
2. Place the pizza in a hot oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the cheese has melted and the crust appears golden.
3. Remove and top with avocado slices and Cojita cheese. Squeeze some lime juice over the pizza, cut into slices and serve with some Tabasco sauceif desired.
4. Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Add a little healthy kick to a classic favorite.
Ingredients (makes 1 sandwich)
- 2 slices bread
- 2-3 tbsp. herb pesto (recipe below)
- 2 slices mozzarella
- Handful fresh baby spinach
- ¼ avocado, sliced
- 2 tbsp. goat cheese, crumbled
- Olive oil (and butter if desired)
For the pesto:
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 anchovy filet (in oil)
- ½ small shallot, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- Handful chopped fresh parsley
- Handful chopped kale
- 2-3 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tbsp. chopped chives
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
To prepare the pesto:
1. Pulse the garlic, anchovy, and shallot in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the lemon juice, parsley, kale, tarragon, and chives into the food processor and continue pulsing.
2. Drizzle olive oil onto thekale and herbs untilall ingredients take onthe consistency of pesto. Season to taste.
To prepare the sandwich:
1. Spread about 1 tbsp. of herb pesto onto each slice of bread. On one slice of bread, add one slice of cheese, sliced avocado, crumbled goat's cheese, spinach, and yetanother slice of cheese. Top with the second slice of bread. Gently press together.
2. Heat 1 tbsp.of olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat and fry until the bread is golden brown. Press on the sandwich lightly then flip and cook until golden brown.
5. Portobello Mushrooms with Avocado Pesto
An innovative and nutritious way to dress your mushrooms.
Ingredients (3 servings)
- 2 cups baby kale leaves
- 1-2 tbsp. pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pinch coarse salt
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 cupcrumbled quesofresco
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Meanwhile, rub a tablespoon of olive oil onto the mushroom caps and place them cap side down on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for a good 15 minutesuntil soft.
2. While the mushrooms are in the oven, put the kale, pine nuts, cheese, garlic, and a pinch of salt in a food processor, adding three tablespoons of olive oil until the texture takes on a pesto-like consistency.
3. Mash up the avocado until smooth, adding it to the pesto mix. Stir well and spoon the pesto and guacamole sauce into each roasted cap, topping itwith some quesofresco cheese.
6. Avocado, Chocolate Chip Cookies
Avocado is a great way to substitute butter in a dessert recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 avocado (4 1⁄2 ounces)
- 1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1⁄2 cups dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. coarse salt
- 1⁄2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1⁄2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Cut the avocado lengthwise, removing the pit and the skin. Place the flesh in a large bowl, add the butter and the brown sugar. Combine until texture appears fluffy and creamy - this should take about threeminutes.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract. Add the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder, combining slowly andensuring that you do not over-mix the batter. Add the oats and the chocolate chips, mixing well. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Next, preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using wet hands, roll the dough into 12 balls, flattening the cookies with the palm of your hands, creating 2 1/2-inch disks. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. The cookies should be slightly golden brown on the edges, but soft in the middle.
4. Remove from the oven and leave torest for at least threeminutes. Transfer to a cooling rack, then serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for five days. The cookies may also be stored in the freezer for up to three weeks.
Related Articles:
11 Tips, Tricks, and Advice for Using Avocado
The Health Benefits of Vegetables and Greens
How to Ripen an Avocado in 10 Minutes
