Did you know avocados are a fruit? I didn’t know that for a long time. Much like tomatoes, they have a seed inside. According to science, that’s what makes it a fruit. In cooking, however, it’s a different matter. Served in delicious savory meals, chefs define it more as a vegetable. Avocados also provide an enjoyable snack for the health conscious.
For my Freedom Friday series, I would like to show you how easy it is to make avocados a part of a nutritious, balanced diet.
When my wife first introduced avocados in our diet a few years ago, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. I trusted her sense of flavor, but as in all things borne from the unknown, I still had my reservations. She got the idea from watching someone. And one day she brought a bag full of the Persea americana from the grocery store. From there, as my sense of curiosity got the best of me, she went on to show me how to eat it.
This is the easiest avocado recipe in the world. Anyone can make it. With a handful of ingredients, guaranteed you’ll like it too!
Ingredients:
- 1 avocado
- 1 lemon (you really don’t need a whole lemon, or half a lemon for that matter)
- salt
Directions:
- Cut the avocado lengthwise exposing the seed as an oval. I usually use a steak knife, but you can use any ol’ knife. Just make sure it’s sharp and can penetrate the avocado’s hard skin. To remove the seed, I always stab it in the center with the knife, jostle it a bit, and it should pop right out of there.
- Once you’ve removed the seed, with the same knife gently poke holes into the avocado’s meat. They don’t have to go all the way to the bottom. And you don’t have to poke a million holes. Just enough for the next step.
- Squeeze some lemon on the meat. All that lemon juice will then seep into the holes from the previous step. This way a balanced coat of flavor covers the meat.
- Sprinkle salt to taste
To eat it, all you need is a spoon. Believe me when I say it’s a refreshingly delicious snack!
For those wondering the health benefits of avocados:
- About 67% of its total fat is monounsaturated as oleic acid
- Consumption of monounsaturated fat reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (the bad) cholesterol, and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (the good) cholesterol
- Oleic acid reduces blood pressure
- Contains carotenoids, which protects against eye disease
- Its 3.4 grams of soluble fiber promotes satiation, which contributes to weight loss
- A cup of avocado contains a quarter of the recommended daily intake of folate, which aids in the protection of an unborn baby
Do you like avocados? Do you have a recipe you’d like to share?
Looking to God 
Love avocados.
However, I find myself allergic to them.
Ironically, at family gatherings I always make the guacamole and have to find someone to taste it for me.
mmmmm, I love avocados. I like them pretty much every way, but my most favorite is in my mouth!
Aren’t they great? Awesome comment, Meggie! 🙂
Ya know, I love avocados IN food (guacamole, in a southwest soup, etc), but it never occurred to me to season one of the green buggers and chow down with just a spoon in hand. Will definitely try this!
Thanks for stopping by and checking out my avocado posts! Avocados are awesome and can be swapped out with butter in a lot of baking recipes. Also, I’m totally excited for your zombie writings. Awesome!
It’s official- everyone loves an avocado! Every time I cut one in half, I wonder how easy it woul be to grow an avocado tree. Does anyone have any tips?
I love avocados! I even add them to desserts – if you’re looking to make a healthier version of chocolate mousse, for instance, they add great texture.
Thanks for the suggestion, Amb. I might actually try that someday since I enjoy all types of fruits and vegetables in combination with one another.
Love avocados! I love adding to salads and pretty much any other dish.
I’ve been out all day but I just had to chip in about avocados since I used to pick them. They really hurt when they land on your head.
Your seed fact is interesting. I heard that the veg/ fruit debate was either grown in ground veg or above ground fruit. Avos are also delish with french vinaigrette in the hole the seed leaves. I made my first guacamole the other day and it was surprisingly edible. Love Pinterest recipes! Thanks for the nostalgia trip.
Thanks for checking out my blog! Avocado’s are one of our favorite things to eat in my house! I think my twins eat one almost every day!
I am addicted to them and I’m actually able to find really enormous ones from Central and South America, which make Haas avocados look like grape tomatoes. I will seriously just eat one with a spoon if left to my own devices. I also use lemon and lime juice, among other things, when I am adding it to salad or just trying to add some flavor to homemade Mexican food. I know a lot of people who will eat Avocado with tomatoes and cucumbers on bread, nothing else. That’s a little extreme for me, I prefer it by itself unless it’s in salad or on nachos.
I only like avocados in guac form. I think they squishy texture is OK when paired with a crunchy tortilla chip but that turns me off when its in a salad or on a sandwich. I’m going to dazzle all my friends with my avocado knowledge this weekend!
Hi Jack!
Thanks for stopping by and liking my post, Soba Noodles and Kale with Avocado Miso Sauce. Pretty much anything with avocado is stellar and I see you really like them as well! I my recipe helps keeps you happy and healthy!
Cheers!
I absolutely love avocados! I eat them all the time…plain is even good but I like to do something similar to you…usually lime, salt and chili powder 🙂 YUM!
Funny thing, when i was a kid..i HATED avacados! blah! but now that i’m an adult i love them. Probably my favorite sort of dip is Guacamole. it’s easy to make and simply delish and nutritious:
3-avacados
salt
1 clove garlic
1 roma tomato
cilantro
onion powder(you can dice an onion/my stomach can’t handle them, so i use powder)
half a lime
scoop out the 3 avacados and put meat into a mixing bowl
a few pinches of salt
crush garlic
chop up tomato and mix in
throw in cilantro
a dash of onion powder
and squeeze in the half lime
mix it up and you’ve got a great dip for snack crackers or my favorite white corn tostados.
**it is believed the avacado helps in fertility and virility.
Your Guacamole dip is similar to mine, except I add a generous chunk of Jalapeno pepper and substitute lemon for lime! I actually make it two ways: 1) smooth as butter so I can use it as a dip or a spread. 2) chunky, to taste the individual components. So good. Thanks for the share.
Oh, and I didn’t know about the fertility/virility aspect of avocados. I learn something new every day.
Mmmm, love avocado? Have you ever had an avocado shake? Subtle, but delicious thing. I have no recipe, I’m afraid, it’s something I got at a Vietnamese restaurant. But I’m sure food.com or allrecipes.com has something.
Very nice post! I feel hungry now! =) My parents used to prepare a avocado shake when I was a kid. I can ask my mother the recipe, but it was something really easy:
mix in a blender: avocado + cold milk + sugar (I think they used to add some lemon too, but I am not certain about it).
It’s delicious, simple and healthy!
Unfortunately I can’t find nice avocados here in Holland, but in Brazil it’s easy. They are big and tasty!!
I hope you like!
Ana
PS: Let me know if you want more details, I’ll ask my mother!
What a wonderful recipe. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m sure my taste buds will appreciate the wonderful flavor combination!
=) Enjoy it!
Sounds fabulous. A must try!
Love the recipe — I often eat them as-is, but guacamole is good too!
I love avocados! I had a friend who was allergic to them–and was also allergic to latex and bananas. I inferred from that information that the rubber and banana trees are somewhat related to avocado, but haven’t researched it further.
I do know that every time someone tells me they have a latex allergy, I ask about avocados and bananas and they say, “Yeah, those too.”
Awesome post Jack! I’ve been looking at implementing avocado into my diets and have just found a bunch of recipes and stuff 🙂 I’ll be trying them out soon!
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do, Kim. I use avocados in dips, salads and as a straight snack. They’re delicious and super nutritious. I included the nutritional value in case anyone wanted to know the benefits. Such a great food!
And I learned for the first time today that avos are also known as Alligator Pears, due to its skin and shape. Never knew that, thought it was interesting!
Yes I did know this about avocados. Having a West Indian background I live me some avocados. Growing up we used to have avocado sandwiches. And I don’t need salt or lemon. I can eat it plain and be uber happy!!!
Ah! My mother used to make me those growing up! My family is from the West Indies too.
🙂 Good times. Good tings!!!