A is for Avocado

Let me be clear- I am certainly not the poster child for healthy eating and am, in no way, an expert in nutrition.  I am, however, a lover of food and have developed an incredible passion for it.  I haven't been this way my whole life.  I've always appreciated good tasting good and grew up eating a homemade meal at the dinner table every single night (with a glass of milk).  This was a good example for me but any culinary interest I had was squashed the second I moved into residence at university.  I joined the masses who would march up the hill to the dining hall for meals and back down the hill for class.  Once I moved off campus, I lived with four roommates (all boys) and the kitchen was always a mess.  I opted for wing nights and all-you-can-eat-spaghetti whenever possible.

Once I graduated university, and until I was 30, I was spoiled rotten with a job that involved travel at least 4 months out of the year.  While "on the road", I was forced to eat three meals a day in restaurants which was great... for a while.  I was able to experience some incredible (and not so incredible) cuisine from all over Canada and the Caribbean.  I've sat in every booth at the Canso Causeway Irving Big Stop and I've ate the freshest fish-of-the-day with just-picked-mango salsa at Just Grillin' in Barbados.  I've sipped PEI moonshine and enjoyed ice cold Sands beer at the Canadian Consulate in the Bahamas.  This all sounds super glamorous (unless you've dined at an Irving Big Stop before) but the novelty does wear off and your pants size does increase.  I used to crave things like Kraft Dinner just because I could make it in a real pot and eat it out of my own bowl.  I would make coffee at home just so that I could drink it out of a mug and not a paper cup in my car.

I started to get really interested in cooking a couple of years ago when I simply got bored with what I was eating.  I knew there must be ways to be more creative with food and, although a healthier diet wasn't my initial motivation, I continue to be inspired by the endless ways to prepare and reinvent good quality meals.

Lately I have been obbbbbsessed with avocados.  Like...  obsessed obsessed.

I put that !%*# on everything!  Not only do avocados have tons of health benefits, its versatility has made it a staple in my kitchen.

Here are my three favorite (and fantastically easy) ways to use avocado:

1) As a substitution for mayo.  The avocado is the star of this quick and easy lunch.  I added a tiny bit of mustard and plain yogurt to create a smoother texture and some zip but this was creamy, tangy and no raw egg!

Avocado Egg Salad by: Two Peas and Their Pod

2)  To create different textures.  I love taking a bite and getting a perfect combination of crunch and soft.  I'm a hard taco gal and there is nothing better than hearing the crunch of the shell and some lettuce while being greeted with an ooey gooey inside.  A few pieces of diced up avocado creates a nice creamy texture and yummy taste.  If you don't love the chunks, mush the avocado up with a fork and add in a bit of plain yogurt or sour cream.  It makes a great sauce.

Cut up some avocado for your taco.  It's the perfect balance of crunch and creaminess.  

3)  To add gorgeous color and a fresh component.  To make this guacamole, I use nothing but a couple of fresh vegetables and spices.  So easy and so delicious.  It completely elevates the sandwich. 

Guacamole Grilled Cheese.  Inspired by Closet Cooking

 When choosing an avocado in the grocery store, take ripeness into consideration.  If you are planning to cut that baby open as soon as you get home, poke the tip of your nose.  Now stick out your tongue.  Just kidding.  You don't have to stick out your tongue.  Did you though?!  The outside of the avocado should have some give but also some firmness (like when you poke the tip of your nose).  

I hope these ideas inspire you to incorporate something new into your meal plan.