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Practical Eating

Five Ways to Eat More Avocados

Super Avocado (via shoothead.)

I feel sorry for those people, and I've seen them in my office, who eat berries and fish every single day because Dr. Andrew Weil or some other "nutrition expert" says they should. Don't they know about the avocado? You'll go crazy without variety, people.

Avocados are delicious, dead simple to prepare, and they've all the necessary minerals and the cholesterol-friendly fats to fully qualify as a "superfood." Yes, a superfood, just like blueberries or broccoli or salmon. But how exactly to eat them, you ask? Let me count the ways. 

1. For Breakfast with a Spoon: There's no excuse not to eat breakfast when it's this easy. Cut one ripe avocado in half and remove the pit. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice into the "bowls" the pit leaves behind, add a dash of sea salt and eat right out of the skin with a spoon.
2. As a Snack with Cottage Cheese: High protein and delicious. Peel and slice one ripe avocado. Smash the whole thing in a bowl and mix with one cup of cottage cheese. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and/or apple cider vinegar and a dash of sea salt.
3. A La Café Gitane: I stole this recipe years ago from the guys behind the counter at Café Gitane on Mott Street. Lightly mash one ripe avocado in a bowl with lemon juice, sea salt and red pepper flakes. Spread over multi-grain toast, and finish with a light drizzle of olive oil.
4. In Your Salad: Adding avocado to your salad helps your body absorb nutrients in the rest of the vegetables. You want this! Add sliced avocado to any or all of the following: romaine lettuce, shredded cabbage/carrots, chopped tomatoes, toasted sesame seeds, and shredded chicken or flaked salmon. Toss with a mix of olive oil, vinegar and lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Soupe Du Jour: The Times calls this "Ultrafast Avocado Soup." It's delicious and takes only minutes to prepare as it doesn't actually require cooking, which we all know is the most tedious part of making soup. Purée three to four ripe avocados in a blender with two to three cups of milk. Add salt, cayenne pepper and lime juice to taste. If you want to get fancy, garnish with cooked shrimp and fresh chopped cilantro or parsley.

And finally, a few important public service tips:

• Get 'em ripe:  the flesh should give under your fingers but only slightly.
• Also, keep your eye out for the smaller, dark-skinned ones from Mexico or California.) 
• FInally: here's how to cut them, courtesy of The World's Healthiest Foods.

Enjoy!