Incredible, Edible Avocado

I admittedly have a personal history of not loving avocados:  I know, blasphemous!  However, the more I learn about them and tell other people to eat them, I really wanted to find a way to incorporate them into my diet. 

Avocados get a bad rap because they are high in fat.  Forget about it!  ½ an avocado has 161 kcals, 15 grams of fat, 0 cholesterol, <1 gram sugar, 2 grams protein, 7 grams fiber,  12 mg calcium and almost 500 mg of potassium!  That’s an impressive line-up.  Like many other foods, it should be eaten in moderation.  But, it should be eaten.

According to Worlds Healthiest Foods, here are some benefits of the avocado:

• Anti-inflammatory
• High in antioxidants
• Supports heart health
• Regulates blood sugars
• Anti-cancer properties

In order to maximize the benefits of the avocado, be sure to scrape the darkest green colored fruit from the inside of the skin – that’s where the really good stuff is hidden.  In honor of today’s famous American food holiday (Super Bowl), here is my guacamole recipe.  It only takes 10 minutes, is a definite crowd pleaser, and incredibly healthful.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

3 ripe avocados removed from skin and pit

1 lime, quartered

½ t salt

1 t pepper

½ t cumin

1 large, ripe tomato, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 serrano pepper, diced

Directions

1. In a large bowl squeeze lime juice over avocado slices, toss to coat. (This will help keep the avocado from turning brown).
2. Use a masher or fork to combine salt, pepper, and cumin.  You should mash the avocados completely to the perfect “dipping” consistency. 
3. Fold in tomatoes, cilantro, serrano and garlic.
4. Let sit at room temperature for ~1 hour and serve with chips.