Some food trends come and go. Remember Crystal Pepsi? Celery-flavored gelatin? Neon rainbow catsup? The world is probably a better place without them.
Avocados, on the other hand, are evergreen, no matter what detractors might say. For vegetarians, vegans, or anyone who is trying to up their veggie game, avocados are a versatile edition to the whole food, minimally processed diet.
This green stone fruit has been called “nature’s butter,” which is a pretty accurate way to describe the decadent creaminess of a perfectly ripe avocado. In fact, avos have a leg up on butter since a single fruit contains over 1/3 of your daily value of fiber.
Like butter, avocados are high in fat, it’s true. However, unlike animal-based fats like dairy and meat, plant-based fats—including our friend the avocado, nuts, and fruits like olives and coconuts—have been shown to keep the body healthy. Plant-based fats may in fact promote weight loss, lower bad cholesterol, and promote heart health.
In other words, eating avocado will make you more fabulous. What more could you ask for from a humble, funny-looking fruit?
Here are 15 recipes to help you start on your avo adventure, ranging from clean vegan eats to indulgent treats.
Charred Broccoli + Tofu Stuffed Avocados
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Via: thefirstmess.com
Reason #1428 why avocado is the perfect food: it comes in its own serving container. How cool is that?! Cut an avocado in half, take out the pit, and you have a tiny green bowl that’s not only full of food already, but it has a tiny little nook to add more yumminess. You can scoop out the flesh, mix it with your favorite salsa or guac ingredients and plop it back in à la twice-baked potatoes, or you can take your cues from this grilled avocado stuffed with tofu and broccoli, and give your avo a kiss of heat and a protein-packed filling. Not a fan of tofu? That’s OK, swap it out for some nice grilled chicken or scrambled egg. Any food you can put in a bowl, you can put in a bowl made out of avocado. Game = changed.
Gorgeously Green Smoothie Bowl
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Via: vegukate.com
Smoothie bowls have taken over the world, at least according to the internet—and as we all know, everything on the internet is true. If you’re looking to up your nutrition game, consider this stunningly gorgeous green smoothie. Packed with fiber and good-for-you fats, this green monster gets its creaminess from bananas and avocado instead of dairy, though if you want to add a few spoonfuls of greek yogurt for some tangy, low-sugar protein, that’s up to you. A handful or two of spinach provides an extra healthy boost and more green goodness, but if you don’t like spinach, you can try kale instead. Chia seeds add a hearty serving of omega 3s, and mango brings some sweetness and color for an eminently instagrammable breakfast.
Crispy Baked Avocado Fries with Chipotle Dipping Sauce
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Via: gimmedelicious.com
Talk about a little slice of heaven! Crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside, these crispy baked avocado fries are quite possibly the ultimate finger food. That’s right, french fries, you better watch your back! If you’re a fried chicken devotee, the technique for making these gems might look familiar: dip your avocado slices in an egg wash, coat them with seasoned breadcrumbs, and bake until golden brown. These avo fries make a great appetizer, especially when you include the fantastic chipotle sauce, which you may or may not want to slather on everything from now on. Serve these baked fries as a side with your favorite sandwich or burger or, if you’re a culinary rebel, you can put them in a taco or on a nice green salad, drizzle with the creamy chipotle dressing and call them “dinner.”
Avocado & Chocolate Mousse
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Via: cravinggreens.com
We all get crazy chocolate cravings from time to time (I may or may not be gnawing on a chocolate bar right now!) but it can be a struggle to indulge those cravings in a healthy way. If you love the finer things in life—like rich, silky chocolate mousse—this is definitely a challenge. Lucky for us chocoholics, these petite avocado chocolate mousse cups exist, and they’re about to change your whole outlook on dessert. This mousse has no refined sugar, since it uses agave syrup and fiber-packed dates instead of the granulated stuff. Even better, if you swap out agave nectar for maple syrup, it qualifies as a raw dessert, too! Simply place all of the ingredients into a food processor, blend until thoroughly mixed (about three minutes), divide into your cutest little cups or ramekins, and chill for about half an hour. Make a double batch for dessert tonight and top with fresh berries and granola tomorrow for a très chocolatey, nutritious breakfast.
Avocado Pesto
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Via: ambitiouskitchen.com
Traditional pestos are packed with nutrition thanks to the leafy greens, veggies, and nuts, but they’re also full of fat thanks to the generous glugs of olive oil. Enter this lighter avocado pesto, which is completely oil-free and creamy as all get-out. Just like a garden variety pesto, this one is easy to make in a food processor or high-powered blender. Cut your avocado into bite-sized pieces and blend with parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, and basil, and season with salt and pepper. You can even sneak in a little kale or spinach to help keep your pickiest eaters stay healthy. With only about 100 calories for a 1/4 cup serving, this versatile green sauce is the prefect topping for pasta or salad. Try slathering it on bread for an extra-flavorful grilled cheese or pair it with bacon, lettuce, and tomato for a unique take on the BLTA.
Tropical Avocado Salad
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Via: whatsgabycooking.com
There’s nothing worse than a tasteless, limp, watery pile of greens. If you’re trying to pack a healthier lunch for work, you’ve probably run into this sad salad problem before. The solution? This pretty tropical avocado salad. It is sweet and spicy thanks to mango and jalapeńo, and the avocado brings its signature creaminess so you can go light on the oily, cholesterol-packed dressings we all know and love. If you’re prepping this baby for your M-F gig, consider leaving off the raw red onion and using a milder banana shallot instead. Top it off with a glug of good-quality olive oil and a squeeze of fresh citrus, and let the avocado do the rest. I guarantee this vibrant salad will become your new best friend at the office. Sorry Brenda in HR, but it’s true.
Avocado Hummus and Tomatillo Salsa
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Via: themediterraneandish.com
Hummus is the MVP of my snack league, but let’s face it: the plain stuff can get played out. That said, traditional hummus is a great starting place for culinary experimentation if you’re looking to bring some exciting new flavor profiles into your snack roster. Give this green avocado hummus with salsa verde a chance to step up to the plate because it’s definitely a game-changer. In fact, it is two dips in one, each perfect in its own right and dynamic as a duo. Both components are made in the food processor, so there’s minimal time and effort for maximum snacking. Toss a couple of avocados into your food processor along with tahini, chickpeas, cumin, garlic, and lime juice, blend until smooth, and refrigerate while you mix together the tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeño, and your other favorite salsa ingredients. Spoon the salsa on top of your avo hummus for the prettiest, greenest, and most mouthwatering snack around. Trust us, this one is a home run.
Roasted Veggie Bowls with Curried Avocado
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Via: halfbakedharvest.com
Sometimes you just want a big, nutritious bowl of everything that’s good for you, so why not try this roasted veggie bowl with curried avocado on for size? Roast your favorite veggies together on a sheet pan with cayenne and maple syrup, and pair them with fragrant jasmine rice that’s been cooked in coconut milk for a subtly sweet flavor. The star of this bowl, of course, is the curried avocado, at least in my book. You can think of the curried avo mash as a sort of condiment: a south-asian style guacamole that blends the coolness of avocado with a taste bud tingling mixture of curry powder, red curry paste, jalapeño, cilantro, and ginger. You can also make the avo sans bowl and serve it with toasted naan chips for an unconventional take on chips and guacamole, or take it to work with your favorite crunchy veg for a flavorful, nutritious afternoon snack. Adjust the heat to suit your taste, and make an extra big batch to go on everything.
Coconut Milk and Avocado Ice Cream
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Via: foolproofliving.com
Why let premium store-bought ice creams break the bank when you can make your own ridiculously good frozen treat at home? This avocado ice cream recipe uses cream, coconut milk, and avo to triple the creaminess with an extra dose (or two!) of beneficial fats. Both avocado and coconut freeze beautifully, so you can rest assured that this ice cream will melt in your mouth just like the traditional all-dairy version. A little rum and a few squirts of lime juice brighten up the subtle floral flavor of both the avocado and coconut, but the green stuff is absolutely the star. Serve this luscious treat with any island-inspired fare—it’s the perfect end to a luau-themed BBQ—or after a spicy south asian curry to cool and delight your taste buds.
Seasoned Chickpea Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing
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Via: shelikesfood.com
So you love velvety, fat-laden dressings? Don’t beat yourself up, I love them, too. But. We all know we can do better by our bodies. Instead of opting for a mayonnaise or buttermilk-based dressing, try making ranch dressing with avocado instead. You can use this avo dressing nearly anywhere you’d use the dairy-based version. Drizzle it on a baked potato, use it as a dipping sauce for crudités or sweet potato fries . . . heck, you can even put it on a salad! In fact, if you’re looking for a little salad inspo, this seasoned chickpea masterpiece might be just the thing. Pan-fry the chickpeas with olive oil, nuts, and spices and you’ve got tasty legume “croutons” that add a little texture and a lot of heat to your greens. Between the cool creamy ranch and the spicy, crunchy chickpeas, I guarantee this baby will become the new star of your salad rotation.
Bacon Avocado Sushi Rolls
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Via: peasandcrayons.com
I’ve spilled a lot of virtual ink touting the health benefits of avocado, but let’s consider it from a purely taste-based perspective. It is a damn delicious food. When you mix it with another damn delicious food, let’s say bacon, you get magic. Culinary fireworks. Gastronomic revelation. Good freakin’ eats. There are a million ways to pair avo and bacon, but these homemade bacon and avocado sushi rolls are by far the most unique, most portable way to get your fix. Getting your hands on nori sheets has never been easier thanks to the internet, so there’s no excuse not to try these little flavor bombs.
Like their (less awesome) cousin, the California Roll, these rolls include a little cream cheese and sliced cucumber for crunch. If you can find sashimi-grade seafood, go for it! Otherwise, try crab salad or simply omit the fish. The important part is the killer combo of smoky bacon and cool avocado, and you’ve got that covered.
Avocado, Jalapeño & Bacon Deviled Eggs
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Via: cookswithcocktails.com
So the sushi wasn’t your thing, but you still want a unique way to pair avo and bacon? Look no further than these avocado, jalapeño, and bacon deviled eggs. Like avocados, hard-boiled eggs are an awesome food that doubles as a bowl for other foods. (Thanks, Mother Nature! We owe you one!) This recipe takes the classic deviled egg flavor up about a million notches with avocado, jalapeño, cajun seasoning, and meaty, magnificent bacon. Prep these eggs the usual way: boil and scoop out the yolks, then mix them with the spices, avocado, jalapeño, and a little lemon juice for brightness. Sprinkle cooked and crumbled bacon on top, and finish with the customary dusting of paprika. These babies would be perfect for a big family gathering or cocktail hour, so fire up that frying pan, start that water boiling, and get ready to become everyone’s new favorite party guest.
Vegan Avocado Brownies
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Via: pastryaffair.com
Love sweets, but the frozen treats just don’t do it for you? If yummy chocolate baked goods are the thing that makes your taste buds sing, then these vegan avocado brownies are your dessert dream come true. I know you’re thinking: “vegan brownies are delicious? That can’t be right!” but bear with me. In this recipe, avocado and olive oil take the place of eggs and butter, creating a dense, fudge-like texture that will knock your brownie-loving socks off. The recipe also calls for whole wheat, which brings more fiber and protein to the yard than the heavily processed variety we all know and love. In other words, these drool-worthy chocolate treats contain three superfoods. I’m pretty sure that means you can skip dinner and go straight to dessert, right?
Chilled Avocado Soup with Plum Pico de Gallo
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Via: willfrolicforfood.com
Move over gazpacho, there’s a cool new soup in town. Chilled soups are a mainstay of summer cuisine, but dairy-based versions are definitely a no-go. Once again, avocado saves the day with this vegan chilled avocado soup with pico de gallo, a dish that feels both nourishing and decadent at the same time. Made from avocado, cucumber, pre-cooked chickpeas, and a hint of warming spices like cumin and black pepper, this soup requires minimal prep time but offers maximum summertime enjoyment. Eat it plain or top it with the plum pico de gallo—an inventive take on the Mexican staple that uses fresh plums, red onion, sweet corn, cilantro, and a touch of red pepper—and you have a colorful starter or light lunch that will totally help you beat the heat.
Avocado Toast Three Ways
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Via: thepioneerwoman.com
Avocado toast has taken over the world, at least according to Pinterest and Instagram. Why did avocado toast become so popular? For one thing, toast is the best: it’s easy to make, inexpensive, and ready to eat in literally minutes. Top it with the food world’s current obsession, avocado, and you’ve got a match made in nutritious, plant-based heaven. Whether you slice it or mash it, silky avocado is the perfect foil for a nice crunchy piece of toast. So. How do you make avo toast? A better question is, “is there a wrong way to make avo toast?” Maybe? But the fact is, there are a million tasty additions that will take your avo toast from plain to plain amazing with just a few special ingredients. Not sure where to start? Check out this post and try these three amazing avo toast combinations today.
Whether you’re vegan, following a whole foods diet, a committed carnivore, or looking for creative new ways to eat avocado, this list has got you covered. Head out, avocado advocates, and spread the avo love!
Source: Mayo Clinic
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