Demystifying Avocados Plus Some Recipes
When we moved to Los Angeles, I didn’t have a car and regularly walked to the “downtown” shopping area about a mile from our apartment building. Along the way, there was a tree that would deposit produce on the sidewalk. Never did I consider urban foraging because the objects on the sidewalk were as foreign to me as produce from another country. They were avocados. I had no knowledge of how to tell if they were ripe, whether I would like them or how to prepare them. It was also the mid 90’s and the internet wasn’t exactly the wealth of information it is now. The only thing I knew about avocados is that everything that I ordered in California came with avocados on it. BLT’s weren’t just BLT’s. They were BLT-A’s. Uck. If I was craving a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, I didn’t want an avocado infringing on my taste buds. I got to the point that I actually asked if it came with avocados because it wasn’t always written on the menu.
A few years later, I was introduced to a guacamole salsa that would sway my opinions moving forward. A restaurant in the high desert was famous for the recipe that was basically 2 diced tomatoes, 2 smushed avocados, 1 chopped white onion, 1 clove of garlic and salt and pepper to taste. It was heavenly served with chips.
Unfortunately, I’ve always been baffled by avocados. How do I know when they are ripe? How and where do I store them? How do I cut them? What can I use them in besides guacamole? Thanks to Avocados from Mexico, I had the opportunity to get many of my questions answered by Chef Pati Jinich, host of Pati’s Mexican Table via video! In addition, they forwarded me answers to some other common questions.
Question: Are avocados considered a fruit or a vegetable?
Chef Pati: Avocados are considered a fruit.
Question: What advice would you give to parents of picky eaters?
Chef Pati: My advice to parents of picky eaters is to set an example for your children. When they see you eating something, they’ll likely want to try it as well.
Question: How can you incorporate avocados from Mexico if you are following a specific diet?
Chef Pati: Fresh avocados fit a variety of different meal plans because of their nutritional content. Avocados are nutrient dense and are sodium and cholesterol free. They can be used in recipes to replace dairy and address lactose allergy or vegan lifestyle.
Question: What is your favorite way to prepare avocados?
Chef Pati: I prepare avocados in so many different ways that it’s hard to pick a favorite! I especially love to incorporate fresh avocados from Mexico into my breakfast meals, because it’s a great way to jump start your day. One of my favorite ways to use avocados is topped in sandwiches or rolled in tortillas, like in the Melted Cheese Scramble & Avocado Breakfast Burrito.
You can find a lot of recipes on the Avocados from Mexico website but I decided to ask some blogger friends for recommendations on their favorite avocado recipes. Check out the creative recipes they sent me:
Salads
Refreshing Chopped Salad by Robyn’s Online World
Salsa Salad by Thriftanista in the City
Appetizers and Dips
Avocado Fries by Honest & Truly
Best Guacamole Ever by Honest & Truly
Artichoke, Spinach, Avocado Dip by Modly Chic
Bacon Avocado Pinwheels by Sweeties Freebies
Main Dishes
Egg, Jarlsberg and Avocado Breakfast Cup by This Mama Loves
Avocado and Bacon Macaroni and Cheese by Frosted Fingers
Avocado Chili by What’s That Smell
Drinks
Kiwi Avocado Smoothie with Lime and Honey by Just Short of Crazy
Banana Avocado Smoothie by Momspotted
Desserts
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pretzels and Avocado by This Mama Loves
Pear and Apricot Dessert Guacamole by Frosted Fingers
Salted Chocolate Banana Avocado Pudding by Mama Dweeb
Brownies with a Secret Avocado by Mom and More
I’m looking forward to trying out some of these recipes! For more information on Avocados from Mexico, visit their website or follow along with them on Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.
What’s your favorite way to eat avocados?
Thanks for including my chili! I interviewed Chef Pati as well, love her!
We love using Avocado in baking- so much better for us than oil or butter!! My family loves those cookies with avocado that you shared….
The banana avocado smoothie, is so different! I wonder how the two taste together… I will have to try it seems great.
I need to venture out and try some of these fun recipes!! Who knew they were so versitile! YUMMY!
LOVE avocado’s, my favorite is homemade guacamole that I make for my family. It’s good in desserts too, you would be amazed you cannot even tell it’s in there!
I don’t think of having avocados for breakfast but I should. I also want to try them in smoothies 🙂
My favorite way to enjoy avocados is in guacamole. I have it in everything.
I just love avocados, you can do so many things with the. My kiddos love them too so they’re a family favorite!
Look at all those recipes! Baking it into cookies sounds like a great way for me to get the benefits. Otherwise I am not a huge fan. But, I like me some cookies. 😉
I love avocados. Thank you so much for sharing all these great recipes! I’d love to try those pinwheels!
My whole family loves avocados. These look like really good recipes, sometimes we get stuck in a recipe rut!
The foods is quite tempting and good for snacks,
We love avocados! I am always looking for more recipes. These look great!
Thanks for sharing these recipes. I am a big Avocado fan, it’s such a great food!
Ha! This sounds like me when I visit Cali – what do you mean you put avocados on sandwiches? HUH??! lol
I honestly didn’t know you could do so much with them, thanks for all these recipes!
My husband is an avacado fanatic! They have so many benefits to health and beauty. We just love them. We are actually starting to grow our own Avacado plant too! It is about 10″ tall now. So excited.
Great post! I never buy or cook with avocados because I don’t know much about them. I love that you demystified them for me!
Yum! I love avocados more and more! Thanks for sharing the scoop and these fab recipes! I love putting some fresh avo with fresh lemon, garlic & salt.. oh so simple & good!
I never thought about putting avocado in cookies, interesting concept. I might have to try it!
Those are some delicious sounding recipes and thanks for sharing mine! Avocados used to intimidate me, but after learning some great techniques and recipes, they have become a friend in the kitchen.
I may be boring but, I’d have to say my favorite way to eat it is in guacamole and spreading on a burger. 😀
Thanks for including my recipe. Really great round up and info about avocados. I will be trying more of these recipes too! Yum!
Funny, I was just talking about avacados. Someone told me about the pudding recipe.
We love avocado!! I have salad dressing I make with it and even make pudding with it!
I love avacados and it would be cool to have a tree in my yard. Fresh avacados when ever I wanted would be cool
Thank you for these great ideas, I love avocados!
We have avocado tree on my mom’s front yard in her house in the Philippines. We get 100 to 200 fruits during harvest time. We love avocado, we add brown sugar and evaporated milk on it, then chill for 3 hours. Great dessert.
What a great roundup of recipes! I love using avocados.
I love avocados, yet I had no clue that you could use them in so many different ways!!
Avocados are really underrated. Good skills!
I loooooooooooove all things avocado (as you can probably tell from the blog title). Can’t wait to check out the recipes in this round up. YUMMMM
Everything looks so good. I love add avocado to my homemade salad dressing to make it creamy.
I love avacados on eggs and beans. Also on sandwiches and veggies
I love avocados and Patti Jinich for that matter – awesome post! Thanks so much for linking this up to the Friday Frenzy!
I love avocados! They’re such great source of good fats and oh, so tasty!
I love avocados, I really, really do. In already prepared guacamole, usually. Because I admit, I’m kind of afraid of an actual whole avocado.
I wish I liked avacados, but being that I don’t, I’m sharing this with my oldest daughter who LOVES them!
I’m so grateful to have found your post! Lately I’ve become avocado crazy and really needed some recipe direction to enjoy them to the fullest!
never been very much of a fan of avocados–but I’m starting to plan a Cinco de Mayo party and I know a lot of guest love it –have to give a few of these a try! =D
We love avocados! Here’s a great tip — cut the avocado in half vertically. “Chop” the knife into the pit so the blade sticks. Twist the pit and pull it out effortlessly. Then, you can scoop the avocado out of the skin with a spoon.
I love avocados. I eat them plain or added to salad or really anything. They are so tasty!
That would be a culture shock to find most things served with avocado if you weren’t used to it. I like a little every now and again. I know they’re really good for you.
I LOVE avocados! I usually add some avocado to my tomato-cucumber salad.
I am an avocado-holic. We had an avocado tree in our front yard in the Dominican Republic, and then when I moved to Fallbrook AKA The Avocado Capital of the World, I felt right at home. It was the first solid food I gave my baby when she turned 6 months and the only thing I could keep down during my pregnancy. Vivan los aguacates! 🙂
I love Avocados. You’ve got some great recipes in here!
Ooh thanks for all the yummy looking recipes! I just tried avocados for the first time this year so I’m anxious to try out a few of these recipes!
I would have never thought of some of these! The chili look s really good 🙂
All the recipes sound delicious! I love putting avocado in smoothies for a heart healthy, creamy treat. Avocados are so versatile and a great substitute for unhealthy fats! Thanks for all the tips and recipes!
These are some really great avocado recipes! I look forward to trying the kiwi avocado smoothie – yum!
I am always looking for other recipes for avocados. I buy avocados weekly and my family loves them in anything I make. Thanks for sharing the recipe links.
I really like avocados and would eat them a lot more often if they weren’t so expensive, but even on sale, they’re at least a dollar a pop these days (at least here in Maine). So for me, they’re a special-occasion food. Nice collection of recipes, though; I’m especially interested in trying the pudding and the brownies. Thanks!
I do love avocados-sometimes I will simply cut the in half and just scoop out the deliciousness right into my mouth. I think the best recipe I ever had was avocado with crab meat–what a delicious combination!
I’ve sliced them and added salt but I’ve never just scooped them out! LOL. I love crab meat and can totally see how that would be a good combination. Yum. (Note to self… don’t read comments on food posts before dinner.)
BLT’s….I have not had one in a while….this made me want one….I had forgotten how good they were
Avocados rock! ♥ the recipe ideas!
I love guacamole!
Wow! So many awesome ways to enjoy avocados ! Thanks I know ill be trying some new recipes soon!
These recipes look very tasty. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing! I love eating avacadoes.