Aside from being kinda funky-looking, what really makes avocados so special, anyway? The Central American native, dating as far back as 900 A.D. and long thought to be an aphrodisiac due to its voluptuous profile, may possess a great deal of fat but it's of the monosaturated variety...meaning that your heart is going to thank you when you eat it. There's no question that consuming its mellow green flesh is a wise dietary choice since just one ounce possesses almost 20 vitamins along with fiber, phytonutrients, potassium, beta-carotene and iron for a mere 50 calorie splurge. Comprehensive studies have even found that the cholesterol free fruit serves to boost the body's ability to absorb valuable nutrients, plus it also may help with health eye function.
A member of the flowering plant family Lauraceae, there are over 8 varieties of the evergreen fruit, including the commonly available Hass variety which today is mostly cultivated in Mexico, California, Florida, Texas and Hawaii. California is the reigning producer, responsible for 90% of America's avocado crop, and yet most consumers make the mistake of thinking that they're only good for Mexican-themed dishes and guacamole. In fact, mashed ripe avocado - while a tasty snack - is even more delicious to hair and skin, providing emollient qualities that will rehydrate and impart softness when used as a mask, deep conditioning treatment or even as a natural eye makeup remover!
Given that avocados are abundant at this time of year and can be purchased on sale, often for as low as 50 cents each, perhaps it's time to shake up your routine and consider some new ways to incorporate the nutritional powerhouse into your diet. Shouldn't the new year be all about indulging in new experiences and stepping outside of your comfort zone? If you're nodding in agreement, then feast your eyes on the following rather unusual avocado recipes which will definitely give you something to talk (and smack your lips) about:
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Pan Fried Bacon Wrapped Avocados
Ingredients:
Organic uncured bacon
Haas avocado
Toothpicks
Directions:
Cut your avocado into wedge shaped slices. I got 8 slices from one avocado. For directions on how to select and cut avocados, please see Friday Foodie Fix- Avocado.
Next take a slice of bacon and wrap it around the avocado in a spiral direction. Take a toothpick and enter the avocado through the bacon on one end and out the other. If your slice is too long then you may need to do this on each end.
Place into a pre-heated skillet on medium high. Turn on all sides as each side of the bacon crisps. Once all of the sides are cooked, remove from pan and serve.
Give a little sprinkle of chili pepper or cayenne pepper and a tiny squeeze of lime. You can also sprinkle sea salt on top. Enjoy!
Recipe & Photo Courtesy of The Whole Gang
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Avocado Pudding with Spicy Cashews
Makes 2 Small Servings
1 small to medium (4-5 oz) Hass avocado
1/2 cup nut milk or rice milk (I used my fresh unsweetened mixed nut milk)
5 teaspoons (35 g) honey or agave nectar
4-5 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 oz (~2 tablespoons) finely chopped spicy roasted cashews, or use plain roasted cashews and a small pinch of cayenne pepper
Blend the avocado, milk, honey, lime juice, zest and salt together. Scrape the sides of the container a couple of times and continue blending until smooth. Taste and add additional honey for sweeter pudding.
Stir in half of the cashews and spoon into two bowls. Top with the remaining cashews.
If you are making this ahead of time, store it in the fridge and press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding to prevent browning.
Recipe & Photo Courtesy of Doghill Kitchen
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Chocolate Avocado Cake With Avocado Buttercream
According to Good Eats, this cake is "pretty fantastic, amazingly dense and not at all avocado-y. The frosting may be a bit more of an acquired taste-it is definitely different from a typical buttercream, with a flavor that is light and creamy and vaguely nutty-citrusy tasting-but if the concept of avocado buttercream is simply too much to digest, I'll bet the cake would taste great with a chocolate or fudge buttercream too."
Makes one 2 layer 8-inch round cake, or one thick 9-inch square cake --recipe adapted from Joy The Baker. Frosting recipe adapted from Alton Brown.
Ingredients For The Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter (note: if you want your cake to be vegan, use 1/4 cup vegetable oil)
1/2 cup soft avocado (about 1 medium avocado), mashed until smooth and creamy
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Ingredients For The Frosting:
8 ounces of avocado flesh, about 2 small to medium, very ripe avocados
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: Malt balls or Malteasers, for garnish
Procedure
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour your cake pan or pans. Set aside.
Sift together all of the dry ingredients except the sugar. Set that aside too.
Mix all the wet ingredients together in a bowl, including the super mashed avocado.
Add sugar into the wet mix and stir. Mix the wet with the dry all at once, and beat with a whisk (by hand) until smooth.
Pour batter into your prepared pan(s). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (I baked mine for 40 minutes and probably could have baked it for about 5 more, but since there were no eggs I wasn't too worried about the fudgy texture in the middle).
Let cake or cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.
While the cake cools, make the buttercream. Peel and pit the soft avocados. It's important to use the ripest avocados you can get your hands on. If the avocados have brown spots in the meat, avoid those spots when you scoop the meat into the bowl.
Place the avocado meat into the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment. Add lemon juice and whisk the avocado on medium speed, until slightly lightened in color and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and beat. Add vanilla extract until combined. If not using right away, store in the refrigerator (it does not turn brown).
Frost the cake with a liberal amount of the avocado buttercream (it's good fat, after all). If desired, garnish with malt balls lining the edges.
Original Recipe, Illustration and Photos Courtesy of Jessie Oleson
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Avocado Chicken Cakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/2 avocado, mashed (mine was a little less than 1/2 cup)
1 cup panko
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
5 tablespoons of your favorite salsa
Directions:
Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and sauté onions for 5-7 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic and sauté one additional minute.
In medium bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, onion mixture, avocado, 1/3 cup panko, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and egg. Shape mixture into 5 cakes that are 1/2-inch thick; lightly coat all sides of each cake in the remaining 2/3 cup panko.
Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet. Add 2 chicken cakes and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and 3 chicken cakes. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of salsa over each chicken cake. Makes 2 servings.
Recipe & Photo Courtesy Of Cake, Batter & Bowl
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First Avocado Illustration At Top Of Page Courtesy Of Coldmoon Files
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