At first glance, the bumpy green exterior of an avocado can be intimidating. You know there’s creamy, delicious goodness inside, but how to cut an avocado may not be immediately apparent.

Fear not, avocado lover. There’s an easy, reliable way to cut into your favorite fruit. And once you master the art of cutting an avocado, you’ll be well on your way to slicing and dicing your way toward awe-inspiring guacamole (or … smoothies or tacos, salads, burgers, or ceviche). You know what they say: When life hands you an avocado, you can make any dish better!

First, Make Sure You’re Cutting an Avocado That’s Perfectly Ripe

Avocados are a lot easier to cut when they’re ripe. They also taste better! Before you even get out the knife, choose the freshest, ripest avocado by holding it in your palm and gently squeezing it. If it gives a little under the pressure … winner-winner, guac with dinner!

Is your avocado hard as a rock? Fear not! You can speed up the ripening process by placing it in a brown paper bag along with a banana or apple on the kitchen counter. Check back every day for progress. Bananas and apples both emit the natural plant hormone ethylene gas, which helps ripen fruit. The paper bag traps the gas and speeds up the process. It sounds loca, but it’s true.

How to Cut an Avocado in Half

Perfectly ripe avocado? Check. ✅ Now, all you need is a cutting board, knife, fork, and spoon.

1. Place the avocado on the cutting board. Place a clean towel on the board if desired to keep the avocado from slipping.
2. Hold the avocado with one hand firmly on top of the fruit and cut into the middle of the avocado in a complete circle around the pit. Cut longways from the stem to the bottom.
3. Put down the knife and twist the avocado with two hands so the halves come apart.
4. If using both halves right away, go ahead and remove the pit by holding the half with the pit in your hand and use a spoon to work out the pit while gently squeezing from the bottom. Another option: Place the avocado on the board, gently whack the pit with your knife, and twist to release.
5. To remove the avocado meat, work a wet spoon between the green flesh of the avocado and the skin to scoop it out.

How to Cut an Avocado into Slices

Ever wonder how restaurants get those perfect slivers of avocado in a neat little row on top of avocado toast? It’s easier than it looks. Simply follow the steps above for how to cut an avocado in half. Before step five (removing the avocado meat), grab your handy knife and slice vertically into the avocado flesh to form delicate ribbons. The knife will easily sink into a ripe avocado, so be careful not to use too much pressure. You don’t want to slice through the avocado skin! Then, remove the avocado meat with a wet spoon.

Another option: Place the avocado half face down onto a plate so the bumpy skin is on top, and gently peel the skin away with your fingers. This technique may take a little practice, but it will ensure your fancy slices of avocado are not mushed in the removal process.

How to Cut an Avocado into Diced Cubes

Diced avocado is useful for many dishes, from chunky guacamole and chicken avocado tostadas to ahi poke nachos, shrimp cocktail, and homemade salads. It can also help add a rich consistency when blended into fresh smoothies.

To dice an avocado, follow steps one through four for how to cut an avocado in half. Then, use a sharp knife to cut a grid pattern into the flesh of the avocado while it is still in the skin. Cut through the surface to the skin and then scoop out the chunks with a wet spoon.

What to Do with Extra Cut Avocado

Sometimes, recipes will call for a portion of an avocado. Then, you’re left with a small amount of avocado and the question of how to eat it!

The simplest way to enjoy extra avocado is with a fork. Sprinkle some salt and lemon juice, or step it up by mashing leftover avocado onto crackers or toast for a premeal snack. Add your favorite seasonings, like everything bagel, Italian, Cajun, or crushed red pepper for savory goodness.

With avocados, the sky is the limit! Check out our other handy how-to hacks to get the most out of this delicious fruit.

The post How to Cut an Avocado Safely in 5 Simple Steps appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

When are avocados in season? In Mexico, always. Avocados From Mexico are available 365 days a year. It’s one of the reasons we’re #AlwaysGood. In fact, Mexico is one of the only places in the world where avocados can grow year-round.

Avocado Season in Mexico

Mexico’s climate, which ranges from tropical to temperate, and its geographic diversity provide ideal environments for growing various fruits and vegetables. While some produce may thrive throughout the country, some locations are more favorable than others when it comes to growing avocados.

There’s no better place for avocados to grow than the Mexican state of Michoacán, home to more than 40,000 avocado orchards. Michoacán is basically magic for avocados; it has the perfect balance of sunshine and rainfall that avocados love, plus rich volcanic soil in the ground that gives avocado trees all the yummy nutrients they need to produce the produce you love.

But the real magic of Michoacán is its mountainous terrain. The orchards are planted up and down the mountainside at varying elevations, from 2,000 to 10,000 feet high. That’s a big difference in elevation, so each orchard has its own microclimate, and the temperatures vary throughout the year. The result is four unique avocado seasons in Mexico, or what we call “blooms.”

When Do Avocados Bloom?

The orchards rhythmically bloom from higher to lower elevations and then back again. The four blooms have distinct characteristics from one another, meaning there’s a continual, uninterrupted avocado harvest throughout the year. Although the blooms overlap, there’s plenty of time for harvesting: Depending on the elevation’s specific climate, avocados that are ready to be picked can survive on a tree for up to six months.

Let’s take a look at the four bloom cycles and learn what makes each one unique.

1. The Loca (“Full”) Bloom

When: June-September

Where: Below 6,560 feet in June; everywhere in July-September.

The avocado season opens with a four-month avocado bloom cycle, starting in June at altitudes below 6,560 feet. During the loca bloom, things get loco: By July, nearly all the avocado trees in orchards everywhere are bursting with delicious, round avocados.

Celebrate summer with these avocado recipes:

• 😜 Crazy Corn Guacamole: Go loco during loca bloom with this crazy corn guac from chef Pati Jinich, complete with queso fresco, Mexican crema, and a dash of pequin chile powder.
• 🌴 Easy Summer Dinner Recipes: Ain’t nobody got time for complicated dinners when summer’s in full swing. Get 30-minute-or-less recipes perfect for heat-beating, including goodies like Thai avocado shrimp bowls and baja fish tacos.

2. The Aventajada (“Advantaged”) Bloom

When: September-November

Where: <5,250 feet September-October; 5,250-6,890 feet October-November; >6,890 feet in November.

The aventajada (“advantaged) bloom keeps avocados in season for the autumn months. Aventajada avocados have a longer, more pear-shaped body — one you’re familiar with if you enjoy avocados for Thanksgiving dinner.

Add avocados to your autumnal gatherings with these festive dishes:

• 🍂 Easy Fall Dinner Recipes: Convenient 30-minute dinners are “aventajada” dinners. Enjoy an avocado autumn with all kinds of easy recipes, from a turkey burrito with an avocado pico de gallo to a harvest bowl salad with an avocado balsamic vinaigrette.
• 🦃 Thanksgiving Appetizers: Give thanks for family, friends, and aventajada avocados by whipping up these Turkey Day apps: pumpkin-cranberry-avocado muffins to start, turkey sliders with feta guac to end.

3. The Normal Bloom

When: September-February

Where: 3,600-5,250 feet in September; <6,890 feet in October; everywhere in November-February.

It’s always a good time when avocados are in season, and the normal bloom is one of our favorite seasons. Stretching over a six-month period from September aaaaall the way to Big Game season in February, this is when the majority of avocados are produced.

Enjoy these wintry recipes:

• 🥗 5 Winter Salads With Avocado: Keep the good vibes going throughout the cold months by tossing these winter avocado salads. Despite the name of this bloom, these green-packed recipes are anything but normal.
• 🏈 Big Game Snack Time: The Big Game is synonymous with a super-duper bowl of guac, but you can satisfy watch-party guests with avocado-stuffed potato skins, cheeseburger bacon bites with avocado, and so much more.

4. The Marzena (“March”) Bloom

When: March-June

Where: <6,200 feet in March; 5,250-6,560 feet in April; 6,560-7,550 feet in May; 7,550-8,200 feet in June.

This cycle briefly overlaps with the loca bloom and has a very specific timeline for avocado harvesting. It’s a bit complicated, but leave that to our professional avocado farmers. They know what they’re doing — they’re making sure we can enjoy avocados all spring long (especially for Cinco de Mayo parties).

Brighten up springtime with these avocado recipes:

• 🇲🇽 Cinco de Mayo Recipes: Chef Pati Jinich shares 30+ recipes for Cinco, from guacamole and tacos to burgers and margaritas. Thanks for making us say CincOMG, Pati.
• 🧺 Guacamole Picnic: Perfect weather calls for perfect picnics, and you can’t spell perfect without avocado. Head to a park, beach, or the backyard and celebrate the marzena bloom with these avocado recipes.

The Mexican Avocado Season

The next time someone asks, “Are avocados in season right now?” you can reassure them Avocados From Mexico are always in season. It’s almost too good to be true, but thanks to the unique growing conditions in Michoacán, you can enjoy Avocados From Mexico whenever you like.

Dig into our recipe archive to discover avo inspo 365 days a year — ’cause that’s when avocados are in season, baby!

The post When Are Avocados in Season? appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Whether you’re on a specific diet to manage your weight or you need to eliminate or reduce certain dietary elements for health purposes, food nutrition labels are the best way to know what you’re about to eat. Until the late 1960s, nutrition labels contained limited information. Today, they contain loads of data to help you make sound nutritional decisions. There’s only one problem: So much data can be overwhelming. How do you know what to prioritize for your dietary needs?

Here, we dive into some fundamental facts that will help you understand how to read nutrition labels.

What Is Serving Size?

Size matters! Right off the bat, many folks get lost reading nutrition labels as they review the serving size, which is found at the topmost part of the nutrition label. That data corresponds to the serving size, which is important to keep in mind because, often, there is more than one serving size in a food item or package. Plus, the defined serving sizes are often very different from the way we prepare and serve a certain food.

Take avocados, for example. The serving size for an avocado is 50 grams, or approximately one-third of a whole fruit. But most people slice an avocado in half (it’s the best way to open the fruit) and scoop out the flesh.

If you want to stick to the recommended serving size, it helps to learn the secret to slicing and dicing an avocado perfectly. Don’t worry; you don’t need to throw away the leftovers! Keep the rest of your avocado from turning brown by squeezing fresh lemon juice over the flesh and wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap for future snack attacks.

What Is the Daily Value (DV) Percentage?

At the very bottom of a nutrition label, you’ll find the “daily value” upon which the other nutritional information is based. The column along the right side of the label tells you what percentage of your daily needs can be met by this food, assuming your diet is around 2,000 calories a day. According to Food and Drug Administration guidelines, food with a DV of 5% or less is considered low in that nutrient, whereas 20% or more is high.

Fat Gets a Bad Rap

Over the years, fad diets urging people to reduce or eliminate fats from their diet have led to confusion about this important nutrient. There are different kinds of fats, which affect the body in different ways. “Good fats,” like the kind naturally present in a tasty avocado, are essential for your body!

While “bad fats” (saturated fat and trans fat) are linked to higher instances of heart disease and stroke, “good fats” (unsaturated fats) help your body absorb more vitamins A, D, E, and K. Unsaturated fats are essential for normal growth and development of the central nervous system and brain.

Fun Fact: One-third of a medium avocado (50 grams) has only 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fats, and 6 grams of unsaturated fats.

Don’t Be So Salty

Anyone can have high blood pressure, but some people are more likely to have high blood pressure if they eat foods high in salt. Over time, having high blood pressure can cause heart failure, stroke, and kidney issues. You can usually find the amount of salt per serving about halfway down the nutritional label next to the “Sodium” category.

Avocados contain zero sodium. Woo-hoo! Additionally, avocados are a food source that contains potassium (6% DV), which helps lower blood pressure.

What Makes a Food a Carbohydrate?

Carbohydrates provide calories, or energy, for our bodies. Our bodies break down carbs into glucose (a type of sugar), which becomes the primary energy source for our body’s cells, tissues, and organs. Unfortunately, most Americans exceed the recommended limits for added sugars in their diet. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting calories from added sugars to less than 10% of your total calories per day.

Avocados are a fresh fruit, so they do not contain any added sugars. But they do contain fiber — 11% of the recommended daily value to be exact! Fiber-rich diets can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease while giving you that “happy tummy” feeling at the end of a meal.

What About Protein?

Did you know every cell in the human body contains protein? They’re the building blocks of life, helping our body both repair cells and make new ones. A healthy diet includes protein, and a nutrition label gives you the skinny on the protein content of the food you want to eat. Avocados, for example, have 1 gram of protein per serving, so they make a great addition to other proteins like red meat, chicken, fish, beans, and other legumes.

How to Vet Vitamins and Minerals

In the most detailed portion of the label, you can see the micronutrients each food provides. These include vitamins A, C, D, E, and K, as well as calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc, among others. Don’t be fooled, though — there’s nothing “micro” about the power of these micronutrients — and avocados have nearly 20 vitamins and minerals!

The copper in avocado, for example, is an essential mineral that helps keep the blood vessels, nerves, immune system, and bones healthy, while magnesium helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, keeps the heartbeat steady, and helps bones remain strong.

Now that you’ve mastered the basics of reading a nutrition label, explore how registered dietitian and nutritionist Barbara Ruhs, MS, RDN, LDN counsels her clients and followers

The post Let’s Guac About How to Read Nutrition Labels appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Playoff season has kicked off! Are your football party dishes planned out for the Big Game?

Adding more avocados to your football party dishes is a big win for all. They’re delicious, a source of monounsaturated good fat, and have nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. Naturally gluten- and cholesterol-free, avocados are a nutrient-dense fruit everybody can cheer for!

So, find a spot on a comfy couch, turn on the big screen to watch the Big Game, and grab a cold beverage to cheer on your team. Don’t forget to have plenty of crowd-pleasing snacks on your football party menu to nourish friends, family, and football fans all game long.

Football Party Dishes to Add to Your Menu

Spoiler: Almost every guest at your football party is looking forward to a big batch of guacamole as they walk in the door. Guacamole and the Big Game are inseparable, and you can never have too much avocado on the table. In fact, approximately 250 million pounds of avocados are consumed in the weeks leading up to the Big Game — that’s enough to cover a football field with 75 feet of guac! But that’s nothing compared to the record-breaking 2.48 billion pounds of Avocados From Mexico exported to the United States in the 2022-2023 fiscal year. It’s a fact: Football enthusiasts and Americans alike love to eat avocados!

From finger foods to main courses, sides, and desserts, avocado adds to every dish’s flavor, texture, and nutritional profile. If you’re unsure what football party dishes to serve, don’t worry; we have you covered.

Avocado Starters for Kick Off

1. Avocado Chicken Poppers
Finger foods are the name of the game during football season. Nobody wants to miss a fantastic play fiddling with a knife and fork! These chicken poppers are coated with a mixture of Parmesan and pistachios. Simply dip into avocado-honey mustard sauce to score a Big Game watch party touchdown.

Main Course Ideas

2. Avocado Fajita Pizza
Pizza is a game day lifesaver because it’s one of the easiest football party dishes to prep ahead. Dress a frozen pizza crust with pizza sauce and Mexican blend cheese and top with Tex-Mex fajita flavors. Pop in the oven when guests arrive, and before you know it, a finger-licking good meal is ready to be enjoyed. Don’t forget to add diced avocados just before serving for an extra kick.

3. Jalapeño Popper Sliders
Calling all grill masters! Game day is your day. So, grab a kitschy apron and throw something meaty on the grill. When burgers are sizzling, everyone is happy, especially when said burgers are bite-sized sliders topped with a spoonful of creamy guac!

A Side for Any Football Party Dish

4. Avocado Rainbow Slaw
The more fruits and veggies on the table, the less likely guests will feel a third-quarter slump. Avocado rainbow slaw provides fiber, antioxidants, and even protein to boot! The avocados in this recipe alone contribute nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, as well as heart-healthy “good” fats!

Decadent Avocado Dessert

5. Chocolate Avocado Brownies
Celebrate your win (or sweeten the loss) with perfectly moist brownies made with delectable mashed avocados. The instant coffee powder gives these brownies a little kick, while the crushed almonds provide a delightful crunch.

Why Are Avocados From Mexico So Special?

Avocados From Mexico are grown in rich, volcanic soil. They’re grown during four different bloom cycles up and down the mountains in Michoacán, which means they’re ripe and available year-round to make every day and dish better! So don’t wait for Cinco de Mayo — add Avocados From Mexico to your shopping list today and hear cheers from family and friends when you wow them with your avocado creations.

Avocados are the key ingredient to a good time with those you love! Find more football party dish ideas, games, and inspiration in our Big Game Guide.

The post Football Party Dishes Supercharged with Avocado appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

We will always be believers in the power of a good guac, but there are all kinds of delicious dips for football games worth, well, dipping into. There are hundreds of guacamole recipes (and we love them all equally), but guac is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to great football party dips!

These innovative spins on guacamole and game day dips will have football fans cheering around the country from kickoff to halftime and beyond.

6 Football Party Dips

The beauty of dips is that they’re so versatile. No matter what your crew prefers, there’s a dip out there for everyone. From vegetarian avo hummus to indulgent cheesy goodness, these six dips belong on your game day roster.

1. Game-Winning 7-Layer Dip

The name says it all, and this game day special is always a winner. With a bit of everything in every bite, this dip may need to make an appearance in every game day spread. Layer after layer of classic taco toppings such as beans, olives, salsa, and cheese support a layer of creamy guacamole made with spicy jalapeño, fresh cilantro, and tangy lime. Be sure to serve it with sturdy chips that can withstand a hefty dip!

2. Last-Minute Football Party Dip

Is it game day, and you have no time to bake a football party dip? Worry not: This no-bake, double-cheese dip has your back. Just combine the following:

• 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 c. mayonnaise
• 3/4 c. Dijon mustard
• 1 red onion, minced
• 1 green pepper, minced
• 1 tbsp. horseradish (optional)

No need to bake, microwave, or even chill this creamy concoction — it’s ready to be served up with crackers, cocktail shrimp, or anything else you can dip with.

3. Avo Hummus Recipe

For those always on the lookout for excellent vegan options, this recipe earns its place in any plant-based diet as a natural crowd-pleaser. Brimming with the bold flavors of lime, garlic, and smoky adobo, this pureed spread of avocado, garbanzo beans, and tahini is filling and oh-so-smooth.

4. Maryland Crab and Avocado Dip

Any East Coast fans out there? Whether this dip fits your team’s region or your cravings, your squad won’t be able to get enough. It’s the perfect topping for crostini, crackers, and fresh green salads. Plus, the avocado featured in this recipe is a heart-healthy fruit that provides naturally good fats, is low in saturated fat, and is cholesterol-free. Score!

5. Easy-Cheesy Artichoke Football Party Dip

Artichoke dip is at the heart (get it?) of any legendary spread of football party dips. It’s also super easy to make it super cheesy. Just mix the following ingredients:

• 1 c. canned artichoke hearts
• 1 c. cream cheese
• 1 1/2 c. shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise

Add the mixture to an oven-safe pan. Sprinkle it with extra cheese and your favorite seasoning (we like Cajun or taco seasoning for an extra kick) and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°F or until the dip starts bubbling. Mmm. Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips, or slices of freshly baked bread.

6. Avocado and Tropical Fruit Salsa

Mango, pineapple, and lime dance a sweet and zesty tango through fresh avocado and cilantro, while jalapeño adds a flare of spice to this recipe. Complete the salsa by throwing in a few toasted pumpkin seeds for some crunch — it will be the spotlight of your game day table! Serve it as a topping to chicken or fish, or let it stand alone next to a bowl of salty, crispy tortilla chips.

Before you cut into your avocados, be sure you know how to tell if an avocado is ripe. This trick will also help you pick out dip-ready avocados on your next trip to the supermarket.

Discover more game day dips, appetizers, and ideas here.

The post The Top 6 Football Party Dips (That Aren’t Guacamole) appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

In the history of legendary football parties, there are two things that set the best above the rest: 1) a last-minute, game-winning play and 2) a delicious spread of party food. Come to think of it, dessert is really a combo of those two awesome things: It’s the last-minute, party-winning food that makes that win all the sweeter.

Football party desserts like brownies, cookies, and cupcakes are always good, but that just scratches the surface of sweets you can end the game on. So, when the clock strikes “fourth quarter,” be sure to have these five football party desserts on hand for the crew.

5 Football Party Desserts

1. Muddy Buddies Recipe

A sports fan’s classic, muddy buddies (or “puppy chow”) is a crazy-easy football dessert to dish up to the gang on game day. Finish up your burgers and guac early so you can dig into this stuff by halftime. To make it, all you need is four ingredients:

• 8 c. rice cereal squares
• 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 3/4 c. peanut butter (or almond butter)
• 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a pot over medium heat and combine well. Turn off the heat and add the cereal, mixing until every piece is coated. Scoop the mixture into a large plastic bag and add powdered sugar. Seal the bag and shake until the gooey chocolate cereal is coated in sugar. Let cool, then chow down — just be ready to lick your powdered fingers after every bite.

2. Avocado Cookies

There’s a saying that goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and it was first said about how homemade cookies are at all the best parties. We totally agree, but we’re talking about football party desserts. Avocado makes a game night better, even more so when it’s for dessert. Check out our recipe for Avocookies, a buttery, creamy dessert that can be easily decorated with icing or sprinkles in your team’s colors.

3. Homemade Brownies

The other must-have football dessert: brownies. Although box-mix brownies are great, this is a big game — step it up with this dark chocolate avocado brownie recipe made all the creamier with Avocados From Mexico and all the chocolatey-er with extra dark chocolate chips. Serve it up with a hearty scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you’ll be able to keep your cool in the red zone for those final 15 minutes (if your dessert lasts that long).

4. Football Cupcakes

What’s not to love about a cupcake? It’s a small, portable cake you don’t have to share. Dig into our recipe for avocado chocolate cupcakes, made extra special with fresh and creamy Avocados From Mexico AND with a drizzly treat: cajeta, or Mexican caramel. It’ll turn that already-amazing cupcake into a dulce de leche masterpiece. Win or lose, they’ll be there for you.

5. Chocolate Truffles Recipe

Bite-sized and easy to make, chocolate truffles add a delicious sense of luxury to your football party’s dessert table. We have two recipes we think pair perfectly with a Big Game watch party. The first is a super simple cookies-and-cream truffle, made with just four ingredients:

• 18-oz. package of chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
• 8 oz. light cream cheese, softened
• 2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp. shortening (or coconut oil)

Blend the crushed cookies and cream cheese thoroughly until evenly distributed. Form small balls (each one a bit smaller than a golf ball) and refrigerate to help them solidify. Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and shortening until pasty. Dip each truffle ball into the melted chocolate until coated. Add to a tray and refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened into a candy coating. If you can resist eating more than one, let us know.

Our other favorite truffle recipe includes a twist ingredient. Can you guess what it is? See if you guessed right by getting the recipe here. ( 👀 🥑 )

Now that you’ve planned out your football party desserts, you need apps. Find our favorite game day appetizers, dips, and more here.

The post The 5 Sweetest Football Party Desserts appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

The best football party appetizers are the ones that disappear by halftime. So, whether you’re hosting a Big Game watch party or looking for a football game appetizer to share at a tailgate, these recipes won’t disappoint.

Football Party Appetizers Everyone Will Love

Not only will your guests not be able to resist these finger foods, but these apps are so easy to make you’ll almost feel guilty accepting all the praise. Almost. These recipes will save you some time and stress, which means more time watching the Big Game.

From sliders and dips to deviled eggs, here are the best easy football party appetizers around.

Better Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are a classic football party snack, but they get an extra kick of flavor when you add avocado, cilantro, and jalapeño. Use a food processor to mix the cooked yolks from half a dozen hard-boiled eggs with the flesh of one avocado, lime juice, jalapeño, and a couple tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro. Blend until smooth, and use a pastry bag to refill your halved hard-boiled eggs. Check out other leveled up deviled egg recipes here!

Bacon Burger Bites

These Cheeseburger Bacon Bites are like mini burgers without the bun. Dress up turkey meatballs with bacon, cheese slices, and avocado, then add a dill pickle slice, a bit of lettuce, and cherry tomato on top. A toothpick will hold it all together and make it easy to grab. If you’re unsure how to dice avocado, this video will give you a how-to.

Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

Hot, gooey, creamy, and spicy — yep, buffalo chicken dip is heading to the football party appetizer Hall of Fame. You can make a simple five-ingredient version of buffalo chicken dip in your slow cooker. Combine 1 cup of your favorite buffalo sauce with 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken and heat it over the stove. Mix in 8 ounces of cream cheese and a 1/2 cup of ranch and stir until well-blended. Pour the mixture into your slow cooker and (generously) top with shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese. Cook on low for 30-45 minutes until bubbly, then serve it with tortilla chips.

Mexican Potato Skins

These Overloaded Mexican Potato Skins pack in a ton of flavor thanks to the bacon, cheese, and smoky chipotles in adobo sauce in this recipe. Fill your baked potato skins with a mixture of chipotle sauce and Mexican crema, cover with cheese, and place back into the oven until melted. Top them with bacon, avocado slices, and chives. The crowd will keep coming back for more!

7 Layer Dip Recipe

There’s a bit of everything (well, seven things) in this time-tested, fan-approved football party appetizer. Plus, this crowd-pleaser is easy to make well ahead of kickoff. In a glass pan, simply stack the following seven layers (listed here in order of bottom layer to top):

• Refried beans
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Guacamole (lots of it!)
• Red or green salsa
• Shredded cheese
• Black and/or green olives
• Lettuce

Voila, seven layers of heaven! Get even more non-guac dip ideas here.

Easy Cucumber Roll-ups

Friends with dietary restrictions will be happy to see these Cucumber and Avocado Roll-ups as part of the football party appetizer spread. Both vegan- and gluten-free, these appetizers are a fun way to get in some vegetables. Thinly slice a cucumber lengthwise into ribbons, spread on a mixture of hummus, avocado, and lime juice; add a couple of carrot matchsticks, and roll them up. Easy to make, tasty, and nutritious — does it get any better?

Want to add even more WOW factor to your football party appetizer spread? Check out our guide to decorating your guacamole dip like a miniature football stadium.

The post 7 of the Best Football Party Appetizers appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

It’s game time! And you, the host, are the MVP of your watch party. Like a coach strategizing a winning play, you’re about to orchestrate the ultimate football party food lineup that will have your guests cheering for more. Consider this your playbook for good times during the Big Game, from touchdown dance-inspiring appetizers to game-winning desserts.

So, put on your apron, fire up the grill, and prepare to serve up football party food that will be remembered long after the final whistle blows. You’ve got this!

Football Party Appetizers

Kick off your football feast by bringing your A(vocado) game to the table — avocado appetizers! Just as the first quarter sets the tone for the game, football party appetizers are your first opportunity to build excitement and anticipation for your guests.

Game Day Guacamole Recipes

Is it even a football party food spread without guacamole? No appetizer compares to classic Mexican guacamole. But why not start the party with extra bravado by mashing up a bowl of championship guac made with crispy bacon and, of course, creamy, delicious avocados? Alternate move: Kick it up a notch with this spicy guac perfected by quarterback-turned-commentator Jesse Palmer.

Sometimes, an unexpected play turns into a big win. Tart pico de guac, for example, incorporates green apples and cucumbers, giving guacamole a tangy, cool zing. Then there’s jambalaya-style guacamole, which blends spicy andouille sausage with creamy avocado, or mango guacamole, which gives a sweet nod to the tropics.

Finger Food Ideas

Finger foods make for some of the best football party foods because you won’t miss any action fiddling around with a fork! Whip up a batch of avocado broccoli tots made with nutrient-dense avocado, sweet potato, and sumptuous seasonings. For some crunch factor, try out these avocado shrimp bites served on fresh cucumber slices. Or put together a plate piled high with avocado sweet potato nachos drizzled with avocado lime ranch sauce.

Football Party Dips

It's time to huddle up for the next crucial play of the party: dips! Just as a versatile quarterback adapts to every play, good football party dips are your all-stars, ready to tackle every chip, cracker, and veggie stick thrown their way. Here are just a few game day dip ideas.

This goat cheese, bacon, and avocado dip is a flavor-packed powerhouse, blending creamy avocado, bold spices, and a sour kick that’ll have your taste buds doing a victory dance. Is it still snowing outside? Warm up with Mex-Tex three-cheese avocado dip — the creamiest, cheesiest chili dip you’ve ever put on a tortilla! Can’t imagine a game day table without French onion soup? This avocado French onion dip will satisfy your craving with a delightful, lighter texture.

Pro tip: To prevent dip-hogging fouls, put your dips into single-serving containers, like the kind in this recipe for spicy seven layer dip.

The Best Football Party Dishes

Just like a team relies on its core players to carry the game, main football party dishes are the heavy hitters of your party spread. Remember, big plays move the ball forward in the heart of the game. This is your moment to shine, so go bold!

Better Burgers and Hot Dogs

Football is synonymous with grilled meats, and if you’re looking to tackle your guests’ hunger, look no further than a hearty hot dog topped with avocado relish or guacamole (a guac dog). Other easy crowd-pleasers include guaki-burgers made with Takis® rolled tortilla chips or smoky avocado and chipotle sliders piled high on Hawaiian buns.

Winter Chili Recipes

Certain events in the middle of winter (like a Big Game watch party) call for hearty football party food like chili. Try classic chunky beef chili topped with avocado, which proves that beans belong in chili once and for all. For a little lighter fare, try this amazing white chili with chicken.

Flavorful Sandwich Ideas

Mexican sandwiches are called tortas, and they’re a torta-ly fantastic football party food option. Check out the crazy chicken and plantain torta, which hits every flavor palate from salty to sweet. Looking for a kid-friendly sammie? With their fun pinwheel design, ham, cheese, and avocado rolls are a sure bet. Its grown-up cousin, bacon and avocado grilled cheese, will fly off the table, too!

All-Star Pizza Toppings

Casual get-togethers beg for pizza, right? Skip the delivery and create a gourmet-style pie in your kitchen instead. Avo fajita pizza looks fancy, but it’s easy to assemble and pop into the oven when guests arrive. You also can’t go wrong with a classic Margherita pizza with big slices of tomato and brilliant green avocado. Kids will especially dig into this chicken avocado pizza topped with feta cheese.

Tasty Taco Recipes

There’s a taco for every occasion, but when it comes to football party food, it’s best to bring out the classics, like carne asada tacos loaded with flavor and topped with creamy avocado or grilled chicken tacos that bring the sizzle in a super soft tortilla. Step things up a notch with sophisticated avocado pulled pork tacos made with kale and caramelized onion. Are pescatarian fans joining the party? No problem when you’ve got baja fish tacos or sweet salmon tacos on the table.

Football Party Desserts

Finally, it’s time for your football party food victory lap — dessert! As they say, heroes are made in the final quarter, and avocado-infused football party desserts will seal the deal and leave a lasting impression. Here are a few game day food ideas featuring avocado, the secret ingredient for sweet, sweet triumph.

Finish strong with a chocolate, cherry, and avocado fudge cake. The avocado makes this cake extra moist and adds a layer of nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. Is the clock running out before the final horn blows? Whip up this no-bake avocado cheesecake in no time. Or keep your cool with this avocado flan, sweetened by pineapple juice.

There’s no shortage of ways to score points with chocolate fanatics. Consider avocado pistachio pudding, double dark chocolate avocado cookies, or creamy dark chocolate avocado mousse. Many consider chocolate brownies made with avocado the ultimate culinary touchdown, turning a great party into a legendary one.

Tackle These Game Day Food Ideas!

The best football party foods have two things in common. The first, as you can see, is avocado. The second is that the dish is made with pride — for your team and the family and friends who bring more goodness to game day. So, gather your ingredients, and get ready to bask in the glory of a party well played, avo-fans!

Feel like a champion all the time by working more nutrient-dense avocado recipes into your day.

The post Football Party Food for the Big Game appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

The moment that first leaf changes from green to yellow to red, we’re calling it: It is officially pumpkin season! In other words, it’s time to eat (or drink!) all of the giant orange fruit you can get your hands on. But instead of indulging in pumpkin-flavored foods and beverages from coffee shops and restaurants, you can pack in maximum flavor and satisfy your creativity by making pumpkin-flavored recipes yourself.

The Foundation for All Pumpkin Recipes

Puréed pumpkin is the base of many delicious autumnal dishes, from traditional pumpkin pie to comforting fall soups. Canned pumpkin is perfectly acceptable, but to really get in the season’s spirit, try making your own pumpkin purée. The process is easy, and the result? Delicious!

First, buy an edible pumpkin (or squash/gourd), slice it in half, and remove all the seeds and guts. Place the cut side down on a baking sheet and roast in a 400°F oven until soft (a knife will go in easily).

Let it cool before scooping the flesh out of the skin. You now have your own pumpkin to use in dozens of pumpkin recipes. If you don’t use the puree within a few days, don’t worry — cooked pumpkin freezes well for year-round use.

In fact, you can keep your puréed pumpkin on hand for quick and delicious pumpkin-avocado breakfast smoothies. Make the energy-boosting drink by blending 1/2 cup of your pumpkin purée with 1/4 of an avocado, 1 ripe banana, 2 cups of fresh spinach, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon or nutmeg, and 8 ounces of your favorite nut milk (almond, cashew, or hazelnut all work beautifully with the pumpkin and avocado).

Who said pumpkin’s only for autumn, anyway?

Pumpkin-Flavored Foods

Pumpkin Butter

Pumpkin butter is basically a spreadable pumpkin pie (minus the crust) in a jar. Fill a roasting dish with 2 cups of pumpkin purée, 2/3 cup of brown sugar, your favorite pumpkin pie spices (think cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger), and a few tablespoons of butter for richness. Roast at 350°F for an hour, stirring it well every 15 minutes. It’s done when the mixture has thickened and browned slightly.

Then, it’s ready for countless different applications. Try it over ice cream, on top of a bagel with cream cheese, as a cake filling, or eat it by the spoonful (it’s OK; we won’t tell). Go crazy and make a pumpkin pie milkshake with vanilla ice cream, milk, pumpkin butter, and chunks of pie crust. You can also use its sweetness as a foil for a savory or more neutral dish, spreading it, for instance, on a tortilla and topping it with avocados and other taco fixings.

The butter can be stored in the fridge for a few weeks or in the freezer for a year.

Pumpkin Cocktail

Getting thirsty? That means it’s time for a pumpkin cocktail! Use some of the pumpkin butter you just made for a twist on a Moscow mule (vodka, ginger beer, and lime) by using bourbon, ginger beer, lime, and a few tablespoons of pumpkin butter. For a tarter cocktail, add a splash of cranberry juice. For a nonalcoholic variation, just leave out the bourbon. This autumn-in-a-glass cocktail is sure to warm you up from the inside out. Every hour is happy hour when you add avocados. Check out these cocktail-inspired guacamole recipes for your next get-together.

Pumpkin Curry

Pumpkin stands up perfectly to the strong flavors of an Indian curry, which lends a little sweetness to the dish. Make your own spice blend by combining garam masala, ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and some hot pepper for heat. Use the spice blend to sauté some onions and finely chopped garlic, then add pumpkin purée, cooked chickpeas, and your favorite chopped vegetables (cauliflower and potato pair well), along with some chicken or vegetable stock and coconut milk. Cook until the vegetables have softened and the curry has thickened slightly. Serve the pumpkin curry with a few thin slices of avocado on top.

Pepitas

Don’t throw away those pumpkin seeds! Practically every part of the pumpkin is edible, and their seeds are some of the tastiest parts. Rinse the sticky pumpkin guts off the seeds, let the seeds (or “pepitas”) dry out on a baking sheet or kitchen towel overnight, and then get ready to roast!

Toss the seeds with a little olive oil and your favorite spices. You can go sweet with cinnamon and ginger or savory with chipotle powder, garlic, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Then, spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook them in the oven for about 40 minutes at 300°F.

Once they’re nice and crispy, let them cool before you snack straight from the tray. If you’re OK with delayed gratification, add the pepitas to your favorite dishes for a little extra crunch. Pumpkin and avocado are a match made in heaven, and these roasted seeds step up any recipe. Pepitas go great with seasonal pumpkin spice guacamole, added into pumpkin cranberry avocado muffins, or on top of savory avocado toast.

AVO TIP: Need an idea for a tasty and gorgeous fall salad? Check out this fabulous recipe!

The post Four Pumpkin-Flavored Foods and Treats appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

When we think of mole verde (MOH-lay VER-day), only one thing comes to mind…FIESTA! Mole verde, known for its rich flavors and distinctive bright green color, is the perfect main dish to serve for special occasions, parties, holidays, and of course, at the dinner table. Unlike mole poblano (mole verde’s famous cousin), mole verde is a culinary celebration of delicious, fresh ingredients, including jalapeños, romaine lettuce, tomatillos, cilantro, and the star of this tasty recipe, Avocados From Mexico!

We know what you’re thinking: Is this another guacamole recipe? Far from it, but if that’s what you’re looking for, we have an extensive repertoire of delicious and innovative guacamole recipes on our recipe page, such as Hatch Chile Guacamole and Rocking Ranch Guacamole.

Adding avocado to this mouth-watering mole verde recipe creates a silky, smooth texture and a unique taste to the traditional Mexican mole verde, a spicy sauce made from a flavorful combination of vegetables, herbs, spices, and chiles. Just imagine the creamy texture of the Avocados From Mexico and the savory, spicy flavors of classic green mole. Tasty!

How to Make Mole Verde with Avocado

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. pumpkin seeds, peeled
• 1 c. tomatillos, peeled and cut in half
• 1 ea. Avocados From Mexico, large, diced
• 1/2 c. white onion, chopped into large pieces
• 1/4 c. jalapeños, cleaned and roughly chopped
• 1/2 c. cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1/4 c. romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. lime juice, fresh
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. cilantro, chopped
• 1 c. chicken broth, unsalted
• 1 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions:

• Place the pumpkin seeds in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and toast for about 5 minutes or until the seeds turn golden. Be sure to shake the pan occasionally to prevent the seeds from burning!
• Then, remove the pan from the stove. Let the seeds cool for 5 minutes. Once cooled, add them to a blender.
• Cut your Avocados From Mexico in half, lengthwise, and remove the pit. Then, add a cup of diced avocado to the blender. Store the other half of your avocado in the fridge.
• Add the tomatillos, onion, jalapeños, cilantro, lettuce, and garlic to the blender. Blend the mixture until the sauce reaches a smooth consistency.
• Heat your saucepan over medium-high heat and add a spoonful of olive oil. Add the ground cumin and cilantro and cook until aromatic (approximately 30 seconds).
• Add the blended sauce mixture to the saucepan and stir for 5 minutes or until reaching a consistency similar to tomato paste.
• Add the chicken broth to the pot, stirring until the sauce starts to boil. Reduce heat and let the mixture simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the green mole from the stove.
• Add salt and lime juice to taste. ¡Que rico! (Yum!)

How to Serve Mole Verde

Traditionally, mole verde is served with chicken, turkey, or pork and a side of white rice. For a celebratory dinner, we recommend our delicious Christmas Rice, known for its notes of smoked bacon, green onions, and red pepper. There are endless ways to enjoy mole verde!

Start your day with a flavor fiesta and add our green mole to some of your breakfast favorites, like Loaded Guac Breakfast Burrito or Breakfast Polenta with Shredded Chicken and Avocado. Mole verde can also be used as a savory sauce to add more sazón (flavor) to your favorite dishes, such as Achiote Short Rib Tostada or Chicken Flautas. And of course, you can’t finish any meal without dessert! Our delicious Avocookies, accompanied by home-brewed coffee, are the perfect treat to satisfy your sweet tooth after a savory meal.

Visit our avocado recipes page for even more culinary inspiration! Indulge in our extensive library of recipes and cooking tips inspired by Mexican cuisine and global flavors. ¡Buen provecho! (Bon appétit!)

The post How to Make Mole Verde with Fresh Avocados From Mexico appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

¡El mole verde es sinónimo de FIESTAS! Conocido por sus profundos sabores y color distintivo verde brillante, este plato principal es perfecto para servir en ocasiones especiales, fiestas, celebraciones ¡y también en tu cena. A diferencia del mole poblano (el mole más conocido), el mole verde es celebrado por su deliciosa combinación de ingredientes frescos, como los jalapeños, lechuga romana, tomatillos, cilantro, y en esta sabrosa receta, ¡Aguacates De México!

Sabemos lo que estás pensando: ¿Sería otra receta de guacamole? No lo es, pero si te interesa, tenemos muchas recetas sabrosas e innovadoras de guacamole en nuestra página de recetas, como Guacamole Picantísimo y Pepita Guacamole.

Nuestra receta de mole verde con aguacate agrega una textura sedosa y un sabor único al tradicional mole verde mexicano, una salsa picante hecha de una sabrosa combinación de vegetales, hierbas, especias y chiles. Imagínate todo el sabor clásico de un mole típico junto a la cremosa textura de los Aguacates De México. ¡Que sabrosura!

Cómo Preparar Mole Verde con Aguacate

Ingredientes necesarios:

• 1 1/2 tz. de pepitas, descascaradas
• 1 tz. de tomatillos, cortados por la mitad y descascarados
• 1 Avocado From Mexico grande
• 1/2 tz. de cebolla blanca, picada en trozos grandes
• 1/4 tz. de jalapeños limpios y picados en trozos grandes
• 1/2 tz. de cilantro fresco, picado en trozos grandes
• 1/4 tz. de lechuga romana, picada en trozos grandes
• 1 cdita. de ajo picado
• 1 cda. de jugo de lima fresco
• 1 cda. de aceite de oliva
• 1 cdita. de comino molido
• 1/2 cdita. de cilantro molido
• 1 tz. caldo de pollo, sin sal
• 1 cdita. de sal kosher

Instrucciones:

• Coloca las pepitas en un sartén de hierro fundido a fuego medio y tuéstalas durante unos 5 minutos o hasta que las pepitas adquieran un color dorado. ¡Asegúrate de agitar el sartén ocasionalmente para evitar que las semillas se quemen!
• Después, remueve el sartén de la estufa. Deja que las pepitas se enfríen durante 5 minutos. Al enfriar, agrégalas a una licuadora.
• Corta tu Aguacate De México por la mitad, hacia lo largo y deshuésalo. Luego, llena una taza de aguacate en cubitos y colócalos en la licuadora. Guarda la otra mitad de tu aguacate en la nevera.
• Agrega los tomatillos, la cebolla, los jalapeños, el cilantro, la lechuga y el ajo en la licuadora. Licua la mezcla hasta que la salsa tenga una consistencia suave.
• Calienta una cuchara de aceite de oliva en una cacerola a fuego medio-alto. Agrega el comino molido y el cilantro y cocina hasta que sean aromáticos (aproximadamente 30 segundos).
• Agrega la salsa de la licuadora a la cacerola y revuélvela durante 5 minutos o hasta que tenga una consistencia parecida a la de pasta de tomate.
• Agrega el caldo de pollo, revolviéndolo hasta que la salsa empiece a hervir. Reduce el fuego y deja que la mezcla hierva a fuego lento durante unos 2-3 minutos.
• Remueve el mole verde del fuego.
• Añade la sal y el jugo de limón verde al gusto. ¡Que rico!

Cómo Servir el Mole Verde

Tradicionalmente, el mole verde es servido con pollo, pavo o carne de cerdo (puerco) y acompañado de arroz blanco. Para una cena muy especial, recomendamos nuestro Arroz Navideño, conocido por sus notas de tocino ahumado, cebollín verde y pimiento rojo. ¡Las opciones para disfrutar y saborear el mole verde no tienen límites!

Comienza tu día con una explosión de sabor y disfruta el mole verde durante el desayuno, por ejemplo, en tus taquitos de desayuno con aguacate o huevo al hoyo. El mole verde puede ser utilizado como una salsa para agregar más sazón a tus platos favoritos, como la quesadilla de camarón y aguacate y pollo al limón. ¡Y no te olvides del postre! Termina tu cena de mole verde con algunas dulces avogalletas y cafecito.

Visita nuestra página de recetas de aguacate para más inspiración culinaria! Brindamos una extensa biblioteca de recetas y consejos de la cocina inspirados en los sabores de México y el mundo. ¡Buen provecho!

The post Cómo Preparar Mole Verde con Aguacates de Mexico appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

What’s a burger bun alternative that looks as good as it tastes AND has your favorite fruit built into the sandwich’s structure? Avocado buns, baby. Not only will neighboring tailgaters watch in envy (green envy, of course) as you serve up your squad with the most beautiful burger imaginable, but avocado bun burgers have a whole host of nutritious pros.

Avocado buns are a great burger bun alternative for anyone living a gluten-free lifestyle. They can also help you cut down on simple carbohydrates and sugars in bread while adding nearly 20 vitamins and minerals to boot — plus, fresh avocados are a heart-healthy fruit! They provide naturally good fats and are cholesterol-, sugar-, and sodium-free. It’s a win-win-win!

Without further ado, we present avocado buns!

Um… not what we meant. Keep reading, please.

How to Make Avocado Buns

Avocado buns are simple to make and always camera-ready. Follow these quick steps, and you’re on your way to the sandwich hall of fame.

1. Pick the perfect avocado. The most important part of this process is selecting an avocado that is ripe but not too soft. The right avocado for the job will be large, dark-skinned, and give juuuuust a little bit when you squeeze it. You don’t want your avocado bun to be squishy and fall apart in your hands, but it’s also important that it’s ripe. Watch this video to learn how to check ripeness.

If you don’t want your avocados to get too ripe, or you want to try to preserve them just as they are before you whip up these burger buns, check out another how-to video for preserving your avocados and slowing down the ripening process.

2. Slice it in half. Slice your perfect avocado down the middle lengthwise. Carefully peel the skin away from each half and remove the pit. Cut a thin slice off the very bottom of one half, which will be the burger’s base, so it sits flat on the plate.

3. Sandwich, assemble! Start by adding your base fillings in the hole where the pit was (pro tip: this is a great place for storing extra sauce), then add your meat and other toppings. Add more sauce into the well of the top “bun” and set it on top of everything. For a “real” burger look, sprinkle the top avocado half with sesame seeds.

4. Eat up. Handheld avocado bun sandwiches work best when you hold them with a napkin or bit of parchment paper, but using no napkin means you get to lick your fingers at the end. That said, no one will judge if you want to keep your fingers clean by using a fork and knife.

We have some great recipe ideas for your avocado bun sandwich in the next part of this blog.

6 Avocado Bun Recipes

1. Traditional Burger

Place a beef (or portobello mushroom) patty and your choice of toppings between the avocado buns. Traditional toppings include American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, ketchup, and pickles or relish. And while we love tradition, why not shake things up beyond the bun?

• Spicy Burger: Blaze new burger trails with pepper jack cheese, fire-roasted jalapeños, and Sriracha mayo.
• Cowboy Burger: Mmm, nothing like an avocado bun burger with bacon strips, cheddar cheese, and a big ol’ fried onion ring.
• Steakhouse Burger: Avocado buns are elegant on their own, but we say go big or go home: Add caramelized onions, blue cheese crumbles, and arugula.

2. Meatball Sub

Squeeze a few meatballs (score extra points if you use creamy avocado meatballs) and some tomato sauce, along with parmesan or mozzarella, between your avocado buns. Napkins recommended — this could get messy!

3. Bacon ’n Egger

Avocado buns aren’t limited to lunch or dinner. A little bit of ketchup, some cheese, a couple of slices of bacon, and a fried or scrambled egg go great on an avocado bun for a breakfast sandwich beyond belief.

4. Southern-fried Chicken

Breaded, flattened, and fried chicken is delicious in an avocado bun when slathered with some spicy mayo or honey mustard sauce. Just add shredded lettuce, tomato, and sliced red onion.

5. BLT

Avocado buns be fancy, huh? Keep it simple with this classic, always-a-good-choice BLT. All you need is some salty bacon, crisp lettuce, and a juicy slice of tomato.

6. Chicago Roast Beef

Dealer’s choice between cold-cut or homemade roast beef, so long as you top it with hot giardiniera and au jus. This is another messy one — be sure to eat over a plate so no beef, broth, or buns go to waste!

When you’ve made your avocado bun burger, chicken sandwich, BLT, or whatever you decide, be sure to share a photo with us on Instagram. We’d love to see what you came up with!

The post The Buns Have It: How to Make Sandwiches with Avocado Buns appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Fact: You can’t make nachos without tortilla chips. Another fact: Guacamole is a tortilla chip’s best friend. Ultimate fact: You can’t make nachos without guacamole.

Today, we’re spreading the news that nachos aren’t complete without a side or topping of guacamole. We can confirm that once you put guac on your nachos, they’ll never be the same without it. Nachos with guacamole are a game-changer for tailgate appetizers, a showstopper on movie night, and the most scrumptious go-to grub for snack time, all the time.

Without further ado, here’s why nachos and guacamole go together so perfectly.

Why You Need Both Nachos And Guacamole

Let us paint you a picture: salty tortilla chips covered with gooey melted cheese, fresh pico de gallo, cilantro, and jalapeños. Maybe you enjoy them with seasoned beef or chicken. Perhaps you even drizzle them with your favorite hot sauce. If you think your tummy is grumbling now, just wait till we get to the next part.

Now imagine that, at the top of your sizzling nacho mountain, there’s a giant dollop of guacamole. Its creamy texture works naturally with tortilla chips. Its cooling flavor pairs perfectly with the spice. Its green color adds a bright contrast to the warm colors below. Ohhhh yeah.

A scoop of guac on your nachos is like the bow on a present or the candles on a birthday cake — sure, you don’t need them, but without them, you’re missing out on half the fun. And, unlike bows and candles, guacamole adds an irresistible flavor that will change the nacho game forever. (It’s undeniable! Truly hard-core avocado fans would love a scoop of guacamole on top of their birthday present.)

Top-Nacho Guacamole Recipe

Now that we have you convinced, it’s time to unveil the ultimate loaded nachos and guacamole recipe. Loaded with three cheeses, carne asada taco seasoning, and a fiesta medley of toppings, this giant serving is crowned with the guac of your choice. Grab plenty of napkins cause things are about to get pretty cheesy and pretty wild.

What’s Your Guac?

Before you start building your nachos, start with the cherry — er, the guac on top. Here are some tasty guac options that go well with our nacho recipe:

• For Classicists: Got a taste for the O.G. stack of nachos? You can’t go wrong with this authentic guacamole recipe. It’s simple to make, with a time-tested flavor that will elevate any plate of nachos to a creamier, greener level.
• For Hotheads: Spice daredevils will get a real kick out of adding this peppery guacamole to their nachos.
• For Partiers: If you’re having a tiki party, this jerk guacamole made with pineapple and spices will be a unique addition to the DIY nacho bar.

Nacho Ingredients:

• 1 lb. (1 bag) large tortilla chips*
• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 c. shredded Oaxaca cheese
• 1 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. raw ground beef
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 1/2 tbsp. taco seasoning**
• 1 can (15 oz.) refried beans
• 1/2 large white onion, diced
• 2 jalapeños, diced
• 1/2 c. cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 c. guacamole (see above for suggestions)

*Feelin’ crafty and crispy? Make your own delicious tortilla chips by following our easy how-to guide.

**Not to brag, but we have a great guide to the perfect taco seasoning recipe — plus six other spice mixes if you’re feeling avant-garde.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil, then evenly distribute half the tortilla chips around the pan. Sprinkle a 1/2 cup of each cheese over the tortilla chips.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Add 1/4 cup water and the taco seasoning and stir well until the water has reduced. Add the refried beans to the mixture, stirring until well-combined and beans are warm.

Spread half of the beef mixture over the tortilla chips and cheese. Sprinkle with half of the diced onion and jalapeños. Create a second layer on top with the rest of the tortilla chips, cheese, beef, beans, onion, and jalapeño.

Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Let cool and garnish with cilantro, then scoop the guacamole on top like it’s a creamy green crown on your nacho masterpiece. Serve to a room resounding with “ooh,” and “ahh,” and “me first.”

Bonus Nacho and Guacamole Recipes

Because who ever says no to extra guac?

• Nacho Average Guac: Queso fresco-infused guacamole served up on a bed of crispy tortilla chips? Sign us up.
• Chicken Nacho Guac Recipe: No time to let the oven preheat? No problem. These microwave nachos are topped with chicken guacamole and are ready lickety-split.

To browse even more inspiration for pairing nachos and guacamole, check out our guacamole recipes page.

The post The Complete Guide to Eating Nachos and Guacamole appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

There’s nuttin’ better than creamy, delicious guacamole recipes made with ripe Avocados From Mexico® — except maybe when you add freshly chopped nuts in said guacamole. Crunchy nuts complement the silky-smooth texture of mashed avocados and make for a great garnish to boot.

If you’re nuts for guacamole, check out these delicious, nutty recipes featuring seven different nuts in guacamole. Grab a few ripe avocados and chop to it!

Put These 7 Nuts in Guacamole

1. Peanuts

For dessert, Chocolate Guacamole offers an array of irresistible flavors, blending avocados with ripe bananas, cocoa powder, and peanut butter. Dip with apple slices or graham crackers. Serious foodies will enjoy slathering chocolate guacamole onto homemade cannoli shells and topping them with fresh avocado lime curd and an exotic fruit salad.

Both avocados and peanuts are beloved by people in nearly every culture around the world, and together, they’re simply unstoppable.

You’ll get a kick out of Botanero Guac — literally! This spicy-sweet guacamole recipe uses avocados and crunchy, Japanese-style peanuts (also called cracker nuts), which are coated in flour and deep-fried. Between the peanuts and toasted sesame seeds, this is a whole new level of chunky guac.

2. Cashews

Avocados and cashews are a creamy match made in heaven. This Nutty Shrimp and Cashew Guac uses cashews that have been browned on the stove with butter and red pepper. The combination of these spicy cashews with avocado, shrimp, and lemon feels like instant transportation to a tropical getaway.

3. Pecans

Pecan guacamole is both delicious and culturally significant. In Puebla, an area considered the cradle of Mexican cuisine, pecan guacamole is a patriotic delicacy, first created by nuns who prepared foods for visiting dignitaries. After the battle of Cinco de Mayo, the French eventually relinquished control of the city, but delicious pecan guacamole was there to stay!

Basic pecan guacamole requires only avocado, lime, pecans, and salt. But there are spicy and sweet variations deserving a spot on the table, too.

For example, this spicy Pecan Guacamole is a flavor sensation for Southern grub lovers. Mash your avocados into a butter-smooth bed of green goodness and top with slightly sweet, earthy pecans. Then crank up the heat with jalapeños!

For a sweeter flavor palette, try Figtastic Guacamole, which will satisfy your sweet tooth with buttery avocados; rich, sundried figs; fluffy ricotta cheese; and buttery, crumbled pecans.

4. Pine Nuts

If you’re pining for pine nut guacamole, try Pesto Caprese Guacamole. Pine nuts and avocados both have a buttery taste, combining to create twice the creamy goodness in each bite. And since avocados are characteristically cool and mild, guac is the perfect canvas to show off the pine nut’s delicate, woodsy flavor.

Hungry for a bit more pizzazz? Blast away your taste buds with this flavor-filled Hearty and Spicy Guacamole, which includes sumptuous sautéed garlic, earthy turmeric, fiery cayenne pepper, and crunchy pine nuts.

5. Walnuts

Avocados and walnuts make for a cozy autumn treat. You’ll have a lot to be thankful for with a bowl of this Thanksgiving Guac on the table. It has all the harvest flavors you crave in one bowl: buttery-soft avocados, acorn squash, apple cider vinegar, sour green apples, sweet cranberries, and rustic walnuts.

Plus, while it sounds fancy, this Ancho Plum Guacamole recipe isn’t a tough nut to crack. Adding this luscious nut in guacamole infuses the dip with a pleasant, savory flavor, along with subtle, bitter undertones. The tart crunch of chopped plums really gives this recipe a zing that sings.

6. Pistachios

Go green! Avocados and pistachios share nearly the same soft green hue, and together in one Pistachio Guacamole, they’re unstoppably creamy, nutty, and downright delicious.

For those who crave a more fiery mouthfeel, The Heat is On Guacamole brings plenty of spice with habanero chiles, roasted garlic, red onion, sweet blood oranges, and finely chopped, roasted pistachios.

Not everyone loves goat cheese, but avocados sure do! Pistachio Goat Cheese Guacamole pairs soft avocados with delightfully pungent goat cheese, savory shallots, and roughly chopped and roasted pistachios.

7. Almonds

Almonds have a toasty quality, which complements the lightly buttery flavor of a ripe avocado. They’re an especially excellent pairing for fall. Chipotle Apple & Almond Guacamole will warm your bones on a chilly autumn day. It features favorite fall flavors, from Honeycrisp apples, to roasted almonds, to a little pep of chipotle chile.

One Nutty Guac to Rule Them All

One nutty guacamole recipe is guaranteed to be a favorite for anyone whose spirit animal is a squirrel. It’s our Crazy Nut Salsa Macha Honey Guacamole, and it’s truly tempting for nut enthusiasts, containing pistachios, walnuts, and pine nuts all in one. An epic level of crunch!

In a nutshell, you can’t go wrong with these nutty guacamole recipes. Drop a handful of your favorite nuts into your next batch of guacamole. Toasted, roasted, or raw, any nut can give guacamole a delicious, crunchy twist.

Need more inspiration? Try adding nuts to any of these guacamole recipes.

The post Try Putting These 7 Nuts in Guacamole appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

If you’re like most people, you probably have childhood memories of your parents telling you not to play with your food. But artist Boris Toledo Doorm either didn’t have a conventional parent or didn’t get the message because he plays with his food… a lot.

The Chilean artist is always treating the dinner table like a canvas. While Toledo Doorm does use traditional tools and techniques, such as pencils and paintbrushes, to create his artworks, he also likes to use what he has in his kitchen — literally — to make his creations. He’s used red wine to create this stunning Prince portrait, for example, and a potato to carve out an image of Pope Francis.

But what Toledo Doorm really loves to employ on his palette is everyone’s favorite green fruit: avocados. He takes the flesh of the fruit and creates avocado art of realistic renderings of famous people and pop culture characters. There’s Marilyn Monroe and Chuck Norris (complete with a cowboy hat), Mona Lisa and Yoda, Maleficent and Grumpy Cat.

And what does he do once he’s finished an artwork? He eats it, of course! Toledo Doorm loves getting all the avocado benefits, like good fats and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, by scraping up his creations and spooning them onto toast for an instant avo-toast delight!

Become an Avocado Artist

If this sounds fun, let Toledo Doorm’s avo-images inspire you to play with your own food to create more avocado art!

Step 1: Pick an art-ready avocado.
Avocados from Mexico make the perfect “paint” because they’re always good! You want to ensure your avocado is canvas-ready. How do you do that? A perfectly ripe avocado is not too green and not too hard. Look for avocados with dark, purple-ish black exteriors that are bumpy — like the skin of a crocodile. Go ahead and give it a simple squeeze test, and if it yields to gentle pressure, it’s ripe and ready to be turned into a masterpiece!

Step 1.5: If your avocado is before its prime, don’t panic.

There are many tricks and tips for ripening avocados, so if inspiration has struck, you don’t have to wait long to get on with your avocado artwork. Apples and bananas can help ready your avocado as they emit a specific type of plant pheromone that signals to other fruits that it’s time to ripen. Simply put your avocado in a paper bag with either a banana or an apple, and it will usually ripen within one to three days.

Step 2: Get the right tools.

To create edible art like Toledo Doorm, you really only need a fork, knife, and a toothpick. Forks help make patterns: hatch marks, swirls, and other textures. Meanwhile, a knife can help make deep cuts necessary to carve out specific shapes. The toothpick is where you can get into the fine details of your artwork, drawing freehand to bring intricate parts of your portrait to life.

These basic tools will get the job done, but it’s certainly not an exhaustive list. Experiment with other food-safe tools to get the patterns and looks you want. For example, a ruffled pie crust cutter could add a fun, wavy texture to your avocado art. The bristles of a pastry brush, too, could make an interesting, hairlike texture. A melon baller could make perfectly round scooping indentations, while herb scissors can make perfectly spaced grooves.

Step 3: Add tasty embellishments.
Toledo Doorm typically sticks with one edible item for each artwork, but there are limitless tasty and colorful additions that can take your creations to the next level. For example, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries infuse your artwork with a pop of color. Likewise, nuts provide an earthy crunch factor, perfect for a delicious natural landscape. Other smearables are fun to swirl into the mix, too. Try decadent strokes of peanut butter, almond butter, or hazelnut butter. Or up the ante with chocolate sauce or caramel ribbons!

Once you’ve finished your avocado art and had the chance to admire it, it’s time to eat!

Play With Your Food and Eat It, Too

Toledo Doorm scrapes his avocado art onto toasted bread, but you can take it a step further with avocado toast recipes from Avocados From Mexico. Need some ideas for avocado toast with all the avocado benefits? Go all out with pomegranate seeds, goat cheese, and pistachio, or seek full-on flavor with this raspberry and blue cheese avocado toast recipe. Want to keep things simple? This avocado egg toast recipe is your next morning go-to.

To take your creation on the go, scrape your avocado art into a refreshing smoothie, like a green machine avocado smoothie bowl loaded with spinach, pineapple, banana, kiwi, and, of course, avocado! For an extra pep in your step, try the matcha-doing avocado smoothie, powered with creamy avocados and matcha green tea. Or keep with the classics by whipping up an avocado-strawberry smoothie made with only four ingredients: avocados, strawberries, milk, and a dash of sugar.

So, play with your food and show us your avocado art creations on social media!

The post Become an Avocado Artist like Boris Toledo Doorm appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Is avocado toast good for weight loss? Yes, avocado toast can be good for your weight loss journey when paired with an overall healthy diet.

Weight loss journeys are unique, but one key factor to losing weight and keeping it off is often overlooked: enjoyment. Sticking to a healthy eating pattern or exercise routine is easier when you look forward to your next meal or workout. That’s where avocado toast comes in.

Avocado toast is versatile enough to fit nearly any eating style and delicious enough to feel like a treat while delivering superpowered nutrients and minerals. Here, I highlight four nutritionist-approved tips to make the most of your avocado toast to aid your weight loss journey.

1. A Good Breakfast Fires Up Your Metabolism for the Day

The National Weight Control Registry studies people who have successfully lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for one year or more, and their habits are illuminating. A major takeaway is that 78% eat breakfast every day.

What’s the big deal about breakfast? Early humans didn’t eat three meals a day; they hunted and gathered to eat when they could. Our metabolism evolved to survive famine. If you’re not using calories for a vital process, your body stores them as fat. This is why breakfast is so important. From a physiology standpoint, if you eat a balanced breakfast, you’re starting your metabolic “engine” earlier in the day, prompting your body to use calories more efficiently. Also, eating a nutritious meal in the morning will help prevent extreme hunger from building up by the afternoon, decreasing the likelihood of overeating.

What you eat for breakfast also matters. Good fat, like the kind in Hass avocados, is proven to leave you feeling satiated. In a clinical trial of overweight and obese adults, scientists found that eating a whole avocado at breakfast suppressed hunger and improved meal satisfaction. Greater satisfaction from the foods you eat can help you follow an enjoyable, nutrient-dense eating plan and better sets you up for honoring hunger cues throughout the day.

2. Add Protein to Maintain Lean Body Mass

The not-so-secret secret of weight loss and weight management as you age is maintaining lean body mass (or muscle mass). The involuntary loss of muscle mass progresses as we age and decreases at a rate of 3-8% every decade after the age of 30. It’s essential to engage in physical activity such as strength training as we age to hold onto this metabolically active muscle mass that helps you burn more calories. The more muscle in your body, the higher your resting metabolism, which determines how many calories and macronutrients (fat, protein, carbs) you need to eat to maintain, gain, or lose weight. It’s not simply about the number on your scale; your body composition is important to your overall health.

Eating protein provides the amino acid building blocks that maintain lean body mass. As you age, even if you eat less, if you’re not consuming enough protein from foods, you’ll be less efficient in maintaining your body weight. Clinical trials show that consuming more protein as we age can reduce fat mass in the body while preserving fat-free mass (muscle), regardless of whether you’re on a low- or standard-calorie diet.

Most fruit and vegetables are not significant sources of protein, so if you love to eat avocado toast and your objective is weight loss, it’s a good idea to add protein in many delicious ways. Adding protein is easy, and there are so many affordable options too! At breakfast, top your avo toast with eggs, salmon, or cheese; shredded chicken, lean ham, or canned tuna are great savory toppings for a heartier lunch. For plant-based protein, gently mash ½ cup of beans, chickpeas, or edamame with your avocado to pump up the protein and/or sprinkle nuts or seeds of your choosing.

3. Avocado Toast Can Fit All Eating Styles

Some people find the most success in losing weight with the help of a standardized eating style. There are many to choose from: Mediterranean, plant-based, high protein, gluten-free, etc. Here are a few ways to modify your avocado toast for weight loss:

• Mediterranean: This eating pattern is one of my favorites because of its focus on lean meats and good fats. Fresh seafood is a big factor in this eating pattern, so break out the baked salmon, shrimp, or lox and use whole grain, seedy bread for Mediterranean-style avocado toast.
• Plant-based: Looking for a plant-powered breakfast? Pile your toast high with berries, sliced fruit, or greens. (Spicy mango lime avocado toast, anybody?) Add nuts and beans for protein and fiber.
• High protein: This eating style focuses heavily on eating protein and de-emphasizes the quantity of carbohydrates. However, no matter how you like to eat your toast, whether it’s on a slice of dietitian-approved whole grain toast, a low-carb tortilla, or bread, try avocado egg toast or a mini salad a la mean green guac toast with kale, pumpkin seeds, and pistachios.
• Gluten-free: And who says avocado toast has to include bread? For folks with this eating pattern, swap out bread with slices of baked sweet potatoes, butternut squash, apples, or a corn tortilla.

4. Healthier Snacking with Fruits and Veggies

Avocado toast tastes great around the clock and is a decadently nutritious choice that helps you to add more fruits and vegetables into your diet. There’s a reason your mom (and dietitians) wants you to eat your vegetables — they provide vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, such as dietary fiber, that are hard to come by in other food groups. Less than 5% of Americans consume adequate dietary fiber (daily recommended intake ranges from 19-38 grams, depending on age), yet it plays a vital role in overall health.

Dietary fiber aids digestion, reduces blood cholesterol levels, reduces the risk for Type 2 diabetes and some cancers, and is key for people wanting to shed a few pounds! Dietary fiber absorbs water in the GI tract and adds bulk to food, improving satiety — the feeling of “fullness.” So, the next time you get those afternoon grumbles try snacking on avocado toast with cheese or roasted beet and avocado toast.

A Toast (Avocado Toast!) to Good Health

In a nutshell: Yes, avocado toast is good for weight loss, and adopting a healthier eating pattern can help you lose weight, which reduces your risk of developing heart disease, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes. It can also improve your quality of life by providing the nutrients your body needs to perform at its best. When you eat better, you feel better. So, toss out empty calories — and make room for avocado toast!

Learn more ways to eat avocados while losing weight.

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Over 70% of adults in the U.S. are weighed down by excess body weight. If you’re starting a weight loss or management journey to reduce your risks of chronic diseases associated with excess body fat, don’t toss avocado out with junk foods! There is mounting scientific evidence that nutrient-dense avocados are good for weight loss and weight management.

A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that, on average, individuals who ate avocados weighed 7.5 pounds less, had a lower body mass index (BMI), and were less likely to be overweight than those who did not include avocados in their diet. Additionally, a more recent 2021 study on avocado consumption published in The Journal of Nutrition demonstrated that daily consumption of avocados can also impact abdominal body fat distribution in females. This is exciting information if you love eating avocados!

So, is avocado good for weight loss? I’ll answer by exploring five ways including avocados in your diet can support your weight loss or weight maintenance journey.

1. Monounsaturated Fats in Avocados May Help Reduce Cholesterol

Avocado is one of the only fruits with good fats. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends replacing bad fats with good fats, as good fats offer benefits in the body without raising LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. One serving of avocado (50g, or about one-third of a medium, tennis ball-sized avocado) contains 5g of monounsaturated fat, which can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

2. Feel Fuller Longer

Anyone who is trying to lose weight can tell you that a grumbling stomach and feeling hungry can be a trigger for overeating. Avocado to the rescue! The good fats and fiber in avocados help you feel full or satiated. A 2019 study published in Nutrients found that overweight and obese adults who replaced carbohydrates in high-carbohydrate meals with avocado-derived fat-fiber experienced higher feelings of satiety (fullness).

This is where good fat comes in. One serving of avocado has 6g of naturally good fat — that’s 5g of monounsaturated fat, plus 1g of polyunsaturated fats. Fat takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, making you feel fuller longer (which, in turn, can help deter excessive snacking and overeating).

Avocados can also help boost fiber intake. One serving provides 3g of fiber — 11% of your daily value —  which adds bulk (dietary fiber) in the diet that helps slow digestion, making you feel fuller longer and hampering the desire to overindulge.

3. The Nutritional Value of an Avocado

Most Americans simply don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables that provide essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that improve health and longevity. Instead, the average American diet is filled with highly processed foods containing added sugar and salt and devoid of nutrients.

Take heart that avocados are nutrient dense. Not only do they taste great, but they also cover all the bases in terms of providing vitamins, minerals, and plant nutrients. Inside every bite of avocado, you’re getting nearly 20 vitamins and minerals and prioritizing nutrient-rich foods such as avocado in your diet while minimizing empty calories. This is an efficient (and tasty!) way to fuel your body while working toward your weight-loss goals.

Need help? Registered dietitians, available for free or at minimal cost in many local supermarkets across the U.S., can help individuals find affordable, easy, and delicious options.

4. A Healthy Treat

Avocados feel like forbidden fruit. They’re creamy and sumptuous, yet they’re nature-made and nourish your body with plant-based nutrients and minerals. Psychologically, when you feel like you’re eating something more indulgent and do not over-restrict, that helps to limit overeating or eating patterns that contribute to weight gain and obesity. So go ahead and treat yourself! Blend avocado into your smoothie. Smear it onto your toast. Get that thrill like you’re having a cheat meal (when, really, you’re being so, so good to your body!).

5. Good For Your Gut Health

The American Gastroenterological Association states that manipulating the gut microbiome to improve human health is one of the most promising areas of science today. That’s because those tiny gut bacteria do big things for the body — such as supporting nutrient absorption. Diets that include nutritious whole foods rich in various nutrients and fiber promote gut bacteria diversity more than diets low in fiber and high in fat and simple sugars. This is important because a less diverse microbiome is associated with a variety of adverse health conditions, including obesity and inflammatory bowel disease.

In a recent randomized controlled trial published in The Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that  overweight adults who ate an avocado a day saw higher gut bacteria and metabolite levels than adults in a control group, who, sadly, ate zero avocados during the 12-week study. While this study was small and can’t be generalized to larger populations just yet, it builds a strong case for suggesting that avocado plays a role in managing the digestive tract’s microbiome!

Is Avocado Good For Weight Loss?

Yes! If you’re one of the many Americans changing your eating patterns to feel good, look healthy, and reduce your risks of chronic diseases, put avocados on the menu, and remember to keep things fresh. Get creative by exploring ways to get more plants onto your plate and work more superfoods into your diet. Your weight management journey is an act of love for your body — so make it fun!

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Avocados are loved endlessly around the world. So, it’s a good thing there are lots of them!

There are more than 500 types of avocados in the world. The exact number of types of avocados is impossible to nail down, as new variations are constantly being created through selective breeding and natural genetic variation. All avocados, however, do fall into one of three groups: Mexican (our personal favorite), Guatemalan, and Indian.

15 Most Common Types of Avocados Around the World

We don’t believe in popularity contests, but there is no doubting the numbers that prove the Hass avocado is the most widely distributed type of avocado on the market.

Here’s a quick primer on 15 of the most common types of avocados, for when you encounter them in the wild (or the grocery aisle).

• Bacon: Light brown skin and lighter taste.
• Brogden: Dark purple hybrid, resistant to cold, and hard to peel.
• Choquette: Smooth, glossy skin with watery flesh.
• Cleopatra: Small dwarf avocado.
• Ettinger: Bright green skin, large seed, and mild flavor.
• Fuerte: Pear-shaped and oily texture similar to that of a hazelnut.
• Gwen: Similar to Hass but has a thick, dark green skin.
• Hass: The most popular type, available year-round.
• Lula: Peaks in summertime and is resistant to cold but susceptible to fungi.
• Maluma: Dark purple avocado discovered in South Africa.
• Monroe: Firmer and can weigh over 2 pounds.
• Pinkerton: Oblong shape with rough skin that is easy to peel.
• Reed: Only available in summer, and skin remains green.
• Sharwil: Rough, green peel, yellow flesh, and very oily.
• Zutano: Lighter, yellow-green skin and mild, more buttery taste.

Fun Fact: Hass Is Tops

Each type of avocado has its own unique characteristics in terms of texture, flavor, and nutritional content. However, no such variety has quite taken the world by storm—and stood the test of time—like the Hass avocado.

While there are many types of avocados (too many to count!) Hass reigns supreme. Most of the avocados in the U.S. are Hass, so the next time you dive into a brilliant green bowl of guacamole, you have Rudolph Hass, part-time postal worker and amateur botanist, to thank.

So, how did Hass become the leader of all the types of avocados? Let’s take a stroll through history to find out.

Avocados Before Hass

Avocados predate humans. That’s right: Before football, or Cinco de Mayo, or the very concept of brunch, avocados grew wild in the nutrient-rich soil found in subtropical and tropical areas of the Americas. And the ancestors of the avocados we know and love today looked a little different than what we’re used to smashing on our avocado toast. It’s a pity, but ancient avocados were mostly pit.

Because ancient avocados were so large and, therefore, hard to swallow, the creatures that noshed on them were also outsized. Enter: giant ground sloths. These gentle giants swallowed avocados whole and then traveled many miles throughout their day, leaving undigested seeds in their droppings along the way. This is how avocados spread across the Americas. Slow clap for sloths!

Fast forward (but not too far) to 500 B.C., when early humans cultivated avocados in Central America and Mexico. Most of these types of avocados were smooth and green but blemished more easily than the Hass avocados we know and love today. The Spanish took avocados around the world, popularizing them on a global level. But the world had to wait until after the 1920s for the first Hass avocado tree to blossom into a worldwide sensation.

The Story of Hass

The Hass avocado’s humble story begins in La Habra Heights, California, close to Los Angeles. A postal worker named Rudolph Hass bought a variety of avocado seeds, which were of unknown origin, from a local nursery. He plunked them in the ground on his property, which already had a few mature Fuerte avocado trees.

The seeds grew into immature trees, which Hass then grafted onto his Fuerte trees. This technique fused the mystery avocado variety with the Fuerte avocado tree and later produced the world’s first Hass avocados.

With one bite, Hass and his family knew they had a winner on their hands. Hass avocados were slightly nutty, luxuriously creamy, and clearly superior to any avocado they’d eaten before. Even better, Hass avocados grew in clusters, and the trees offered a better yield than other types of avocados.

The trouble was they needed to get the good news about Hass avocados out to the public, who was generally thrown off by the dark purple color and bumpy texture of the Hass avocado’s skin.

Over time, though, growers and distributors began stocking more and more Hass avocados. The sturdy skin of the Hass avocado helped keep the fruit in good shape during shipping, and the black color hid mild blemishes. And once shoppers took a bite of the Hass avocado, they were hooked!

Why You Gotta Hass It

Today, 80% of avocados consumed around the world and 95% of avocados eaten in the U.S. are Hass. Its rich taste and buttery consistency are unlike those of any other type of avocado, making them the clear choice for guacamole, salads, smoothies, and sandwiches.

Another reason for the popularity of Hass avocados is their nutritional value. Hass avocados are higher in fat than other types—providing a buttery taste. This good fat does a world of good for our bodies. Need more proof? Hass avocados:

• Contain 5g of monounsaturated fat in one serving (one-third of a medium avocado), which can help reduce bad cholesterol in your blood, lowering your risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Are sodium-, sugar-, and cholesterol-free.
• Contribute nearly 20 nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and phytonutrients.

Find mouth-watering recipes using Hass avocados in our recipe archives.

The post How Many Types of Avocados Are There? appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Avocados have become an everyday staple for many people. We nosh on avocado toast for breakfast and blend avocado smoothie bowls at snack time … but have you ever stopped to wonder where avocados come from? Do they grow on trees? Or do the perfect orbs of green goodness drop straight from the heavens for us to enjoy?

Find out the answer to this and all your existential avo questions here.

Do Avocados Grow on Trees?

Luckily, the answer is yes!  Avocados grow on trees around the world, but not every location is as blessed as we are. Mexico, specifically the state of Michoacán, is one of the only places in the world where avocado trees produce fruit 365 days a year.

So, the next time someone chastises you for eating all the avocados as if they grow on trees, you can say, “But avocados do grow on trees!” Avocado trees are native to Central America and Mexico, where they’ve been cultivated for, oh, say, thousands of years. It’s true! Early humans grew avocado trees as far back as 500 B.C.

What Does an Avocado Tree Look Like?

Avocado trees are evergreens belonging to the Lauraceae family, which includes other trees like cinnamon and bay laurel. Despite their classification as evergreens, they don’t look like a typical Christmas tree. They’re big and bushy, growing up to 60 feet tall and 35 feet wide! Avocado trees have a spreading, open canopy with large, leathery leaves that are dark green in color. These leaves can grow up to a foot long. Avocado trees first produce clusters of small, yellow-green flowers that, once pollinated, are followed by the fruit. Each avocado can weigh anywhere from a few ounces to several pounds, depending on the variety. (It’s not recommended to read a book sitting beneath an avocado tree!)

What Makes Hass Avocado Trees Different?

Do Hass avocados grow on trees, too? Yes! Hass avocados have high yields compared to other varieties of avocado trees. A mature Hass avocado tree can produce over a million blooms and typically lives for hundreds of years. Hass avocados have a bumpy skin that gradually deepens from a brilliant green to a deep purple, which is helpful for clueing you in when the avocado is ready to eat! (However, the best indicator is to give it a little squeeze.)

Hass avocado trees were first created by Rudolph Hass in 1926 in California. Rudolph grafted two different types of avocado trees together to create the Hass avocado tree — a tree that was sturdier and provided more fruit than Fuerte avocado trees, which were the most popular variety at the time in the Americas. Today, there are an estimated 10 million Hass avocado trees worldwide, all descendants of Rudolph Hass’s first grafted avocado tree!

How Do Avocado Trees Grow?

Avocado trees are native to tropical and sub-tropical areas and require ample sunshine, water, and well-draining soil to survive. (They are susceptible to root rot if the soil is too wet.) You can grow avocado trees outdoors in warm, tropical climates or indoors in a planter by a window that allows for lots of sunlight.

But there’s one thing you should know: Avocado trees are not self-pollinating. This means that they need another avocado tree nearby and the help of some friendly pollinators (bees, birds, or humans good with Q-tips) in order to produce fruit. Avocado trees have both male and female flowers, but they typically do not bloom at the same time. So, if you want your avocado tree to bear fruit, your avocado tree will need a friend. (Resulting in two avocado trees’ worth of avocados! Hooray!)

It is true that all good things come with time. Avocado trees take a few years to start producing fruit — but once they do, you’ll have a bounty of creamy, delicious avocados for decades. The amount of fruit produced by a single tree can vary widely depending on a variety of factors, including the age of the tree, the climate, and the quality of care it receives. So, keep your avocado tree nice and toasty (between 60 and 85°F), well-watered, and near plenty of sunshine.

When Do You Pick Avocados from Avocado Trees?

Avocados do not ripen on the tree. You must pick them off the tree by hand when they are firm to allow them to ripen. Have a fiesta on the books? Ripen your avocado faster by putting it inside a paper bag with a banana!

Once your avocado is ripe, you can pause the process by placing it in the refrigerator.

Thank Goodness for Avocado Trees

So, there you have it. Next time someone asks, “Do avocados grow on trees?” you can happily inform them that avocados do, indeed, grow on trees. And thank goodness they do! Avocado trees are an important part of Mexico’s agriculture industry, and they provide a delicious and nutritious fruit that is beloved by many around the world. With sunshine, water, and a little love, you can grow a whole new reason to love your favorite fruit even more!

Get some more food for thought. Explore other bits of zany avocado trivia here.

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You’ve just dipped into a beautiful bowl of guacamole. As soon as you bite into the smooth, green glob of guac, your world goes into slow motion. “How are avocados THIS good?” you wonder, munching meditatively. “Do they grow in heaven? If not, where do avocados grow on Earth? Is such goodness even possible here?”

While we’ve got you in slow motion, let us avo-splain where avocados grow. You’ve got time, and we love talking about all things avocados.

Where Do Avocados Grow?

Avocados probably grow in heaven, but thankfully they grow on Earth, too. Avocado trees thrive in humid, subtropical climates — you’ll find bustling orchards in places like Mexico, South America, and California. But there’s one place where avocados grow especially well that, y’know, it may as well be heaven after all.

That place is the Mexican state of Michoacán, where there are 42,000 avocado orchards. It’s the country’s central hub of avocado production, harvest, and exportation to the U.S. — in fact, more than 80% of the avocados in the U.S. come from Michoacán. Ohhh… THAT’s where we get our name.

There are three magic keys to Michoacán that make it an avocado paradise.

🌋 Yummy, rich volcanic soil. The avocado groves in Michoacán grow in the heart of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, a ring of more than 100 volcanoes. The ash from these volcanoes gives the area’s soil all kinds of precious nutrients, which avocado trees looooove.

🌧️ A whole lotta rainfall. Most avocado orchards in Michoacán are located near the city of Uruapan, which receives around 64 inches of precipitation every year. That rain feeds the rivers and lakes that allow avocado farmers to naturally irrigate their orchards. In fact, 61% of avocado orchards in Michoacán rely on rainfall as their primary source of irrigation.

🌎 Always blooming. Avocado trees only bear fruit in the right conditions — in most places, the avocado season only lasts for a few months every year. But here in Michoacán, our orchards are always blooming. It’s one of only two places in the world where avocados can bloom 365 days out of the year.

The avocado trees in Michoacán are planted at different elevations (ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 feet) among the mountains. The various elevations create four distinct seasons (we call them “blooms”) among the orchards. The orchards rhythmically bloom from higher to lower elevations and then back again. Plus, avocados can survive on the tree for up to six months after they’re ready to be picked. The result is a continual, uninterrupted avocado harvest — meaning Avocados From Mexico are always good and always available.

Avocados 🤝 Mexico

Where avocados grow best has always been Mexico. Archaeologists have even discovered avocado remnants in Mexico that are more than 10,000 years old. It’s no wonder, then, why the fruit has always been such a fixed part of Mexican culture and cuisine. To give you a taste of the cuisine where avocados grow, here are some of our favorite Mexican avocado recipes for you to try at home (with Avocados From Mexico, of course).

1. Snack Time: When it comes to snacking with avocados, nothing beats making Classic Mexican Guac the way it was intended: mashed avocado, salt, lime juice, and white onion. Perfecto.

2. Breakfast: Huevos Rancheros is a staple way to start the day in Mexico and much of the Southwest U.S. It’s a simple concept: corn tortilla, fried eggs, Monterey Jack cheese, and slices of avocado.

3. Lunch: We’ve got a recipe for cold Mexican soup, or Gazpacho, that adds blended avocado to create a creamy texture to a Mexican classic. It’s got a peppery kick to it, making it an #AlwaysGood choice for summer lunches.

4. Dinner: Our recipe for Tostadas de Tinga Poblano calls for Mexican-style sauteed pork, fried chorizo, and black beans, all loaded onto a crispy corn tortilla and topped with sliced avocado. Now we’re cookin’.

5. Dessert: Avocados are creamy and mild, meaning they’re an excellent base for sweet treats like this Orange and Avocado Natilla, a Mexican custard pudding. It takes less than 30 minutes to make and can chill in the fridge while you’re gobbling up dinner (or breakfast… no judgment).

The best part is these recipes are just scratching the surface of all the delicious dishes you can make with Avocados From Mexico. Dig into our recipe archive to discover endless avo inspo.

The post Where Do Avocados Grow? appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Avocados have been on trend for centuries. Mesoamerican Indigenous peoples in South Central Mexico started cultivating avocado trees 5,000 years ago. And, this year, avocados are the fourth top superfood of 2023, according to the 11th annual “What’s Trending In Nutrition?” dietitian survey. A couple of new superfoods made the exclusive list this year, too — each of which makes a powerful nutritional pairing with avocado.

Avocados are a unique and healthy fruit because they contain 6 grams of unsaturated “good” fat — and can act as a nutrient booster. Eating dietary fat helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A, D, E, and K. So, if you want to enjoy all of the latest superfoods highlighted on this year’s list, consider pairing them with avocados to maximize nutrient benefits.

Here’s how to pair this year’s top picks with avocado to make your superfoods extra … well … super!

Aquatic Greens

New to the superfood list this year, algae, seaweed, and sea moss have long been culinary staples around the world. And now, more Americans are diving in on aquatic greens, too — partially due to their nutritional superpowers and partly because they’re marvelously sustainable.

We haven’t even scratched the surface of the nutritional wonders of aquatic greens, but we do know they are regarded as “nutraceuticals,” or foods that provide both nutritional value and may help to prevent health problems. Seaweeds have bioactive compounds that provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Getting more of these nutrients in your diet supports your body’s defenses, helping you to maintain better health. Oh, yeah: Avocados have antioxidants, too!

Nori (flat sheets of dried seaweed) also have minerals, including iodine. While it is often added to table salt, most Americans don’t consume enough iodine from natural sources. Our bodies need iodine to make thyroid hormones, which control the body’s metabolism and ensure proper bone and brain development.

There are so many fun ways to mix aquatic greens and avocado. You can roll avocado into sheets of seaweed as a snack or sprinkle furikake onto your avocado toast or guacamole. Furikake is a Japanese condiment that’s sort of like the East’s equivalent to everything bagel seasoning. It’s made of dried seaweed, sesame seeds, dried fish, and more.

Fermented Foods

Fermented foods have topped the superfoods survey list for six years. These delightfully sour foods — such as pickles, kimchi, and kombucha tea — are in demand because they support a healthy gut microbiome.

Trillions of microorganisms live in your colon, which play an important role in your health and reduce your risk of certain diseases. As they say, variety is the spice of life. Having greater diversity of microorganisms in your gut is a good thing, and one way to do that is by eating fermented foods that contain live cultures.

Fiber also keeps our digestive systems in good shape. Over 90% of women and 95% of men don’t meet the recommended intakes for dietary fiber. To which I say… avocados to the rescue! A recent study showed that daily avocado consumption resulted in a greater abundance of bacteria that breaks down fiber and produces metabolites that foster gut health.

Your gut does so much for you. Return the favor with an avocado and fermented food power snack, like kimchi guacamole with gochujang crema swirl, sliced avocado and oranges with tahini yogurt sauce, tuna poke miso guacamole, or this American Heart Association-certified avocado, banana, orange, and yogurt smoothie, made with another fermented favorite yogurt! The creaminess of the avocado cuts the acidity of fermented foods splendidly!

Nondairy Milk

It’s no surprise that plant-based (nondairy) milk made the top superfood list this year. It’s one of the fastest growing “plant” categories in the supermarket. People are looking for ways to eat more plants these days — and why not get more plants in while sipping your morning cup of Joe or using it in your post-workout smoothie?  Americans don’t eat enough plants, which is a shame because eating a variety of fruits and vegetables helps us control our weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Everyone should eat more plants — not just vegetarians or vegans.

Nondairy milk is a fast-growing category, with new plant-based milk popping up alongside cow’s milk in the grocery store seemingly every day, offering plenty of choices: almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, soy milk … and a growing number of avocado milk!

Sadly, most stores don’t carry avocado milk just yet. In the meantime, use your favorite alternative milk in an avocado smoothie or inside overnight oats topped with avocado, berries, and coconut flakes. Make this delicious and chocolate-y chia seed cup for breakfast or as an anytime snack complete with three superfood all-stars — avocados, plant-based milk, and chia seeds!

Avocados Are Always in Style

Eating nutrient-dense superfoods, like avocados, is a no-brainer. In every bite, they deliver a multitude of benefits. I love that avocados continue to move up the list of most popular superfoods because they offer so much of what our bodies need. I’m counting on you to push avocado into the top three superfoods next year.

Find more superfood recipes in my review of last year’s “What’s Trending in Nutrition?” survey.

+++SOURCES+++

https://www.producebluebook.com/2023/02/01/dietitian-survey-projects-affordability-over-immunity-as-top-food-purchase-driver-in-2023/
https://avocadosfrommexico.com/blog/nutrition/best-superfood-trends

The post Make Your Food Extra ‘Super’ With Avocado! appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

You’ve got a good time planned out: the guest list, the drinks, and your famous guacamole recipe. And then you realize: Guacamole this good deserves an equally awesome (and equally delicious) presentation.

Why not spice up your next dinner party, game day, or cocktail hour with something just as creative as your guac? We’ve gotchu covered with these delicious DIY guacamole serving bowl solutions.

Pro tip: Before you assemble your guac, though, make sure you know how to choose perfectly ripe avocados (Give a gentle squeeze. No, really, it’s that easy.) or how to ripen not-quite-ready avocados using other fruit and a paper bag.

1. Guac-Stuffed Avocados

Aka, avocado-ception. Slice your avocado in half (if you’re new to this, we can show you the right way to do that here) and scoop out the yummy green stuff to make your guac. Now, you have two cute little empty avocado skins that normally go in the trash — but if you want to get creative and reduce waste, you can reuse them as small, single-serving guacamole dishes. Just spoon the prepared guac back into the skins and serve ‘em up. These babies are perfect for a buffet-style appetizer table where guests can pick up their own individual dip.

2. Stuffed Fruits and Veggies

Look in your fruit bowl or vegetable crisper: You’ll find lots of items just waiting to be turned into guac-bearing vessels. Pineapples can be halved longways to become beautiful Hawaiian bowls (like in this Holy Pineapple Guacamole recipe). Halved bell peppers can perform the same function. Just make sure you’ve chopped off the top, cleaned out the seeds, and wiped the outside before filling with guacamole.

If you’re serving a crowd, a head of cauliflower can have the center florets trimmed out (don’t throw them away — they can be used instead of chips!), with the resulting hollow becoming a generous-sized guacamole serving bowl.

3. Corn Tortilla Guaco Shells

Taco bowls made from tortillas are the ultimate edible serving dish, and they pair naturally with guac. You can buy them or bake them yourself — as long as you have a muffin tin (which you’ll turn upside down before baking), you can make the bowls yourself in just a couple of minutes. Unlike the fruit- and veggie-based bowls, tortilla shells can become soggy if the guac sits in them for too long, so don’t add the guac until you’re serving it to guests.

4. Guac-tail Glasses

Guacamole is always the center of attention at parties, and cocktail hour is no different. Serve up your guacamole in a large margarita glass, individual cocktail glasses, or even a copper Moscow mule mug to keep the snack on theme with the drinks. And while you’re at it, you may as well make one of these cocktail-inspired guacs, featuring everything from a Dry Martini Guac to a Piña Colada Guacamole.

5. Baked Cheese Bowls

If you love cheese, there’s no guacamole serving bowl better than a baked cheese bowl. Our cheese of choice is parmesan, but you can also make this with Oaxacan string cheese, quesillo, or any other cheese that gets crispy when baked or fried.

You’ll need about 1/2 cup of cheese per bowl. Pile each serving onto its own individual piece of parchment paper and spread the cheese into a nice circle about 2 inches in diameter. (Make sure all the cheese overlaps, so you don’t have holes in your bowl!) Put them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5-10 minutes. Watch them carefully — once they melt and become slightly golden, you’ll need to immediately take them out. Once your cheese circles are out of the oven, carefully use the parchment paper to flip them onto the round bottoms of the underside of a muffin pan or heat-safe cups to shape each gooey cheese circle into a bowl shape. When it cools and hardens, ba-da-bing, ba-da-bowl! Load it up with guac.

For more creative guacamole tips, explore our blog. And if you’re looking for the right recipe to serve in your fancy guacamole serving bowl, check out our guacamole recipe archive!

The post 5 Creative (and Delicious) Guacamole Serving Bowls appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

By: M. Elise Giller

Flowers instantly perk up any room making it as fresh and inviting as a ripe avocado, and you can do the same for your food by using edible flowers in unexpected ways. Need to know which flowers are safe to eat? We’ve put together a list in honor of Garden Week.

Before we get started, a word of warning: Do not eat a flower if you’re not sure it’s consumable. Stick to those you’ve grown yourself or have purchased at a farmers market and know are safe to eat. Never eat flowers you’ve picked off the road or in public parks. Don’t have a farmers market nearby? Shop the produce section of your grocery store (not the florist section) or order online from a reputable seller. Sites like Marx Foods, Melissa’s, and Gourmet Sweet Botanicals ship overnight for the freshest picks.

Remember, when eating a flower, remove the pistils and stamens and eat only the petals.

Edible Options

• Allium varies in flavor anywhere from leek to garlic.
• Anise hyssop tastes, as you might suspect, like anise, or licorice.
• Basil flowers taste like the leaf but are much milder.
• Bean blossoms are sweet and crunchy.
• Borage has a mild flavor like cucumber.
• Carnations are sweet and mild, and taste like they smell.
• Clover flowers are sweet and taste a bit like licorice.
• Lavender is sweet, spicy, and perfumed, like the scent itself.
• Marigold is spicy and peppery.
• Nasturtiums have a sweet, floral flavor and a spicy pepper finish.
• Pansies have a slight wintergreen flavor.
• Rose petals taste perfumed and rich.
• Violets are floral and sweet.

Floral How-To

• Add to salads to amplify color and taste.
• Stuff squash blossoms and larger flowers with mashed avocado and herbs.
• Freeze small flowers in ice cubes and add to beverages.
• Place fresh flowers on top of cakes and cupcakes.
• Candy flowers to decorate cakes and candies.

The sky is the limit when using flowers to make food even more beautiful — and tasty.

Why not add edible flowers to our tasty avocado and pineapple salad? Find the recipe here.

FACT-CHECKING:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/cooking-with-edible-flowers-1809248

https://www.treehugger.com/green-food/42-flowers-you-can-eat.html

 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/cooking/tips/a25640/how-to-use-edible-flowers/

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There’s a health movement getting a lot of press right now: food as medicine. The White House recently hosted its first nutrition conference in over 50 years, where there was an entire section dedicated to the topic. Don’t be fooled, though. This isn’t just a trend or a buzzword — it’s the foundation of a dietitian’s profession! Nutritionists, like myself, love this philosophy because it empowers people to take the driver’s seat to impact their health through diet.

A simple shift in perspective — to see food as medicine — can positively impact your diet, overall well-being, and even your life span. Here’s what you need to know to adopt this thinking.

What Is Food as Medicine?

Food as medicine is an affirmation that food plays a critical role in sustaining health and preventing disease. It’s the belief that food is also a part of therapy for those with health conditions.

We’re all starting out with a clean slate, with propensities toward certain conditions, given our genetics. How you eat and your environment influence how your genes change over time. Diet is a big factor. Most people are unaware that what we put in our mouths is foundational to our well-being. Only 1 in 10 Americans eat enough fruits and vegetables, which can have profound effects on our health. How you eat significantly impacts your cancer risk and heart and brain function.

For those with existing conditions, food as medicine is not a replacement for medical treatment prescribed by a doctor, but it absolutely belongs in your treatment plan. Eating enough fruits and vegetables provides your body with the nutrients it needs to perform at its best, which is especially key when it’s struggling.

Why Is Food as Medicine Getting So Much Press?

Food as medicine is resonating today because people are more sensitized to their health. The COVID-19 pandemic reset many people’s perspectives. People are prioritizing their work-life balance and general well-being while also re-discovering the joy and health benefits of preparing more meals at home. In the long run, making the investment in healthier food choices and eating more at home is worth it if it can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes or other costly chronic illness that are related to poor dietary choices.

What Role Do Avocados Play in Food as Medicine?

Avocados are a nutrient-dense, natural source of so much goodness. You’ve got antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and good fats, all of which support your body’s well-being.

Vegetables and fruits, like avocado, are rich sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants — such as vitamins C, E, and lutein — help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. One serving of avocado, or one-third of a medium avocado, contains 4% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin C, 6% of the DV for vitamin E, and 136 micrograms of lutein per serving.

Likewise, avocados are a unique and healthy fruit because they contain unsaturated fat — and can act as a nutrient booster by helping increase the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, K, and E. Avocados contain 6 grams of naturally good fat per one-third of a medium avocado. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming good fats, like those found in avocados, as part of healthy eating patterns.

Avocados are the only fruit with good fats and are considered a heart-healthy fruit. That’s because they are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, are sodium free, and contain good fats, which offer benefits to the body without raising LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. In fact, monounsaturated fat can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood, which can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. One-third of a medium avocado contains 5 grams of monosaturated fat.

In a clinical trial of 11 participants, researchers investigated the effects adding half an avocado to a burger patty has on inflammation and vascular health. The Avocado Nutrition Center sponsored the study, and although more research is needed to generalize the results to larger, more diverse populations, the findings support the growing body of evidence showing avocados are a heart-healthy fruit.

Most adults don’t get enough fiber — more than 90% of women and 97% of men! Avocados are a good source of fiber. Diets rich in healthy foods containing fiber, such as vegetables and fruits (including avocado), may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes. Thirty-five percent of the fiber in avocado is soluble, which prevents your digestive tract from absorbing cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease.

How Do Avocados Support Your Body When You Have Existing Conditions?

Let’s say you’re fighting cancer. Chemo makes it difficult to eat a lot, so you need nutrient-dense foods to get more goodness in per bite and feel full. It is recommended that 85% of the food you eat should be nutrient dense. One-third of a medium avocado (one serving) has 80 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, making it a healthy, nutrient-dense choice.

On the other hand, imagine you’re managing diabetes. Healthy eating patterns associated with improved Type 2 diabetes outcomes include plenty of fruits and vegetables and unsaturated fats, like those found in avocado. Also, unlike other fruits, avocado contains zero grams of naturally occurring sugar per serving and does not affect the glycemic response. And, again, one serving of avocado (one-third of a medium avocado) is a good source of fiber, which slows the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream. Avocados make for a satisfying snack because they’re a good source of fiber, offer a nutrient-dense source of good fats, all of which helps you feel satisfied.

One serving of avocado is one-third of a medium avocado — but don’t throw out the other two-thirds! Spritz lemon juice over the flesh, and save the remainder in plastic wrap to get the most of your grocery budget.

I Want to Start Using Food as Medicine. How Do I See a Dietitian for Free?

Most people have no idea there are tons of free resources available to them. Look up your local supermarket’s website and search for dietitian consultations. Some offer virtual services. Others offer to have a dietitian walk with you through the store as you shop to answer your questions. You get to go home with the peace of mind you purchased dietitian-approved foods.

A Better Future for American Nutrition

The science of nutrition continues to evolve, and I’m thrilled to see that the focus on living a healthy life is broadening. Food as medicine is part of a broader movement that encourages us to see our lifestyle as a big factor in our overall health, along with exercise, relaxation, and socialization.

Start eating more fruits and vegetables today. Here is Barb’s advice on how to eat more plants (and keep meals delicious!).

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It’s 5 o’guac somewhere, so raise a Hass to these creative cocktail and guacamole pairings and say, “Cheers!” Whether you’re looking to wow a crowd or set a romantic table for two, there’s a combination of smoky, sweet, spicy, and savory flavors sure to spark good times.

Each pairing comes with a recipe for a homemade cocktail and guacamole. (The guac is just as good if you opt to lose the booze). Bottoms up!

1. Mango Guacamole & Roasted Jalapeño Margarita

Lots of snacks and drinks claim to be “sweet and spicy,” but this guacamole pairing is the real deal. Ragin’ Tajin tangos with mango in this guacamole recipe, and the whole thing goes delightfully with our jalapeño margarita recipe below. Suddenly, “sweet and spicy” is more like “yum and YOW!”

Roasted Jalapeño Margarita Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 jalapeño
• Ice, desired amount
• 3 oz. sour mix
• 2 oz. reposado tequila
• 1 lime, cut into wedges and wheels
• Salt, for the rim if desired

Directions: Roast the jalapeño on a hot grill until skin blisters. (You can also broil it in the oven.) Slice it into 1/4-inch-wide coins. In a cocktail shaker, add two jalapeño coins (or more, if you like it even hotter) to the ice, sour mix, and tequila. Shake well, pour into a wide-rim glass, and garnish. Serve with guacamole and a napkin to dab the sweat from your brow.

2. Green Goddess Guacamole & Dry Martini

Smooth, not chunky — shaken, not stirred. This Green Goddess Guacamole might have some pungent ingredients (garlic, chives, and anchovies) but the outcome is what we imagine James Bond would order at a nightclub. Pair it with a dry martini (our recipe below) and a black-tie formal outfit for ultimate class.

Dry Martini Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ oz. gin or vodka
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
• 1/2 oz. olive brine
• Olives to garnish (optional)

Directions: Add all liquids to a cocktail shaker and mix well. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with olives if you’re feeling dirty. Serve with guacamole and a million-dollar smile.

3. Ceviche Guacamole & Red Sangria

Peru pairs nicely with Spain in this one. Get your seafood and spice in this Ceviche Guacamole and wash it down with a glass of sweet, sweet sangria. Here’s an easy recipe for homemade sangria.

Easy Sangria Recipe

Ingredients:

• Mix of sliced fruit (Oranges, apples, pears, lemons, and limes are good choices.)
• 1/2 c. red wine
• 1/2 c. lemon-lime soda
• Ice

Directions: Soak the sliced fruit in a bowl of wine and leave it covered in the refrigerator overnight. Add all ingredients to a glass and stir well. ¡Salud!

4. Bacon Cotija Guacamole & Mexican Bulldog

Something as epically good as this Bacon Cotija Guacamole should be washed down with an equally epic drink. Try this Mexican Bulldog on for size.

Mexican Bulldog Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. tequila
• Lime juice
• 1/2 oz. triple sec
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• 1/2 c. crushed ice
• 1 bottle of Mexican light beer

Directions: Add tequila, lime juice, triple sec, simple syrup, and ice to a blender. Mix until it’s blended into a frothy frozen texture. Pour into a large margarita glass. Here’s the tricky part: Take the beer bottle and hold your thumb over the opening. Flip the bottle upside down and lower it into the margarita glass, quickly removing your thumb just before you submerge it. Did you do it right? Booyah.

5. Summer Brûléed Melon Guacamole & Mexican Mule

Ever thought to brûlée your guac? Pairing this airy, sweet Summer Brûléed Melon Guacamole with a spicy ginger Mexican Mule (our take on the Moscow Mule) is an #AlwaysGood treat, summer or not.

Mexican Mule Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. tequila
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 6 oz. ginger beer
• Lime wedge

Directions: Mix all ingredients in one of those fancy copper mugs. Serve with guacamole, and if that’s in a fancy copper mug, too, we salute your creativity.

6. Classic Guacamole & Old Fashioned

Nothin’ wrong with going old school. Mix up a traditional Mexican guacamole (avocados, salt, lime, and red onion) and pair it with an Old Fashioned.

Bourbon Old Fashioned Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. sugar
• 3 dashes of bitters
• 2 oz. bourbon
• Orange peel twist to garnish

Directions: Add the sugar and bitters into a glass and stir until the sugar is nearly dissolved. (If necessary, add water to help sugar dissolve.) Fill the glass with ice, add the bourbon, and stir until well chilled. Strain into a tumbler glass and plunk in an ice cube or two. Garnish with an orange peel, serve with guac and chips, throw on a vinyl record, and enjoy your evening.

With these cocktail and guacamole pairings on hand, you’re set to enjoy a dip and sip with equally good company. Chips and cheers!

Find guacamole recipes perfect for any occasion here.

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With so many tricky tools in your kitchen, letting kids help with meal prep can feel like a daunting supervisory task. Your youngsters may not be able to run the mixer or slice up produce, but they can easily mash avocados and mix in supporting ingredients to make these fresh and easy guacamole recipes.

Avocados are versatile, so there are plenty of ways to get creative in your additions — kids will have even more fun if they can munch on their favorite foods as they mix.

Related: Discover which nutrients avocados can bring to your family’s table.

Mix these easy guacamole recipes below into your menu for some culinary family fun.

5 Easy Guacamole Recipes to Make with Your Kids

Bacon Guacamole

Who doesn’t love snacking on bacon? Place chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro in separated bowls to help your kids create this dish.

Bacon Cotija Guacamole

Teach your kids about traditional Mexican flavors with the cotija cheese in this recipe. Prepare the bacon and let them mix in the cheese, cilantro, lime, salt, and pepper.

Cucumber Green Apple Guacamole

Let the kids mix and mash up the guacamole base while you slice and dice apple, white onion, English cucumber, and cilantro.

Grandma Guacamole

Show your kids a different take on guacamole with this easy-to-make mixture. As you mix, introduce them to ingredients they might not be used to, like bouillon powder and jicama.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Dessert Guac

Kids can mix all of these ingredients together for a post-dinner sweet treat. Let them cover their creation in as much sauce as they like.

Don’t forget to teach your young sous-chefs how to know when avocados are ripe so that they can identify the perfect moments to whip up a batch of guac.

No matter which easy guacamole recipe you choose to tackle with your kids, talk to their doctor about their nutritional needs before changing their diet. Once you receive a doctor’s approval, stop by the grocery store on your way home to pick up the ingredients you will need. Then, get in the kitchen and guac!

Visit our avocado recipes page for more kid-friendly recipes.

The post Stealthy Avocado Options for Picky Eaters appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

You may have heard this phrase before: “It’s what’s inside that counts.” As a nutritionist, I like to say, “It’s what’s inside your food that counts.” Which is why nutrient-rich superfoods (like avocados) are so critical to a healthy diet. They pack a nutritional punch. Avocados alone contain more than 20 vitamins and minerals and vital healthy fats — and when you mix them together with other superfoods in a delicious recipe your nutritional punch is more like … a nutritional roundhouse kick!

Good fat has gotten more and more good press in the last decade or so — and for good reason! Ranked as the No. 1 eating style for the fifth year in a row by U.S. News & World Report, the Mediterranean diet welcomes good fats from foods like olive oil, nuts, fish, and avocados. The good fat in avocados helps your body absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K. In fact, those vitamins are fat soluble, meaning they can only be absorbed by the body with the help of fats. No wonder nutrition nerds like myself countdown to National Healthy Fats Day every year — because good fats are good stuff!

Superfood #4: Exotic Fruits

Avocados are popular all around the world. Whatever continent you’re living on, there’s an exotic fruit just waiting to meet the avocado of its dreams inside a bowl, smoothie, or fruit salad.

If you want to wake up feeling like a winner, this Avocado Superfood Smoothie Bowl, made with avocado, acai, almonds, bananas, and dark chocolate is for you. The best part is that you can use frozen blueberries and strawberries year-round.

Or go with an Avo-licious Mango Smoothie Bowl, which blends avocados, yogurt, dragon fruit, and chia seeds. Between the avocado and chia, this bowl is full of digestive-system lovin’ fiber.

Superfood #5: Avocados!

You know what’s always good with avocado? More avocado. Or just avocado — it’s always good, even all on its own! Here are a few of our favorite ways to prep it:

Superfood #6: Green Tea

Green tea has been used for medicinal purposes in the East for thousands of years. Today, it’s a fantastic addition to your morning smoothie.

Here’s how to do it: Brew and steep green tea for a long time (30 minutes or so) and then the chill in the fridge. Blend avocado and your concentrated green tea into your smoothie mix for a superfood power up!

In the summer months, cool off with a green tea-infused avocado popsicle. It sounds fancy, but all you need is some Greek yogurt, avocado, green tea, and honey. Freeze overnight in a popsicle mold and you’re good to go.

Superfood #7: Nuts

Like avocados and seeds, nuts are a popular source of good fats — so you double up on your goodness when you put them together!

Avocado has a mild, nutty flavor, which naturally plays well with different types of nuts. Pistachios, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, and peanuts are all great additions to guacamole — especially if you drizzle a little hot sauce on top. But beyond the mortar and pestle, nuts are an excellent protein to sprinkle into Avocado Bistro-Style Bowls, and nut butters fold terrifically into avocado breakfast smoothies.

Superfood #8: Ancient Grains

Think superfoods are just a passing trend? No way. Mankind has been eating avocados for almost 10,000 years! And ancient grains go back to … well, ancient times. People have loved avocados and ancient grains forever. And you’ll love power bowls like this sweet and savory Avocado Ancient Grains Bowl. It also contains hemp hearts — three times the superfood power!

When choosing an ancient grain to fold into your diet, look for grains that are packing protein. For example, you could add chunks of avocado to overnight oats or millet for breakfast.

Superfood #9: Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are low-calorie and high in nutrients like vitamin A, C or K, as well as calcium and iron. The good fat in avocados helps you absorb some of those nutrients. A genuine win-win!

So it’s a good thing there are infinite ways to bring avocado and leafy greens together: Chopped together in a salad. Stuffed inside baked chicken breasts. Blended together in smoothies. Mashed together into guacamole. On top of toast, sandwiches, protein bowls … the possibilities here are endless!

Overwhelmed by all the choices? A good place to start is the Salad Builder on Avocado From Mexico’s Salad Station. It will help you curate the perfect mix of flavor and texture to fit your tastes.

Superfood #10: Kale

OK, so technically kale is a leafy green, but it’s so popular that it earned its own spot on this list. Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, including vitamins A, K, C, and B6, among others. And its signature sturdiness gives it a substantial texture and versatility in the kitchen. You can use it as the base of an avocado salad or use its large leaves for an avocado “burrito” wrap. You can even bake kale chips in the oven and crumble them over top of guacamole. But my favorite is the Kale and Avocado Buddha Bowl, which boasts plenty of fiber to keep you feeling fuller, longer.

Good Fats Will Never Go Out of Style

When it comes to making healthy choices, superfoods are a no-brainer, and in the case of avocado, possibly the most delicious part of your day! Keep eating foods that contain good fats and a multitude of essential nutrients to treat yourself and your body right.

For more ways to add good fat to your diet, dive into our enormous library of avocado recipes.

The post How to Be a Superfood Trend-Setter appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Over the past few years, there has been a huge growth in plant-based products. Dietitians all over the world are rejoicing that (finally!) word has gotten around that eating more plants is key to leading a healthy lifestyle. Yet, the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has hardly increased at all, despite their nutritious benefits.

Let’s look at how you can eat more plants while keeping mealtime delicious as ever.

It’s Not Hard to Eat More Plants

If you want to add more plants to your diet, it’s good to go straight to the source: fresh vegetables and fruits such as avocados! They contain nature-made vitamins and minerals, and it’s simpler to work more plants into your diet than you may think.

To begin, let’s clear the air around some common misconceptions about eating more plants and plant-powered meals.

Myth #1: Only vegetarian diets should focus on fruits and veggies.

The beauty of eating more plants is that it follows the dietary guidelines for all kinds of eating styles, including individuals who eat the typical American diet, Mediterranean, and vegetarian eating patterns.  Are you trying to follow a gluten-free diet, kosher, or some other style of eating that suits your lifestyle? When it comes to fruits and vegetables, the more the merrier for every eating pattern or lifestyle!

Myth #2: Grocery shopping for plant-powered meals is complicated.

Fruits and veggies will never make it onto your plate if they don’t make it into your grocery cart first. Before heading to the grocery store, find plant-powered recipes and build a shopping list to keep yourself organized and accountable. Bring a reusable shopping bag specifically designated to fill with fruits and veggies and head to the produce aisle first.

Myth #3: To eat more fruits and vegetables, I have to make boring salads.

As a dietitian, I’ve counseled people for many years about eating more salad. Some people groan because they assume salad tastes terrible! The good news is that almost any of your favorite foods can be turned into a salad you’ll love.

Here’s the formula: Think of your favorite meal. Chop all the ingredients for that meal into bite-sized pieces. Add your favorite chopped veggies. And last but never to be forgotten — add avocado!

For example, this Avocado Thai Noodle Crunch Salad hits the spot when you’re craving takeout. Or, if you’re a burger fanatic, grill up a patty and chop together with your most-loved toppings, such as avocado, tomato, onion, or pickles on a bed of spring greens or spinach. Whatever you like to eat, there’s a way to eat it with more plants.

While leading a healthy lifestyle may seem complicated on the outside, I find it’s all about simplification. If you want to eat more plant-based foods, fresh vegetables, and fruits, such as avocado, are always a good place to start.

For more delicious plant-powered recipes, head over to The Salad Bar.

The post How to Eat More Plants (and Keep Meals Delicious) appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

What’s avocado salsa? Isn’t that just a fancy name for guacamole? A lot of their ingredients can be the same (and they both taste goooood) but they’re different. Let’s break down the fundamental difference.

GUACAMOLE (or “guac,” as the cool kids call it) is an avocado-based dip. SALSA, meanwhile, is (by its truest definition) a tomato-based sauce or dip. Avocado Salsa, then, is the best of both worlds — it’s a dip with a base of avocado and tomato. Both are equally in charge.

However you slice it, you can’t have too much of a good thing (that is, Avocados From Mexico). So if you’re working up a party spread, football appetizers, or a Taco Tuesday, guacamole and avocado salsa are both delicious options. The more options, the merrier!

Speaking of options, here’s a simple avocado salsa recipe. But if you consider yourself a Big League Blender, scroll down for recipes that are even swankier.

Beginner’s Avocado Salsa

Chunky and perfectly seasoned, this is an easy go-to when your avocado salsa cravings kick in. Here are the basic ingredients for avocado salsa.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium Avocados From Mexico, diced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1/4 onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. jalapeño, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

For a chunky texture, gently toss all ingredients in a medium bowl until mixed. For a smoother texture, put everything in the blender and pulse until it reaches your desired consistency. (Add water, olive oil, or more lime juice for a runnier salsa.) Pro tip: If you decide to lick the bowl clean afterwards, make sure no one is around to avoid an embarrassing explanation.

Spice Junkie’s Avocado Salsas

Got that itch for something spicy? The avocado salsa recipe below is a versatile dip that will get you sweating — but creamy avocado and Mexican crema will temper the spice just enough to cool you down and keep you wanting more.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium Avocados From Mexico
• 3 husked tomatillos
• 1 chile serrano (include seeds for more heat)
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 tbsp. Mexican crema
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt, to taste

Directions:

Blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a couple tablespoons of water or lime juice for a little extra tang until you get your desired consistency.

Crank the 🔥🔥🔥: You can spice things up in this recipe (or any avocado salsa) by adding more hot peppers — jalapeño, serrano, habanero, you name it. Just be careful not to overdo it, since hot peppers pack a mighty punch.

Sweet-Tooth’s Avocado Salsas

Sweet and spicy can be a good match, which is why adding fruit to salsa is not a new concept. One of the most common fruits in salsa is mango since its sweetness doesn’t overpower other ingredients and its texture is awesome for dicing and blending.

Ingredients:

• 1 Avocado From Mexico, diced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1/2 habanero (remove seeds)
• 1 ripe mango, diced
• 1/4 c. cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt, to taste

Directions:

Before you do anything, make sure you know what kind of heat you can handle. Habaneros are about 40x spicier than jalapeños — remove the seeds unless you’re trying to cause serious mouth-fires. Add all ingredients to a blender and pulse until desired consistency.

Sweet, Sweet Salsas: You can get as creative as you like with the fruits and sweet flavors. Try springing for recipes like Strawberry Avocado Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips, or this Avocado and Tropical Fruit Salsa. They’re unique for sure, but you won’t be disappointed.

That’s Salsa, Folks!

All of these salsas are easy to make ahead of time and store for later. Just cover them with plastic wrap or pour them into sealable container like a Mason jar or glassware. Keep your avocado salsa in the refrigerator to preserve it for up to a week. (Don’t worry about the avocado turning brown; the citric acid in the lime juice will prevent oxidation and keep their fresh colors from getting dull.)

All of these salsa go great with tortilla chips or dippable veggies like carrot and celery sticks. They’re also super good as sauce on tacos, loaded quesadillas, taquitos, enchiladas, or chicken tortilla soup.

For more good eatin’, head to our full avocado recipe archive.

The post The Complete Guide to Avocado Salsa appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Avocados are a versatile, delicious, and limitless fruit. They’re always good for adding some deliciousness to the table, beyond simply the classic chips-‘n-guac (which are always a classic). Avocados are also an awesome base for your next breakfast, lunch, or dinner smoothie.

Nothing is as refreshing as an avocado-green smoothie packed with the superpowers of superfoods. Avocado smoothies are an excellent way to load up on “good,” unsaturated fats and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals.
 

5-Minute Avocado Smoothie Recipe

This quick, easy recipe is one of our favorite avocado smoothies. All you need is five ingredients and five minutes, and you’ll be ready to sip on a superfood smoothie.

Ingredients:

• 1 Avocado From Mexico, pitted and diced
• 1 c. of milk of choice
• 1/2 c. vanilla yogurt
• 3 tbsp. honey or maple syrup
• A handful of ice cubes (approx. 6-8)

Pro tip: Avocado is a plant-based dieter’s best friend. For a dairy-free avocado smoothie, opt for a plant-based milk and yogurt.

Pre-Prep: For an elevated sipping experience, place your glasses in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour before use. Select the perfect Avocado From Mexico; carefully rinse and dry it. Slowly cut open the avocado and remove the pit. Dicing the avocado will help it blend faster and better. Here’s how to make a good (and safe) slice:

Directions:

1. Place the diced avocado, milk, vanilla yogurt, honey, and ice cubes into the blender. Blend the mixture until smooth, about 30-45 seconds.
2. Stop the blender to check the consistency of the mixture. Use a plastic spatula to scoop the mixture from the sides of the blender to ensure it is well blended. For a thicker texture, blend less; for a thinner consistency, blend longer.
3. Pour the mixture into two chilled glasses. Serve with a reusable straw.
4. Cover the remaining mixture and refrigerate it for up to three days. (If there’s any left!)

Sip, Sip, Hooray!

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll want a more advanced take on avocado smoothies. Try these flavorful avocado smoothie recipe variations that include everything from chocolate and berries to spinach and kiwi. (They’re just as good, we promise.)

• Chocolate Avocado Protein Smoothie: Blended avocado and banana create a thick, silky texture. Chocolate almond milk and unsweetened cocoa powder give this smoothie a rich, dessert-like taste.
• Dairy-Free Berry Avocado Smoothie: This smoothie trades dairy for berries. Get creative with this recipe, adding in your favorite combination of berries. Go wild with the blueberries for a sweet, tart avocado blueberry smoothie. Bonus goodness: The AHA has certified this recipe as officially heart-healthy!
• Spinach and Avocado Smoothie: Peach and avocado are awesome allies in this creamy, sweet concoction. Add more avocado for a velvety texture. For a heartier drink, trade the spinach for kale.

Think Outside the Straw

Want to enjoy your avocado smoothie in a different format? Think outside the straw with these avocado smoothie bowls.

• Avocado Strawberries & Cream Smoothie Bowl: This smoothie bowl is as pretty as it is delicious. Go ahead; Instagram it. Just don’t forget to tag us with #AlwaysGood when you do.
• Avocado Superfood Smoothie Bowl: Start your morning with a bowl loaded with avocado, blueberries, banana, and walnut butter. Can it get better from here? We’re not sure. Your day might peak early, but that’s OK.
• Green Machine Smoothie Bowl: Your straw will be green with envy when it gets a look at this beauty. Avocado is the perfect creamy base for pineapple, banana, and kiwi. Sweet, fresh, always good.

Now that you’ve found the perfect avocado smoothie recipe, order your avocado smoothie ingredients online and start blending!

Avocado smoothies are just the beginning. Scroll through our recipe page for avocado goodness in appetizers, salads, and entrees.

The post 7 Avocado Smoothies to Fuel Your Day appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Whether you’re bringing back board game night, toasting a newly engaged pal, or gathering the whole family for a backyard BBQ, nothing says good times like good food, good music, and good company. And while there are a thousand ways to throw a good party, some events stand a head above the others. We want to help your party get to that level.

So here they are: five simple party tips to turn your shindig into the event of the century.

1. Always have enough trash cans.

As any pro hostess will tell you, this is the No. 1 (and most forgotten) rule of party-throwing. Ever been to a cocktail party where you end up walking around trying to shake hands while holding a dirty plate because you can’t find the trash? Or a watch party where the one garbage you can find has been precariously stacked with a tower of cups, plates, and napkins just waiting to topple?

This party tip is completely practical. It helps with clean-up later and keeps used plates and sticky cups from piling up and making your perfectly planned event look, well … trashy. If you’re using disposable dishes and cutlery, this is especially important.

2. Come up with a good theme.

Some events are simply themed after what they’re celebrating, such as a big football game or “Congratulations Class of 2022!” Others need a bit of sprucing up and can benefit from the added layer of fun that comes with a theme. Some examples you’re welcome to steal:

• Turn "Nana's 90th Birthday" into an avocado birthday bash. (Yep, avocado piñatas exist!)
• A football watch party is a total touchdown when your guacamole sports your team's colors or comes served in the shape of a football field.
• With a few delicious dips, a run-of-the-mill bridal shower turns into "Get Her Some Guac, She's Tying the Knot!"

Whatever the occasion may be, knowing where the general idea for your event is headed will allow you to choose the best location, coordinate the food spread, begin to gather ideas for decor, and even allow you to search for a fitting playlist.

3. It's good to be extra.

As the old saying goes: "If you have more than enough, no one will know. If you don't have enough, everyone will know." Of course, try to not go way overboard, but having an extra round of guac stashed in the fridge or an extra bag of chips ready in case the snack bowls run low is always a good idea. It’s fine if the fare is simple; just have lots of it.

This party tip is especially important with drinks. While food may dwindle by the end of the event, if there's nothing left to sip on, your guests will depart. Something like this irresistible avocado margarita should do the trick.

4. Leave pleasant tasks for last.

Not all of us are great with time management. So, if you’re worried about being ready before people begin to arrive, leave until last any preparations you can do while spending time with guests. For example, it’s easy to hold a conversation while you finish assembling appetizers or wiping down the kitchen counters, but it’s no good to try and host while you scrub the bathroom.

And depending on your invite list, some guests may be interested in lending a hand by opening up chips or setting out toppings for those fabulous shrimp tacos that have the kitchen smelling oh so good. Make guests feel included — but don’t rely on them to do any heavy lifting. They’re here to party, not to do your laundry.

5. Cater to your crowd.

This party tip is kind of like knowing your audience when speaking in public. Two things to consider:

• Allergies/Diets: Be sure to provide some options for guests who are on specific diets or who have known food allergies. Is someone at your taco night gluten-free? Offer corn tortillas in addition to flour or opt for pan-seared fish in these Baja-style lettuce fish tacos and you’re good to go.
• Kids: If there are children on the guest list, they’ll be hungry — and probably for fun, kid-friendly snacks rather than a spinach and artichoke dip (which, by the way, is delicious).

There are countless ways to make your guests feel welcome, but nothing goes further than a little thoughtfulness.

Let the Good Times Roll

Even with all these simple party tips, ultimately, the best thing about your event will be the good friends and good times you’ve made. The right crowd (and right snacks, of course) can make any get-together memorable. So bust out the guacamole, pour the drinks, and party on!

Looking for a delicious dish to serve at your next party? Take a stroll through avocado heaven and bookmark all kinds of good stuff on our recipe page.

The post Simple Party Tips for Awesome Parties appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Cold weather means two things: comfort foods and winter produce. We wanted to unite the two, which is what inspired these five winter avocado salads. Each recipe is packed with a variety of winter veggies, nuts, and fruits (like avocado!). Bellies, prepare to be comforted.

Related: Chew chew! All aboard for the Salad Station, where you can build your own salad and discover new recipes.

5 Winter Avocado Salads

1. Avocado, Blood Orange, and Pear Salad With Gorgonzola Crumbles

   Sweet and satisfying, this salad made with pears, oranges, and avocados is a fresh and flavorful meal. Drizzled with dressing made from blood orange juice, oregano, and chipotle powder, it will have your taste buds watering and your guests wondering where they can get the recipe. (It’s OK, you can tell them it’s yours.)

2. Avocado Brussels Sprouts Salad With Pumpkin Seeds

   This recipe is stellar when paired with rotisserie chicken or roast turkey — but it’s just as enjoyable on its own. The nutty notes of roasted Brussels sprouts and smooth avocado seem to shine under a dressing of bright lemon and spicy sriracha. Toss in the crunch of toasted pumpkin seeds, and you have a symphony of texture and flavor right on your dinner table.

3. Farro Salad with Lemon & Fresh Dill Herbed Dressing

   A spectacular salad by any account, this recipe is chock-full of greens and grains. Perfectly delicious for anyone who’s on a Mediterranean diet or who’s just a fan of farro, this salad features goat cheese, cranberries, arugula, and walnuts. A true crowd pleaser, the goodness in this delicious salad is endless.

4. Avocado Beet Salad

   This salad comes to your table in dramatic fashion, featuring beets, green onion, and smooth avocados, all atop a boat of crisp romaine. Topped off by a dressing of tangy apple cider vinegar and dill, it’s almost too pretty to eat. And beyond its deliciousness, the healthy avocado featured in this recipe is sodium- and cholesterol-free, so you can feel great about eating something that tastes so good!

5. Shrimp, Avocado, Winter Fruit Salad

   Change up your winter meal rotation with this vibrant shrimp salad. Complete with crunchy red grapes and creamy avocado, this recipe is a small tropical escape from the cold weather with flavors of sweet mango and zesty lime.

Has your tummy been grumbling while you’ve been reading? Order your ingredients online and get to tossing!

And if you haven’t quite seen enough here, be sure to peruse our recipe page for more spectacular salads.

The post 5 Winter Salads With Avocado appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Welcome to your new holiday tradition! Decked with green, red, and white ingredients, this avocado milkshake recipe is everything merry and bright.

Related: Treat yourself to even more avocado holiday desserts here.

Ingredients:

• 2 c. vanilla ice cream
• 1/3 c. of crushed candy canes (about 5 candy canes)
• 1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 Avocado From Mexico, peeled, pitted, and cubed
• 1 c. milk
• White chocolate sauce
• Whipped cream
• Festive sprinkles

You’ll Also Need:

• Blender
• Resealable plastic baggie
• 2 large glasses
• Straws (red or green will look great!)

Directions:

1. Put the candy canes in a resealable plastic baggie. Seal it, then smash the candy with a rolling pin. Smash firmly enough that the candy canes break but gently enough that the bag does not burst. You should aim for pieces about the size of chocolate chips (we’re blending them up later), but smaller, powdered pieces will taste just as good.
2. Halve your avocado and scoop out the green goodness from one half. Here’s how to slice and dice an avocado the correct way.
3. Now it’s time to shake things up. Scoop the ice cream, crushed candy cane, chocolate chips, avocado half, and milk into the blender. Blend in pulses and stir the chunks of candy out of the bottom as needed. Continue until well combined. Make sure the chocolate chips and candy canes are in small pieces that will easily fit through a straw.
4. Separate blended mixture into two glasses and top with whipped cream, white chocolate sauce, and festive sprinkles. Add a whole candy cane and a straw to the glass and sit back to appreciate your masterpiece. Then dig in!

If you’re feeling extra creative, top your holly jolly avocado milkshake with crumbled peppermint bark, maraschino cherries, or chunks of a chocolate bar — the more you add, the merrier the milkshake.

For more good times, browse all our avocado sweet treats.

The post A Holly Jolly Avocado Milkshake appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

The holidays are a magical time, filled with traditions and good times with family, many of which take place in the kitchen. Like many families, our favorite tradition is Christmas Eve tamales — but we put a few spins on them. This year, make a new memory with the fam by adding creamy, festively green avocado to the mix!

Here are four fresh ideas for how to add avocado to Christmas Eve tamales.

1. Avocado Crema

   Spicy, savory tamales are a perfect match for cool, velvety avocado crema. Whip up a batch of avocado crema using soft, ripe avocados. (You’ll know your avocados are ripe when they’re dark green and yield to gentle pressure.) Allow guests to drizzle their own avocado crema over the tamales to their liking.

2. Vegetarian Avocado Tamales

   Making an inclusive holiday table for family and friends sometimes requires creativity. Allow your loved ones who are practicing a plant-based diet to join in on the family tradition by making a little modification to your tamales: Substitute any meat with thick slices of avocado and an assembly of your favorite proteins and veggies, such as beans, butternut squash, peppers, or poblano chiles.

   Are you hosting gluten-free relatives and friends over the holidays? Good news! Harissa masa and avocados are gluten free. As long as your tamale recipe contains no wheat products, your gluten-sensitive friends can enjoy your tamales to their heart’s content.

3. Avocado Masa

   One of the avocado’s finest qualities is its ability to bring people together. Likewise, avocado also brings and holds ingredients together, making it a great addition to your masa recipe. Add avocado to your masa in a 3-to-1 (masa-to-avocado) ratio or follow this avocado tamale masa dough recipe here. The resulting texture will be a little lighter and fluffier — and a little greener too!

   As a Christmas bonus, avocados are superfoods filled with all the good stuff: good fats, nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, and zero cholesterol. When you add avocado to the mix, you’re bringing nutritious essentials to the table such as fiber, folate, and Vitamin K.

Related: What is “good fat”? Get the skinny about monosaturated and poly saturated fats here.

4. Tomatillo Guacamole on the Side

   The best tamales are soft and juicy — and begging for a fresh zing! Enter: guacamole al tomatilla con queso fresco. Since tamales are made overnight, you have ample time before serving to whip up a fresh batch of guac. Serve with tortilla chips and leave a spoon in the bowl for family members to spoon straight onto their tamales. (And if this recipe isn’t quite your tempo, we’ve got plenty more.)

Make this year’s tradition of Christmas Eve tamales one for the books, and make the holidays even brighter with our library of avocado recipes to find crowd-pleading appetizers, main courses, and desserts.

The post 4 Ways to Add Avocado to Christmas Eve Tamales appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

By Barbara Ruhs, MS, RDN

An avid avocado eater and guacamole lover, Barb is the Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for Avocados From Mexico and former sports nutritionist for Harvard University. Her philosophy on food is simple: Enjoy what you eat, prepare food with love, and add avocados to everything!

Avocado cauliflower rice is having a well-deserved moment in the spotlight. It’s a filling and versatile dish that mixes well into salads and bowls while adding numerous vitamins and minerals to your meal. Whether you’re seeking a low-carb substitute for grains or simply want to fit more fruits and veggies on your plate, you’ve come to the right place. Avocado cauliflower rice is a winning combination any day of the week.

How to Make Avocado Cauliflower Rice

As a nutritionist, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of making healthy meals as easy to prepare as possible — because then you’re more likely to make them! Avocado cauliflower rice is a simple dish you can prepare with hardly any culinary experience.

Related: Check out my blog on one-pot meals to cut down on cooking time (and messy dishes).

The easiest way is to purchase cauliflower rice in the frozen-vegetables section of your grocery store and follow this avocado cauliflower rice recipe. Alternatively, you can buy and chop the cauliflower head yourself and cook it over the stovetop — or even in the microwave. Ding! Dinner is served.

Health Benefits

Avocado and cauliflower contain less than 5g of carbohydrates per serving (as compared to >50g in 1 cup of cooked rice). Served together, this powerhouse couple offers an antioxidant punch — in every serving of cauliflower (1 cup) combined with 1/3 medium avocado, they’re an excellent source of Vitamin C (60% daily value or 52 milligrams) and Vitamin K (25% DV or 30 micrograms). The heart-healthy duo provides dietary fiber (18% DV or 5 grams); avocados provide the good fats; and cauliflower is a good source (15% daily value) of Vitamin K. A recent 2021 study published by the American Heart Association demonstrated the benefits of Vitamin K for reducing the risk for heart disease and preventing blood clots.

Most Americans could use more veggies in their diets, and avocado cauliflower rice is a delicious way to check that box. One serving of avocado and cauliflower combined offers 5 grams of fiber, which supports digestion and leaves you feeling full longer.

If you’re looking for an alternative to grain rice, cauliflower is a filling substitute with a hearty texture and numerous health benefits. While anyone can enjoy the health benefits of avocado cauliflower rice, it’s an especially big win for people managing diabetes  that are counting carbohydrates. And if that’s not enough, both avocado and cauliflower are excellent additions to a gluten-free menu.

Ways to Eat Avocado Cauliflower Rice

Talk about versatility! Avocado cauliflower rice is so rich and tasty on its own that you don’t need much to spruce it up. Try mixing it into a stir-fry or serving it along side grilled meat. It can stand in for starches, too, like in this recipe for avocado cauli-risotto.

But if you’re on the bowl trend (and who isn’t these days?!), avocado cauliflower rice is the perfect base. Try it in a taco bowl, an Asian-inspired bowl, or a classic “rice”-and-beans recipe — you can browse a bunch of our favorite bowl recipes here.

Here are some helpful hacks to help you store, cut, and prepare avocados like a pro as part of your healthy lifestyle. Happy (and healthy) cooking!

The post Now Trending: Avocado Cauliflower Rice appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for avocado appetizer lovers. Show off your holiday spirit with spreads that look as festive as they taste. The following holiday avocado appetizer recipes will fill your friends and family with goodness and cheer — and the sleigh-load of vitamins and minerals found in avocados to boot!

Related: Got a holiday sweet tooth? These avocado desserts are perfect for the season.

1. Guacamole Wreath

   Welcome guests to your holiday table with a festive guacamole wreath (no fancy glassware required). Simply place a small bowl upside down on top of a large plate. Scoop guacamole onto the plate surrounding the bowl and swirl smooth with the bottom of a spoon. Remove the bowl and voila! You’ve built your wreath’s base.

   Avocado’s gorgeous green hue is a great start for a holiday color palette. To complete the aesthetic, choose a guacamole recipe with hints of red — like tomatoes, strawberries, or pomegranate seeds — and maybe some dark greens, like chopped jalapeño, kale, or mint.

   Take it over the top with garnishes that resemble holly. All you need are a few cherry tomatoes (three per grouping is most aesthetically pleasing) surrounded by an herb that complements the flavor of your guacamole. Cilantro, mint, or rosemary work great!

2. Avocado Pita Christmas Trees

   O Guacamole Tree, O Guacamole Tree, how delicious are thy branches! Do your kiddos love helping you in the kitchen around the holidays? Avocado pita Christmas trees are an easy and fun holiday appetizer the whole family can enjoy crafting together.

   All you need to do is cut pita bread into triangles and smear mashed avocado over the top. Insert a pretzel stick into the bottom of the pita slice for the trunk, and string “garlands” of finely chopped red bell peppers in a zigzag pattern across each tree. For the finishing touch, place a single, large-diced piece of yellow bell pepper as the tree topper.

Pro tip: This recipe works best with fully ripe avocados. Are they feeling a little hard? Use this hack to ripen avocados overnight!

3. Holly Jolly Avocado Deviled Eggs

   Time is a precious commodity during the holidays. Avocado appetizers you can make ahead of time are a lifesaver. This recipe is a festive twist on one of the most famous finger foods of all time: deviled eggs, made festive with avocado. This recipe is also gluten-free!

   Follow this recipe for avocado deviled eggs. Then, choose your holly garnish materials: something red for the “holly berries” (diced red pepper or tomato, pomegranate seeds), and something green for the “holly leaves” (cilantro, mint, rosemary). Store in the fridge until party time.

Have a holly, jolly, healthful holiday season with the goodness of avocado. Learn more about avocado nutrition here.

The post 3 Holiday Avocado Appetizers Bursting With Good Cheer appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

What could go better with chilly weather than cornbread? The cooler months ahead are the perfect time to try a seasonal take on avocado toast, throwing in gorgeous, golden brown, toasted cornbread instead of traditional toast. Accompanied by delicious avocado spreads that pair nicely with cornbread fresh out of the oven, this recipe will be sure to keep you warm all through the winter.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. yellow cornmeal or polenta
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/3 c. unsalted butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-inch baking dish. Place in the oven to heat up.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk well.
3. Add butter, milk, and eggs to the center of the mixing bowl. Stir until just combined, as you want there to be some lumps remaining in the mixture.
4. Remove your pan or dish from the oven, taking care, as the dish will be very hot. Pour cornmeal mixture into the hot dish and return to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is a beautiful golden brown. When done, a toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the bread.
5. For extra toasty-ness: Preheat oven on broil. Place fully baked cornbread on the top rack for 1 to 2 minutes or until the top has browned.
6. Top each serving of cornbread with one of the avocado spreads below.

Toasted Cornbread Toppings

This cornbread is good with almost anything. Here are some of our favorite toppings:

• Avocado Hot Honey Butter: Creamy and sweet, there’s nothing like watching this spread melt into warm, toasted cornbread. Perfect for breakfast!
• Garlic Avocado Aioli: Rich and herby, this aioli spread across a slice of toasted cornbread works great as an appetizer.
• Mex-Tex Three Cheese and Avocado Chili Dip: Hearty and delicious, this dip plus your cornbread makes for an entire meal in no time at all.
• Caramelized Apple and Chile Guacamole: Sweet and savory, this seasonal favorite is just begging to be spread atop a toasted piece of golden cornbread.

Got leftovers? Be sure you know how to keep unused avocado fresh so you’ll have more for avocado cornbread toast tomorrow and the next day!

Click here for more inspirational avocado recipes.

The post How to Make Cornbread Toast (and 4 Avocado Spreads to Top It Off) appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

By Barbara Ruhs, MS, RDN

An avid avocado eater and guacamole lover, Barb is the Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for Avocados From Mexico and former sports nutritionist for Harvard University. Her philosophy on food is simple: Enjoy what you eat, prepare food with love, and add avocados to everything!

I’ll let you in on a not-so-secret bit of wisdom I’ve gleaned as a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist: Adopting a healthy lifestyle is so much easier and more enjoyable when you keep meals simple. I love one-pot meals (and one-pan meals!) because they’re easy to assemble on busy weeknights, and they minimize dirty dishes afterward. With few ingredients — including nutrient-dense avocado — you know exactly what’s in your bowl, making it easier to hit your nutritional goals.

These are my three favorite one-pot meals and one-pan recipes that take roughly 30 minutes to prepare.

Related: Meal planning is easy when you’re eating an avocado a day. Here’s how we do it.

1. Avocado Pesto Gnocchi With Leafy Greens

   If you’ve never made gnocchi before, don’t worry — it’s foolproof. Gnocchi is a potato pasta (great if you’re on a gluten-free diet) that’s almost impossible to overcook. You can find it in the pasta aisle at most grocery stores. This recipe looks complicated but it’s not — perfect for impressing a dinner date!

   Start by making fresh avocado pesto. If you’re in a hurry, simply combine half a cup of store-bought pesto with a fully ripe avocado in a blender or food processor. Combine with gnocchi and a cup of colorful cherry tomatoes (red, yellow, or orange). Tomatoes and avocado are a match made in nutritionist heaven because the good fats in avocados improves the absorption of Vitamin A and lycopene (a Vitamin A derivative) found in tomatoes.

   Place gnocchi and vegetable mixture in a baking dish and bake in the oven at 400°F for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through. Once finished, immediately mix in a handful of your favorite leafy greens, such as spinach or arugula, to add fresh flavor and even more nutritional goodness that will help you meet your veggie intake goals for the day. Allow the greens to wilt. Serve warm.

2. Slow-Cooker Chili With Avocado

   I like to play a game: How many beans can I fit in one pot of chili? Black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and cannellini beans … all of these are plant-based proteins and powerhouses of fiber. Throw them all in a slow-cooker along with two large cans of stewed tomatoes, your favorite taco seasoning, and any veggies hanging out in your fridge. (Potatoes, carrots, peppers, and onions are all great choices.) Set your slow-cooker on high for a few of hours. Before serving, carefully slice fresh avocado and drop a few cool, refreshing slices on top.

3. No-Cook Salad Bowl

   Salad bowls are an excellent choice for big families because they leave a lot of room for customization. Start by answering three questions:

   1. What’s your base? Choose a leafy green you love. Baby kale, spinach, butter lettuce, and romaine are all delicious no-prep selections.
   2. What’s your crunch? Radishes, carrots, jicama, or slaw mix all provide a satisfying bite.
   3. What’s your protein? No-cook options include rotisserie chicken and canned tuna or beans.

   Beyond this, just add your favorite co-star: avocado! Whether you like it diced or sliced, avocado adds an extra layer of health and takes your salad from “ho-hum” to “wow!” Not to mention the avocado adds good fats and nearly 20 vitamin and minerals to your salad.

   Last but not least: dressing. I recommend blending avocado into your favorite lite ranch or Greek yogurt dressing. If you have a few extra minutes, it’s worth it to prepare your own avocado salad dressings, made with honey and lemon, or avocado and cilantro.

Related: Create your own recipe by using our virtual Salad Builder.

Learn more about why I recommend avocados to anyone wanting more goodness on their tables as part of their healthy lifestyle.

The post One-Pot Meals With Avocado appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

By Barbara Ruhs, MS, RDN

An avid avocado-eater and guacamole-lover, Barb is the Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for Avocados From Mexico and former sports nutritionist for Harvard University. Her philosophy on food is simple: Enjoy what you eat, prepare food with love, and add avocados to everything!

As a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, I can’t say enough about the many virtues of avocados. They’re nearly a perfect food — a delicious fresh fruit you can fit into any meal, every day of the week. And there are many reasons you should! They’re virtually the only fruit with good fats (monosaturated fat and polysaturated fat) that help the body absorb vitamins A, D, K, and E. And they’re a good source of fiber, which adds bulk to your diet and can help you feel full faster and help manage your weight.

Whether you’re practicing a traditional balanced diet, or following a gluten-free or plant-based plan, avocado is a perfect way to pack more “goodness” into your meals. One serving of fresh avocado has nearly 20 vitamins and minerals!

Adding avocado to your diet doesn’t have to take a lot of time or effort. It’s a versatile fruit that requires little prep and zero cooking skills, and it can be combined with many pre-made or raw ingredients in a snap. Here’s a week’s full of inspiration to get you started on an avo-tricious journey.

1. Super Salads Monday

   Avocado elevates salads with a dreamy touch. My advice is to play with texture. Some salad recipes taste great with creamy, melt-in-your-mouth ripe avocados, while others go well with firmer avocado slices. And if you’re looking to sneak even more veggies into your salads, try pureeing avocado into your salad dressing. If you want a dreamy green Caesar or homemade green goddess dressing, we’ve got you covered!

2. Taco Tuesday

   Avocado and tacos are a classic pair! And a quick, easy, self-assembly dinner for the whole family on a busy weekday night — plus they are customizable to different taste preferences or eating styles. If you want a gluten-free or vegetarian alternative, no problem with simple substitutions. Taquitos and tostadas are a fun spin on taco night, too.

3. Toast to Wednesday

   On the run? No time at breakfast? While it may be tempting to go for a toaster pastry, avocado toast takes just about the same amount of effort. Simply scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon and smear it onto your favorite toasted bread. Here are a bunch of toast recipes to get you started. Bonus if you can add eggs, chicken, or berries on top! The combination of fiber and good fats from the avocado and protein provides energy to fuel your day and give you that extra oomph to make it to lunchtime.

   Another tip for early birds who are really in a rush: Grab a spoon, a ripe avocado, and a hard-boiled egg for an unbelievable on-the-go breakfast.

4. Simply Satisfying Thursday

   One of the best parts of avocado is that it takes minimum effort to prepare a healthful dish. For example, you can mix chopped avocado with rotisserie chicken for a satisfying snack. Or layer avocado on wheat crisps with slices of tomato and a sprinkle of salt. And if you’ve got a sweet tooth, there are lots of ways to satisfy it with avocado (without any added sugar!).

5. Friday, “Try” Day

   It’s always nice to kick off the weekend by making dinner together as a family — and with avocado, the possibilities are endless! Once a week, make a point to explore a new recipe with avocado. Take a trip around the world, while you’re at it, with globally inspired dishes, like Thai avocado shrimp bowls or Greek zoodles with cucumber and avocado.

6. Swap-or-Top Saturday

   You can also swap butter with avocado in baking recipes, like these scrumptious cookies and delectable pies. They have about the same amount of fat per volume, and most of the fat in avocados is good fat, with the bonus of fiber and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. Avocado also makes a great stand-in for sour cream or mayonnaise — a natural fit for sauces, dressings, and sandwich spreads. Try subbing the dairy in your smoothies with avocado for a creamy green twist!

Related: Learn how to tell if an avocado is ripe and ready to blend into a smoothie.

7. Guac on Sunday

   Reward yourself for a week well done with the most stupendous of treats — guacamole! Since the long ago days of the ancient Aztecs, families have gathered around big bowls of guac to spend quality time together creating memorable moments. If you want to expand beyond the traditional tortilla chip, get creative with other dipping devices: apple or celery slices, veggie crisps and fresh slices of cucumber are all satisfying options! (And a fancy tip: Guacamole also is fun addition to charcuterie and cheese boards.)

There you have it: Seven days and seven ways to sneak avocados, a nutrient-dense food, into your everyday diet. Have a healthful week!

Explore our bottomless archive of avocado recipes for more mealtime inspiration.

The post Meal Planning With Avocados: 7 Days, 7 Ways appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

The days are growing shorter, so why spend more time prepping dinner than you have to? Here are our favorite easy fall dinner recipes, each one containing Avocados From Mexico, and each ready in 30 minutes or less!

Related: Warm up on cool nights with our Mexican-Japanese fusion ramen recipe.

8 Easy Fall Dinners

1. Sweet Potato and Turkey Burrito with Avocado Pico de Gallo
   A new take on a true classic, this burrito is bursting with fall flavors. Sweet potatoes and ground turkey are topped off by a bright pico de gallo made from fresh avocado, tomato, and jalapeño, all wrapped up in a cozy and warm flour tortilla.
2. Ham & Swiss Panini With Apples, Honey, and Avocado-Mustard Spread
   Honey crisp apple, black forest ham, and a creamy avocado mustard spread you’ll want to put on everything — this crisp panini has it all. It’s easy to assemble, and when you’ve grilled it to peak-melty goodness, it’s guaranteed to you and your lucky family in a haze of autumnal contentment.
3. Beef Chili With Avocado
   As the weather cools down, our kitchen is heating up with this hearty beef and avocado chili! Delightfully seasoned with cumin, garlic, chili powder, and other cozy flavors, this chili packs in the protein with beans, cheese, and ground beef. On top of it all are diced, nutrient-dense avocados that contain 20 vitamins and minerals in every bite.
4. Lentil Apple Avocado Soup
   This easy fall dinner recipe just became the new apple of your eye. It’s brimming with the earthy flavors of lentils, shallots, ginger, and thyme and is beautifully dressed with an airy mix of finely chopped avocado, apple, cilantro, and mint. It’s perfect for especially cold nights!
5. Cheesesteak Taquitos With Avocado Cream
   These cheesesteak taquitos are ready in minutes! Complete with sweet bell peppers, sizzling steak, and toasted corn tortillas, they are packed with comfort and flavor. Topped with cool and smooth avocado cream, this dish finishes with a zing of lime.
6. Avocado Enchiladas
   Happiness comes from the simple things in life — like these quick and delicious enchiladas. Sprinkled with Manchego cheese and fresh cilantro, these creamy, flavorful chicken enchiladas are a perfect weeknight dinner for your family. Plus, the healthy avocado featured in this recipe is a good source of fiber and a great way to add fruit to your plate.
7. Harvest Bowl Salad With Balsamic Vinaigrette
   Fall is the perfect backdrop to enjoy this harvest bowl of delicious fruits, nuts, grains, and greens. Avocado, sweet potatoes, and apples sit on a bed of quinoa and kale, all topped with pecans, cranberries, and a zesty homemade avocado balsamic vinaigrette. Delish!
8. Roast Beef and Caramelized Onion Panini With Avo-Horseradish Sauce
   Gooey Swiss cheese, sweet, caramelized onion, and savory roast beef all make this delicious panini an instant family favorite. Topped with a spicy avocado horseradish spread and grilled to golden-brown perfection, this filling sandwich is all things fall.

It’s time to get cooking! Include Avocados From Mexico in your next grocery run, and be sure you know how to tell if an avocado is ripe, so you can select the best one every time.

Head over to our recipes archive to discover more easy dinner recipes that are always good, regardless of the season!

The post 8 Easy Fall Dinners With Avocado appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Game day snacks and sides made with Avocados From Mexico are a sure way to score a touchdown at your watch party, and nothing says game time like a guacamole football stadium. Just look out: With such a fun snack, it may be hard to keep people from playing with their food!

Related: Here’s how to show off your team pride with guacamole ingredients.

Ingredients:

Guacamole

• 6 Avocados From Mexico
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, diced
• Lime juice to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt to taste

Decorations

• Yellow bell pepper, sliced
• Baby carrots
• Cauliflower florets
• Broccoli florets
• Cherry tomatoes
• Beef jerky bites or pretzel nuggets
• Plastic resealable bag

Got your game day shopping done early? Be sure you know how to slow down ripening so you can have your avocados at the top of their game when the big day arrives.

Making the Guacamole:

1. Any great game day snack starts with Avocados From Mexico. Halve, pit and skin your avocados. Place in a large bowl and mash until smooth (or desired consistency).
2. Add diced onion, jalapeño, and cilantro.
3. Flavor with salt and lime juice, taste testing between additions. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.

Decorating:

It’s time to bring out your inner artist. Let the masterpiece begin!

1. Grass: Start by spreading your guacamole into a large, rectangular serving dish (a 13-by-9-by-2 or bigger). Be sure the top of the guacamole is smooth.
2. Field lines: Next, create yard lines, end zones, and sidelines. Spoon sour cream into a resealable plastic bag. Cut one corner off of the bag to create a small hole and pipe your lines onto the guacamole. You may want to use a straight edge or a ruler to create smooth, evenly spaced lines.
3. Uprights: Place two thick slices of yellow bell pepper into the guacamole at either side of the field. Pipe two small dots of sour cream on the ends of a third slice and place it across the top of each of the goal posts.
4. Players: Of course, you’ll need two teams to play on your guacamole field! Is tonight’s game the Blue Corn Chips vs. Tortilla Chips? The Green vs. Black Olives? Red vs. Yellow Cherry Tomatoes? You decide.
5. Grandstands: Line the field with broccoli, cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes. If possible,match your grandstand veggies with your team’s colors!
6. The Football: Last but not least, you can’t have a guacamole football stadium without the ol’ pigskin itself. To make this recipe perfect for a gluten-free diet, place a beef jerky bite on the field as a football. Or, if you’d like to keep it vegetarian, reach for pretzel nuggets instead!

Serve your guacamole football field with extra sliced veggies, chips, or pretzels for dipping (that is, if you can bear to upset your masterpiece!). When the guests arrive, every member of your squad will agree: “It’s GOOOD!”

For more inspiration, head over to our guacamole recipe page.

The post How to Make a Guacamole Football Stadium for Game Day appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Desde sus inicios en 1989, el Mes de la Herencia Hispana se celebra cada año desde el 15 de septiembre hasta 15 de octubre. Durante esta fecha celebremos la herencia, la cultura y las contribuciones de la gente Hispana que vive en los Estados Unidos. ¡Es una gran oportunidad para conocer más sobre los 21 países y territorios de habla hispana en Latinoamérica! ¿Y qué mejor manera de celebrar? ¡Una fiesta de guacamole junto a su familia y amigos!

¡Ya sabemos que el guacamole es el alma de cada fiesta! Su cremosa textura y rico sabor tiene el poder de unir a diferentes tipos de personas y culturas. Además, es un gran acompañamiento para distintas comidas típicas hispanas, como los tamales, tostones y tacos. Queremos inspirar más “guacamoments” compartiendo estas tres recetas de guacamole, elaboradas por la famosa chef Pati Jinich. Cada receta está inspirada en la cocina típica de un país de Latinoamérica. ¡Alista tu molcajete y arma una sabrosa fiesta de guacamole para celebrar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana!

1. Guacamole Picante Con Pepitas

   Región: México, ¡la cuna del guacamole!
   Dicen que sin chile la comida no sabe y ¡esta receta sabe bien picante! Se requiere tres tipos de chiles diferentes, como el jalapeño, chile serrano y chile de árbol (también conocido como pico de pájaro). Estos chiles no solo aumentan el picor, también agregan un toque especial a esta mezcla. En vez de la cebolla tradicional, esta receta es elaborada con cebollín para un sabor de cebolla más suave. ¡Y para ese sabor único mexicano, que mejor decoración que pepitas tostadas y queso Cotija desmenuzado!

2. Guacamole Con Pebre

   Región: Chile
   ¡Un guacamole que te hará gritar “chi chi chi…le le le”! Esta receta es 100% vegetariana y se prepara con una deliciosa combinación de aguacate machacado y“pebre”, un condimento chileno muy parecido a la salsa mexicana. Los ingredientes clave para un auténtico pebre chileno son cilantro, cebolla, chiles o “ajís” finamente picados y tomate.

   Esta receta requiere aceite de cártamo, lo cual está elaborado con las semillas de la planta de cártamo. Al igual que los aguacates, el aceite de cártamo contiene grasas monoinsaturadas y polisaturadas, mejor conocidas como "grasas buenas". Las grasas buenas son saludables y ayudan al cuerpo a absorbervitaminas importantes. Para esa sazón chilena, en esta receta también se utiliza el vinagre de vino tinto y el tomate maduro.En vez de totopos, sirve esta receta en rebanadas de pan crujiente o tostado para una presentación más tradicional.

3. Guacamole Al Estilo Salvadoreño Con Curtido

   Región: El Salvador
   El famoso curtido es un acompañamiento muy típico en El Salvador. Inspirado en los sabores de este hermoso país, este guacamole esta preparado con una interesante combinación de aguacate machacado con huevos duros en cubitos y queso fresco. Y que mejor decoración que un curtido salvadoreño, una ensalada de repollo, zanahorias, y cebollas picadas finamente. A diferencia de la típica ensalada de col americana, el curtido salvadoreño se marina en vinagre de sidra de manzana. ¡Sirve esta deliciosa receta con chips de yuca o de plátano para así gozar el refrescante crujido del curtido!

Hay un mundo de guacamole para compartir con sus amigos y familiares, y estas recetas de guacamole en el Mes de la Herencia Hispana son solo el comienzo. Descubre más recetas en nuestra colección de recetas de guacamole.

The post 3 recetas de guacamole para celebrar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Nothing makes happy hour happier than adding a delicious appetizer to the menu. Our app of choice is always guacamole, so we've gathered up a fistful of smashing guacamole cocktail recipes to give you the best of both worlds. After all, what could possibly be better than a guac-tail?

Related: Keep calm and sip on with this classic avocado margarita recipe.

5 Guacamole Cocktail Recipes

1. Strawberry Margarita Guac

   Fruity and refreshing, this guacamole is a burst of sweet summer time flavors! Blend up strawberry, lemon, and lime with your favorite tequila and loads of smooth avocado. Although this is one sweet dip, unlike most varieties of fruit, avocados are sugar-free. Trust us: One dip and this guacamole will have you sitting poolside.

2. Dry Martini Guac

   This guac-tail comes shaken, not stirred. Well, to be honest, it's more like mashed, but you’ll still feel like royalty while dipping into this vodka-laced delicacy. Rich blue cheese, salty olives, and zesty lemon will have you coming back, chip after chip.

3. Mojito Guac

   Drawing on inspiration from the classic Cuban highball, this minty guacamole is both invigorating and satisfying. Sweet cantaloupe and crisp jicama dance amid swirls of creamy avocado. And since avocados are a healthy, nutrient-dense fruit, there’s plenty to “cheers” with this guacamole cocktail. (Hint: This recipe is nonalcoholic, but feel free to add a tablespoon of your favorite white rum for some extra flavor.)

4. Mezcal Guac

   This recipe takes you to the hot, agave-studded wilds of Mexico with each bite. The cool, smooth waves of avocado are a lush oasis from the sizzling flavors of tomatillos, onions, and habanero. Meanwhile, lime, cilantro, and Mezcal (the smoky cousin of tequila) bring all the other ingredients into perfect harmony. It’s a guac-tail with a kick.

5. Piña Colada Guacamole

   Head straight to paradise with this tropical guac. Hear the call of the seagulls and the crash of waves in this blend of shredded coconut, delightful pineapple, and rum. To top it off, a perfect blend of cilantro, lime, and habanero will make you wish you were caught in the rain.

In case you’ve got any guac left at the end of your happy hour, be sure you know how to keep guacamole from turning brown, so you can enjoy your guacamole cocktail another time.

If these dips have got you craving avocado, explore more of our favorite guacamole recipes.

The post 5 Recipes for Guacamole Cocktail Hour appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Hearty and perfect for any meal, great for two or for a crowd, and never out of style, egg salad is among the most adaptable dishes you can make. But instead of using a traditional egg salad base such as mayonnaise, why not opt for creamy and delicious Avocados From Mexico?

Fresh avocados are a heart-healthy fruit. They provide naturally good fats, are low in saturated fat, and are cholesterol-, sugar-, and sodium-free. Not to mention that their delicious, green, creamy flavor is the perfect substitute for traditional salad spreads. It ain’t your grandma's egg salad, but it’s just as good!

Related: For more easy recipes, check out our five favorite shrimp and avocado salads.

Here are three unique ways to make avocado egg salad.

3 Avocado Egg Salad Recipes

1. The Simple Way

   Eggs-cercise your taste buds with this simple avocado egg salad. Diced celery gives a small crunch among the creamy egg and avocado mixture while onion, pepper, and Dijon provide a tasty kick! This salad keeps you content and helps defend against aggressive hunger cravings.

Did You Know? Avocados are a good source of fiber and are a great way to add variety to the diet. Dietary fiber adds bulk to the diet and can help you feel fuller faster and help manage your weight.

2. The Fruity Way

   This fruity avocado egg salad is stuffed with sweet pomegranate seeds, tangy orange, and Avocados From Mexico (because they’re a fruit too!). In fact, fresh avocados are essentially the only fruits with good fats. They are low in saturated fat and provide 6 grams of unsaturated fat per serving. You can see why they're our favorite!

3. The Meaty Way

   Now here's a chicken and avocado egg salad to fight off even the biggest appetite. Tossed with a garlicky, onion-mustard dressing, this recipe is too good to ignore. Crunchy lettuce and smooth, delicious avocado strike a perfect texture balance. And since it's packed with hard-boiled eggs and strips of roasted chicken, this salad is a great addition to any high-protein dietary regimen. Plus, all the ingredients also fit perfectly with a gluten-free diet!

These delicious avocado egg salads may be easy to whip up, but they won’t make themselves. So next time you’re at the store, don’t forget the avocados! Or make it easier on yourself by ordering avocados online and having them delivered to your door.

Hungry for more? Head to our recipe page for hundreds of ways to satisfy your appetite.

The post Avocado Egg Salad 3 Ways appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Life is sweet in the Philippines — especially with refreshing desserts like this one! This scrumptious twist on ice cream is a traditional Filipino avocado dessert, but it can be enjoyed wherever you’re from and wherever you live.

It only takes about five minutes to prepare; no appliances required. Plus, you can savor this sweet fact: The creamy avocados inside contain good fats and almost 20 vitamins and minerals!

Related: Go guacamole-global with these international dips.

Here’s how to make it, plus some customization tips to make it your own.

The Best Filipino Avocado Dessert

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe Avocados From Mexico
• 1/3 c. of sweetened condensed milk
• 4 tbsp. sugar
• Crushed ice to taste

Directions:

1. Carefully cut the avocado lengthwise with a sharp knife. Twist the halves in opposite directions and pull apart. Scoop out the green meat inside with a spoon.
2. Combine avocado, sweetened condensed milk, and sugar in a bowl and smash together.
3. Slowly stir in crushed ice.
4. Sprinkle or drizzle with any desired toppings and serve immediately.

Toppings

Avocados have a naturally mild, nutty flavor. That means avocado plays well with many other flavor profiles. Are you nuts for nuts? Sprinkle your Filipino avocado dessert with chopped peanuts, or go for pistachios to create a green-on-green color scheme. If you’re more of a fruit-ophile, you might prefer banana slices, strawberries, or toasted coconut shavings! Chocoholic? You can’t go wrong with chocolate chips or a drizzle of chocolate syrup on top.

Sugar Alternatives

Watching your sugar intake? First of all, you’ll be excited to learn that avocados don’t contain sugar. But if you want to replace the scoop of sugar in this recipe, honey or agave syrup are natural substitutes. Artificial, no-calorie sweeteners are also a light option!

Milk Alternatives

If you’re living the vegan or plant-based life, don’t cross this scrumptious Filipino avocado dessert off the list. Simply swap sweetened condensed milk with plant-based powdered milks — oat, soy, or almond are all great options.

Explore the globe with other internationally famous avocado dessert recipes.

The post The Traditional Filipino Avocado Dessert You Need to Try appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

You don’t have to wait for Taco Tuesday — chicken-avocado tacos are terrific seven days a week! The following five recipes are easy to assemble and customize to fit with a vegan or gluten-free diet. In 20 minutes or less, you can whip up a scrumptious taco dinner. Plus, the delicious avocados inside add nearly 20 vitamins and minerals — talk about a powerhouse meal!

Here are our five favorite chicken-avocado tacos, plus tips for adapting them to gluten-free and vegan diets.

Related: For some extra green, top your tacos with this avocado salsa verde.

5 Chicken-Avocado Tacos

1. Grilled Chicken Tacos

   You can’t go wrong with a classic. This recipe is piled high with juicy chicken, red bell pepper, and creamy avocado slices. The jalapeño will give you a little pep in your step!

Diet Modifications

• Gluten-free: Use corn tortillas.
• Vegan: Substitute chicken with sliced portobello mushrooms.

2. Avocado Chicken Fajita Tacos

   As they say, sizzliness is next to godliness. These seasoned tacos contain multitudes of flavor. Inside, you’ll find irresistible avocado, buttery queso Oaxaca, tender chicken breasts, and more.

Diet Modifications

• Gluten-free: Instead of a tortilla, stuff the ingredients inside a whole or halved bell pepper and roast in the oven.
• Vegan: Nix the queso Oaxaca. Replace the chicken with a medley of veggie fajita favorites: baby bella mushrooms, sliced bell pepper, broccoli, and cauliflower.

3. 20-Minute Easy Chicken Tacos

   Whether you’re short on time or patience, these easy-peasy chicken tacos will curb your craving quick. They’re quick to make but sacrifice no flavor — you’ll utilize a large share of your spice rack.

Diet Modifications:

• Gluten-free: You’re good to go!
• Vegan: Use the same marinade on diced potatoes. Roast them in the oven on a well-oiled baking sheet for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

4. Traditional Pollo Taquito With Avocado Drizzle

   Taquitos are technically not tacos … but they’re close! These made the list because they’re overflowing with chicken and avocado goodness and authentic Mexican flavors. Not to mention refried beans and cheddar cheese!

Diet Modifications:

• Gluten-free: Don’t change a thing.
• Vegan: Skip the cheese. Replace the avocado crema drizzle with slices of fresh avocado tucked inside the taquito.

5. Lime-Rubbed Chicken Tacos With Corn Guacamole

   These tacos will put a little zip in your day! Fresh lime juice brightens the tacos with a sour bite, while the avocado helps cool down the fire of roasted jalapeño.

Diet Modifications:

• Gluten-free: You’re all set with this one.
• Vegan: Use extra-firm tofu or chickpeas for the main source of protein.

Chicken-avocado tacos are just the surface — there’s a whole world of avocado taco recipes ripe for the picking.

The post 5 Chicken-Avocado Tacos appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

A long time ago, before football loved guacamole and influencers loved avocado toast, giant ground sloths and avocados had a special relationship of their own.

We’re talking a long time ago, before humans even appeared on the scene — approximately 66 million years ago, during the early Cenozoic era.

In those days, wild avocado trees were already blossoming across the Americas, and enormous, prehistoric creatures roamed the ancient earth. Among these creatures was the original avo-holic: the giant ground sloth. These two-ton megafauna snacked on avocados for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which was an important part of keeping avocados around long enough for us to enjoy too.

The World’s First Avocado Farmers

Prehistoric avocados had a different pit-to-flesh ratio than today’s avocados. Thanks to years of modern agriculture, Avocados From Mexico are mostly the creamy green parts that we love and eat. Way back when, avocados were more … hardcore. That is to say, they were mostly seed and less creamy green flesh. As a consequence, smaller animals couldn’t swallow avocados whole. Giant ground sloths, on the other hand, nearly inhaled them.

Eating avocados whole meant the seed stayed intact throughout their digestive system. (This is the important part.) The giant ground sloths then traveled great distances, depositing the undigested avocado seeds behind them along the way. These seeds would grow into new plants many miles away from their origin, with plenty of space to grow without other competing avocado trees nearby. Now that’s an example of symbiosis your science teacher would be proud of.

In a sense, giant prehistoric ground sloths were the “Johnny Avo-seeds” of the Americas.

One Mystery Remains

Sadly, the giant ground sloth went extinct during the Ice Age around 10,000 years ago, along with 68% of the other megafauna species in North America. No avocado popsicles for them, unfortunately. But they left humanity with a precious gift: avocado trees!

This leaves scientists with an unsolved puzzle. Smaller animals could not eat avocados whole. In fact, there are no known animals that eat avocado today. (PSA: Don’t give avocados to your pets!) So how did our favorite fruit survive between the extinction of the giant ground sloth and when humans first discovered avocado 10,000 years ago? The truth is scientists haven’t the slightest idea.

It’s no mystery, however, that the legacy left behind (literally) by the giant prehistoric ground sloth has provided us with a fruit containing good fats and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals that we can enjoy all year long in all kinds of delicious recipes.

So raise a toast to giant ground sloths and avocados for making guacamole possible today!

Learn more about the avocado’s fascinating history.

The post Giant Prehistoric Ground Sloths and Avocados: A Love Story appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Maybe your specialty is spicy catfish tacos. Maybe it’s battered tilapia. Maybe it’s just fish sticks in a tortilla. But no matter what the catch of the day is, a taco just isn’t a taco without the perfect sauce. And does anything beat avocado sauce?

Many traditional sauce recipes use spreads that contain saturated fats. Luckily, this homemade avocado sauce for fish tacos is a superb substitute. Most of the fat in avocados is unsaturated (monounsaturated and poly saturated fats), making avocados a great replacement for foods high in saturated fat. You get the same creamy texture, plus a brilliant green color. Bonus: This sauce is gluten free!

Related: For more fantastic fish, try out these Baja Fish and Guacamole tacos.

Avocado Sauce for Fish Tacos

Makes 5 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe Avocado From Mexico
• 1/2 c. cilantro, loosely packed
• 1 clove of garlic, minced or chopped
• Juice of one lime
• 1/3 c. low-fat plain yogurt
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 jalapeño (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare all ingredients. Carefully cut open the avocado, lengthwise, with a sharp knife. Scoop out the flesh with a shallow spoon into a food processor or blender. Mince or chop the garlic clove into small pieces. Tightly chop the jalapeño (if using). Remove seeds to lessen the heat. Loosely chop cilantro, up to 1/2 cup. Do not pack it down. Combine ingredients in the food processor.
2. Blend. In 10-second intervals, blend the mixture until creamy. Taste-test in between blends. Too thick? Add more lime juice or a sprinkle of water. Too runny? Add more avocado or yogurt to thicken the mixture.
3. Get presentation points. If spooning into individual ramekins for guests, sprinkle a few cilantro leaves over the top of each serving. If drizzling the avocado sauce over fish tacos, use the “piping-bag” method. Place the sauce in a sandwich bag. Push the air out of the bag and seal. Twist the bag from the top down to create pressure at one corner. Cut a spout in that corner with scissors and drizzle the sauce in a zigzag pattern over the mouth of the tacos.
4. Store. Avocado naturally oxidizes when exposed to air and turns brown. Keep your sauce a brilliant green by storing it in an air-tight container with a layer of plastic wrap inside, touching the top surface of the mixture. This recipe is good for about two days but tastes best when served fresh.

For more complementary condiments, check out our full spread of avocado spread recipes.

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A classic summer side dish, the cold pasta salad has never been more delicious than on lazy days. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite avocado pasta salad recipes to keep your mealtimes cool and calm.

Whether you’re making these pasta salads as meal-prep lunches or for a lazy weekend dinner, remember that when you include Avocados From Mexico, you’re adding nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients to your family’s meal. That’s what we call using your noodle!

Related: You’ll never go back to regular mac after you try this avocado mac ‘n’ cheese recipe.

5 Avocado Pasta Salad Recipes

• Avocado Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

  Looking for the perfect recipe? Remain chill; this vegetarian pasta salad has got you covered. Made with whole-wheat rotini pasta, cherry tomatoes, avocado cubes, red onion, chickpeas, feta, and Kalamata olives, this avocado pasta salad is bursting with colorful veggies. Once it’s been topped with a hearty helping of avocado basil dressing, you’ll be in pasta heaven.

• Elbow Pasta Salad

  Sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella cheese = good. Adding a dressing made from orange zest, raspberry chipotle hot sauce, and honey = even better. The final part of the formula: Topping it all with diced Avocados From Mexico. Now that’s perfection.

• Mediterranean Avocado Pasta Salad

  This chilled pasta salad filled with garlic, cucumber, red onion, and feta will have your tastebuds sailing away off the shores of Santorini. Add cherry tomatoes, basil, and avocados and you might just never come back. This recipe calls for rotini, but you can use any of your favorite short pastas to make it truly yours.

Pro Tip: Try substituting quinoa or brown rice to make any of these recipes perfect for a gluten-free diet.

• Avocado Pesto Pasta Salad With Oaxaca Cheese

  This avocado pasta salad is fantastic warm or cold. It features a homemade pesto and is topped with Oaxaca cheese — the perfect combo fora vegetarian entrée but just as great when served with salmon or grilled chicken. Just don’t forget to add the fresh avocado to help increase your family’s fruit and vegetable intake. They're delicious, heart-healthy, and a source of naturally good fats!

• Spicy Pasta Salad

  Though refreshingly cool, this chilled pasta salad still brings the heat in its own way. Roasted chicken, cucumber, feta, and black olives are tossed in a bed of delicate orzo. The jalapeño dressing lights a fire in your mouth, but creamy avocado soothes the flames. It’s the perfect pasta to eat by the spoonful!

When the feasting is finished, be sure you know how to keep cut avocados from browning so you can enjoy the leftovers for the next few days. Hasta la pasta!

Discover more exciting recipes like these on our recipe page.

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There are few things we love as much as avocados, but a good brunch may just be one of them. And getting out of bed has never been easier than it is when you know there’s an avocado breakfast sandwich with your name on it.

To get you started, here are five avocado breakfast sandwiches that will have you rising and shining every morning. Each one pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee, a glass of OJ, or a sparkling mimosa. Cheers!

Related: Don’t want to get out of bed to enjoy your avocado breakfast? We get it. We can help with that.

5 Avocado Breakfast Sandwiches

1. Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, and Tomato Breakfast Sandwich

   It’s the classic BLT — with a little something more. Tangy mayo melds with creamy avocado to create a perfect spread while crisp, salty bacon and sweet, juicy tomato dance on your taste buds. If that doesn't say “good morning,” nothing does.

2. Loaded Breakfast Banh Mi With Toasted Sesame Guac

   Bursting with a fusion of flavors, this brunch sandwich will make your tummy happy. Instead of popular sandwich spreads or condiments, this breakfast banh mi uses a spread of creamy sesame guac. (Virtually the only fresh fruit with good fats, avocados can play a dual role in helping people meet both fruit and good fat recommendations.) And when your stomach gets a load of the spicy honey-roasted bacon, crunchy cabbage slaw, and hard-boiled eggs all atop a light, airy Vietnamese baguette, don’t be surprised if you feel tempted to burst into song.

3. Mini Brioche Avocado Breakfast Sliders

   The early bird gets the breakfast sliders! This vegetarian-friendly brunch option includes fried halloumi cheese, scrambled eggs, and creamy Avocados From Mexico, all cascading over toasted, buttery mini brioche buns. Totally worth getting up and at 'em.

4. Topper Breakfast Sandwich

   This avocado breakfast sandwich starring chorizo was created by Pati Jinich. Its co-stars are homemade pico de gallo, two fried eggs, and (of course) the ever-delectable Avocados From Mexico. It’s all stacked between a crisp, buttery English muffin. Is your stomach grumbling yet? If you know the best ways to ripen an avocado, you won’t have to wait so long to try this delicious breakfast sandwich.

5. Bloody Mary Avocado Breakfast Sandwich

   If you’re looking to spice up your regular brunch game, we present this masterpiece of breakfast innovation. Hearty and satisfying, this sandwich will crush your hunger beneath strips of flat iron steak and cheddar-topped scrambled eggs. Then comes the kicker: Bloody Mary avocado salsa packed with all the classic flavors and spicy, crunchy veggies. After a breakfast like that, it’s never been such a great day to have a great day.

Each of these show-stopping avocado breakfast sandwiches is sure to wow at your next brunch, so shine the mimosa glasses and pick up some Avocados From Mexico — it’s brunchtime!

Wake up to even more avocado breakfast recipes here.

The post The Bruncher’s BFF: The Top 5 Avocado Breakfast Sandwiches appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

There's nothing quite like a summer evening spent outside barbecuing and enjoying the company of family and friends. The days of sunshine and picnics are upon us, and we have the perfect potluck showstopper: corn, tomato, and avocado salad.

Bursting with fresh flavors and summertime colors, this salad is absolutely brimming with goodness. It goes great on a paper plate — pair it with BBQ regulars like veggies, burgers, and chicken, or enjoy it on its own. A word to the wise: Eat quickly. We can't promise there will be any leftovers.

Related: Cool off after a long, hot summer’s day with this chocolate avocado ice cream cake.

Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin
• 2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 2 Avocados From Mexico, diced
• 3 ears of corn, in the husk
• 1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium lime, juiced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 tsp. coarse salt
• 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat grill for high direct heat and trim your corn husks back about 1 inch from the end. Cut off the stalk and place on the grill. Turn every 5 minutes until desired level of char, about 20 minutes total. (If you don't have a grill, pan frying your corn kernels can create that summer cookout taste without firing up the coals.)
2. Remove corn from grill and allow to cool until safe to handle. Slice down the outside of the corn ears from top to stalk, removing the kernels. Set aside.
3. Dice avocado into bite size pieces. Be sure you know how to cut, slice, and dice an avocado the right way!
4. In a large bowl, combine grilled corn, Avocados From Mexico, onion, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro. Mix well.
5. Dress salad with remaining ingredients and combine until well coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Dig in!

This corn, tomato, and avocado salad can be made a few hours in advance to allow for cooling, but tastes great when served immediately. Add extra lime juice to the dressing to help prevent the avocado from browning to keep your salad looking fresh!

Not only does it taste like summer in a spoon, but it’s also packed with veggies and topped with heart-healthy Avocados From Mexico. Avocados are low in saturated fat and are a great fresh-fruit option to help boost fiber intake. Who wouldn’t want them at the party?

Discover all kinds of new ways to enjoy avocado on our recipe page.

The post Summer Potluck Dish: Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Summer days may be long, but that doesn't mean your dinner prep has to be. We've gathered up our best summer dinner recipes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, and each one includes fresh avocados — our favorite heart-heathy fruit.

With these quick and easy recipes, you can spend less time in the kitchen and more summertime with your family and friends. Ring the dinner bell — it’s time to eat!

Related: For ultimate summer freshness, dig into these ahi-avocado poke tostadas.

5 Easy Summer Dinner Recipes

1. Thai Avocado Shrimp Bowl

   This quick dinner delivers the tastes of Thailand along with a fork full of fruits and veggies. And the best part? You don't even have to turn on the oven. Mango, cucumber, and mint keep things light while creamy avocado and sweet chili shrimp leave you wanting more. Bursting with flavor, this recipe is also a great option for anyone sticking to a gluten-free diet.

2. Shredded Chicken and Avocado Pizza

   Throw a curveball at your regular family pizza night by topping it off with nutritious avocado. This pizza starts with a zesty tomato sauce and is topped with piles of delicious mozzarella cheese and shredded chicken. Baked to perfection in just 14 minutes, and topped with chunks of our favorite green fruit, it's everything you've avo wanted.

3. Pineapple Hotdog Wraps With Spicy Avocado Dip

   Combining tropical with homestyle, this dinner cooks up fast and is perfect after an evening of backyard baseball. Since it takes less than 30 minutes to assemble these puppies, you’ll be dipping them into a spicy avocado-pineapple mash in no time.

Did You Know? Most Americans do not eat enough dietary fiber. Avocados to the rescue! Not only are they a heart-healthy fresh fruit, they’re also a good source of fiber and taste delicious — a triple win when you add them to your summer dinner recipes.

4. Baja Fish Tacos

   Hear that? The beach is calling! Whether you’re on vacation or just dreaming of island living, you can bring the beach to your dinner table with these fantastic fish tacos. Crunchy red cabbage and fresh cilantro tilapia swim in a creamy, zesty yogurt sauce. Easy to assemble and a rainbow of colors, these tacos will have you sailing away on your very own flavor wave in no time.

5. Tropical Chicken and Avocado Salad

   Go green and go grilled with this wholesome summer salad. Pineapple adds a crisp, tart twist to traditional salad, and avocado slices are an absolute must. The best part? You can mix up this tropical treat for the whole family in a matter of minutes.

With these quick and delicious summer dinner recipes, you won't have to sacrifice taste for time. And by adding heart-healthy avocados to your diet, you won't have to sacrifice delicious for nutrition.

Discover more avocado inspiration on our recipes page.

The post 5 Easy Summer Dinner Recipes With Heart-Healthy Avocados appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

For members of the gluten-free crowd who still like to enjoy a nice wrap from time to time, lettuce is a solid replacement for a tortilla. With a fresh taste and crunchy texture, it’s easy to see why lettuce wraps are exploding in popularity.

Add avocados into the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for flavor nirvana. The American Heart Association tells us that fresh avocados are a heart-healthy fruit. They provide naturally good fats, are low in saturated fat, and are cholesterol-, sugar-, and sodium-free. What’s not to love?

So jump headfirst into the avocado lettuce wraps below for some awesome lunchtime flavor.

Avocado Lettuce Wrap Recipes

• Beach Vibes Avocado Shrimp Wrap

  Just in time for summer but delicious any time of year! A potent avocado-mango salsa joins forces with shrimp in these lettuce wraps, creating a flavorful synergy and groovy beach vibes. The flavor profile is rounded out by a long list of quality ingredients, including garlic powder, red onion, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar. You’ll also need diced avocados — if you’ve never diced an avocado before, here’s the easiest way to do it.

• Mango Wrap

  With a range of ingredients, including mint, avocado, gorgonzola, jalapeño, basil, and orange juice, this wrap delivers a bountiful cornucopia of flavor. And if you’re trying to stay gluten-free, good news — you won’t find a trace of gluten here.

Related: Discover more ways to add avocado to lunchtime with these hearty avocado bowl recipes.

• Crisp Avocado Barbacoa Wrap

  Who is the real hero of this wrap? Is it the adobo sauce, with its rich and intense flavor? Is it the beef brisket, cooked to perfection? Is it the avocado, with its creamy texture and abundance of good fats? The truth is, all of the ingredients are important, and the real hero of the recipe is teamwork. This avocado lettuce wrap works just as well as lunch or as dinner, and if you decide you want the leftovers as breakfast, well, who could blame you?

• Buffalo Chicken Avocado Lettuce Wraps

  With a much shorter ingredient list than the rest of these recipes, this lettuce wrap helps you spend less time in the kitchen and more time in the flavor zone. When you take that first bite, you’ll feel the crunch of lettuce, the smoothness of avocado, and the fire of buffalo sauce. (To make this recipe truly gluten-free, opt for grilled chicken nuggets.)

Well, that’s a wrap…unless you want to check out even more avocado wraps. If so, head on over to our avocado wrap recipe page.

The post Add Good Fats to Your Lunch With an Avocado Lettuce Wrap appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Long gone are the days of boring salads! Avocado and shrimp is the perfect pair of powerhouse foods to liven up your plate. The following shrimp and avocado salad recipes are delicious and easy to whip up for potlucks, BBQs, and family meals on the fly.

Related: Learn the right way to slice an avocado in seconds.

Leafy Salads

Avocado and shrimp can make leafy greens go down easy, even for the pickiest eaters. The buttery texture of avocado softens a mouthful of hard greens, while shrimp delivers a satisfyingly savory bite.

• Shrimp, Avocado, and Winter Fruit Salad

  This heart-healthy recipe is packed with delectable fruits available year-round: creamy avocado (yes, avocado is a fruit!), tangy mango, and juicy red grapes, colorfully arranged on a bed of fresh greens.

• Thai Avocado Shrimp Bowl

  Feeling like Thai tonight? Make dinner a feast of Eastern flavors with this salad bowl, which combines a hearty helping of shrimp, mango, cucumber, peanuts, and avocado, drizzled all over with a homemade ginger-infused chili vinaigrette dressing. (And if you’re looking to whet your appetite, try one of these Thai guacamole recipes.)

• Grilled Prawn Salad With Tomatoes & Avocado Aioli

  While prawns aren’t exactly shrimp, they’re close cousins and taste identical. Try this savory recipe, made with fragrant garlic, turkey bacon, and tomatoes. No prawns? No problem! Substitute shrimp instead.

Lump Salads

Lump salads are an excellent choice for appetizers or an easy-peasy lunch. Only, instead of mayonnaise, which is commonly used in tuna salad or chicken salad, it’s creamy avocado that holds all the ingredients together in these delectable recipes.

• Avocado Shrimp Salad

  You can’t go wrong when you start with the basics. This classic recipe is easy to assemble in a pinch. It’s mostly made of—you guessed it—avocado and shrimp. Scoop it with pita or tortilla chips for an afternoon snack or scoop a spoonful onto crackers or lettuce leaves as an appetizer for party guests.

• Avocado Shrimp Salad Open-Faced Sandwich

  Tired of same-old, same-old sandwiches for lunch? Go bold! This shrimp and avocado salad-wich is a delightful change of pace. It’s served on rustic rye bread, and layered with sizzling bacon, arugula, and slices of ripe avocado.

Make Your Own Shrimp and Avocado Salad

One of the best things about salads is that the possibilities are endless. You really only need two ingredients for a great avocado and shrimp salad—the rest is up to your imagination (and vegetable drawer).

Mix and match ingredients to make your very own salad recipe at the Avocado Salad Center, or scoot on over to our avocado salad recipe page.

The post Shrimp and Avocado Salad Recipes appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Sandwiches have been go-to lunch and dinner options since the dawn of sliced bread for carnivores and vegetarians alike. So if you’re looking for meatless sandwich options that are anything but boring, assembling a vegetarian avocado sandwich is the place to start.

To get the most out of a vegetarian diet, choose healthy plant-based foods, such as avocados, which provide a good source of fiber, vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, and copper per serving. That’s why we’ve pulled together four of our favorite recipes for you to try out. Enjoy!

Related: Learn more than a dozen new ways to make vegan guacamole here.

4 Vegetarian Avocado Sandwiches

• Spicy Feta Avocado Sandwich Mash

  If you’re in a rush but don’t want to skimp on flavor, this ‘wich is definitely worth a try. You can make this recipe with just four ingredients (or three, if you want to ditch the feta and take it from vegetarian to vegan). This recipe is fast, easy, and features heart-healthy avocados front and center.

• Cucumber Avocado English Tea Sandwiches

  These decadent tea sandwiches are sure to make you feel like royalty. Buttery avocado and crisp cucumber work well as a team, creating a pleasant contrast in texture. Alfalfa sprouts lend a subtle crunch and add to the refined feel of these handheld treats. Add in the tang of whipped cream cheese and you’re at the tippy-top of the tea sandwich game. Pinky out!

• Tahini Avocado Grilled Cheese

  Avocado and tahini in a grilled cheese? You might be surprised by how good this one is. In this recipe, the classic grilled cheese soars to new heights with the help of avocado, tahini, and garlic. The result is a tasty vegetarian grilled cheese with some Mediterranean flair.

• Avocado Chickpea Salad Sandwich

  This vegan-friendly sandwich features hummus, avocados, and chickpeas to create a hearty textured spread that feels right at home atop a slice of fresh whole-grain bread. Green onions and spinach add a vigorous crunch, and a spritz of lemon juice ties it all together. Consider toasting your bread for maximum enjoyment.

Looking for more vegetarian avocado sandwich recipes? Check out our recipe archive.

The post 4 Vegetarian Avocado Sandwiches appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

GIFs are essential communication tools for commenting on our friends’ posts, pinging our coworkers, and confusing our parents. Because we are Avocados From Mexico and this is our blog, you can probably tell where this is going. Yep — avocado GIFs. All the best ones, pulled together in one place, like a recipe box for 5-second animations you can text your friends.

When words won’t do a text justice, don’t worry. There’s an avocado GIF (and a corresponding avocado recipe) for every situation.

1. For gym day.

When you’re working hard and looking good, it’s OK to let the world know. Pair this avocado GIF with a Chocolate-Avocado Protein Smoothie, a frosty post-workout drink full of banana, yogurt, almond milk, and plenty of avocado. With that to look forward to after leg day, we’d be smiling just like this little guy:

2. For the expectant mother.

This GIF is perfect for announcing a new addition to the family tree. Who doesn’t love hearing they’re becoming grandparents over text?

The best part of this GIF: Pregnancy means eating avocado for two! And one serving of avocado provides folate, an essential vitamin that is especially important for people considering pregnancy. Avocados are a good source of folate, which is an essential vitamin required to make DNA and other genetic material. Avocados are a great (and yummy) place to start!

3. For emphasis that avocados are always good.

You tell ’em, Andy. Use this avocado GIF if someone isn’t getting the point: YOU LOVE AVOCADOS.

Further proof there’s nothing like an avocado: Avocados are essentially the only fruit with good fats. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends replacing bad fats with good fats as good fats offer benefits in the body without raising LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. You can’t argue with science. (Or this GIF.)

4. For the guest who says they’re bringing guac.

That puts anyone in such a good mood, all they can do is bust a move. Just remind them of the golden rule of making guacamole for a crowd: You need half an avocado per guest!

Source: 

5. For your other half.

This avocado GIF is the perfect way to send a little love to the person who completes you. Let them know life without them would be the pits. This GIF pairs nicely with a DIY date night, featuring three courses of romantic avocado recipes. Ooh la la.

6. For a shopping list reminder.

Roommate picking up the groceries? Send them a reminder to pick up something gooooood.

If avocados still don’t make it into your shopping cart, they can still make it into your kitchen. Just order them online right from your phone. What an age we live in — moving pictures AND avocados on demand!

7. For the friend who needs some avo-education.

Send them this avocado GIF and a link to our guide to slicing and dicing avocados.

8. For the busy days.

Take a deep breath and focus on your core. Go to your happy place. (No judgment if it’s a giant bowl of guac.) You can start by staring at this totally Zen avocado and breathing in and out slowly with him:

Then, pick any of these simple avocado recipes. They can be tossed together with only a few ingredients in a matter of minutes, so you don’t need to take any extra time out of your busy schedule to plan a meal. We told you avocados were totally Zen.

9. For when you’ve finally found the one.

Nothing says “love at first sight” like a flawless avocado. If it’s truly the perfect avocado, there’s no need for fanciness. Give it the classic treatment in a bowl of traditional guacamole or on top of these simple beef tacos. Of course, then you have to let everyone know your dinner plans with this GIF:

Gimme Dat GIF

Which of these avocado GIFs is your favorite? Personally, we think they’re all good, just like a bowl of fresh guac or a salad topped with sliced avocados. Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

The post An Avocado GIF for Every Occasion appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Vegans, part-time vegans, plant lovers, avocado enthusiasts, and everything in between — you’ve come to the right place. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite 100% plant-based, vegan guacamoles. The following recipes are easy to make at home and begging for a spot on your dairy-free, meatless table.

Related: Discover more thrilling vegan avocado dip recipes here.

Savory Vegan Guacamoles

Ripe avocados are deliciously meaty — but rest assured, these guacs are herbivore-friendly.

• Vegan Guacamole

  This guac will have guests raving. It’s supercharged with plant-based ingredients: tender, sautéed tofu; crunchy cucumbers; and fresh tomatoes. Serve with whole-grain crackers.

• Hatch Chile Guacamole

  Hatch chiles are mild enough for just about anybody’s heat tolerance… yet they make for a spicy conversation topic when blended into creamy guacamole!

• Hearty and Spicy Guacamole

  This nutty guacamole is made with pine nuts and quinoa — which is technically a seed but is classified as a whole grain. It boasts a blend of rustic flavors, from garlic to turmeric and cayenne pepper.

• Latin Sizzle Guacamole

  Is your heart in Havana? This guacamole delivers a host of favorite Latin flavors, with pan-fried plantains, black beans, and Cuban seasoning.

• Indian Guacamole

  Naan other than the best vegan guacamole for you! This Indian-spiced guacamole is blended with aromatic curry powder, hearty chickpeas, and sesame seeds. Scoop with toasted naan bread.

• Roasted Shroom Guacamole

  Bring the umami, woodsy flavor of portobello mushrooms to your next batch of guac. Serve on seed crackers for a crunchy bite.

Spicy Guacamole Recipes

Can you handle the heat? Go bold with a vegan guacamole that’ll make you break a sweat.

• Three Pepper & Cayenne Spicy Guacamole

  Two spicy peppers and cayenne just weren’t enough. Meet the three musketeers of this spicy guac: jalapeño, serrano, and Fresno chile peppers. Yow!

• The Heat Is On Guacamole

  This guacamole has quite the range: creamy, mashed avocado; tangy apple cider vinegar; blood orange; and fiery habanero chile that keeps you on your toes.

Sweet Vegan Guacamole Recipes

The vegan lifestyle is pretty sweet when you have fruity guac.

• Pineapple Guacamole

  Creamy avocados and tart pineapple chunks are a match made in — well, guacamole! This recipe over-delivers on zing and gives a little delightful sting (thanks to the jalapeños).

• Pomegranate Guacamole

  Your guests will gush about this surprisingly simple recipe. Pomegranate arils (those are the seeds) are small, yet they pack a tart punch. This recipe plates beautifully, thanks to the contrasting green and red colors.

• Chipotle Apple & Almond Guacamole

  The guacamole doesn’t fall far from the apple tree with this recipe. Take your pick of sweet apples (honey crisp, fuji, gala, etc.) for this dessert-like treat.

• Strawberry Pico Guacamole

  If you love classic guac but want to reach out a little, this recipe is the pick of the patch. It’s got all the tried-and-true flavors of traditional guacamole, with the addition of ripe strawberries.

• Guava Coconut Guacamole

  Warning: You might find it difficult to not eat this guacamole with a spoon. Indulge your sweet tooth without the guilt. This recipe whirls together ripe avocado, coconut cream, and guava pulp.

Whether you’re looking for a snack or you’re feeding a crowd, guacamole is delicious just the way you make it: salty, sweet, vegan … in a word, perfect. Discover more guacamole dips and recipes here.

The post Best Vegan Guacamole Recipes appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Avocados From Mexico are an American kitchen staple for a reason. A mild flavor profile, creamy texture, and year-round availability make avocados the perfect base for nearly anything — even ice-cream cake!

In the heat of summer, we’ve often got a hankering for a cold, creamy treat. So when the long day comes to a cool down, grab a couple of ripe avocados and make this no-bake avocado ice-cream cake with a chocolate-cookie crust.

Related: Satisfy your sweet tooth with these other chocolate avocado desserts.

No-Bake Avocado Ice-Cream Cake with a Chocolate-Cookie Crust

Crust Ingredients:

• 25 chocolate cookies with white-cream filling
• 4 T. butter, melted

Avocado Ice Cream Ingredients:

• 2 Avocados From Mexico
• 1 ⅓ c. condensed milk
• 2 c. heavy whipping cream
• Juice of 1 lime

Fudge Topping Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. cacao powder
• 1/4 c. brown rice syrup (or corn syrup)
• 1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

For the crust:

1. Pulse the chocolate, cream-filled cookies in a blender or food processor for approximately 1 minute; the crumbs should have a fine texture. Combine with melted butter.
2. Firmly press the mixture into and along the sides of a 9-inch pie plate, creating an even surface on the bottom. (Pro tip: Use a large spoon or measuring cup to firmly press the mixture into the plate.)
3. Place the crust in the refrigerator until solidified.

For the avocado ice cream:

1. Wash, peel, and pit the avocados. Puree the avocado flesh in a blender or food processor.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir in the avocado puree, condensed milk, and lime juice. Mix the ingredients at a low speed using an electric hand or stand mixer for about 2 minutes or until well mixed. Place mixture in the refrigerator.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the heavy whipping cream and slowly whip the mixture for approximately 4 minutes. Gradually increase the speed until fluffy with some formed peaks.
4. Slowly fold the avocado puree mixture into the whipped cream until fully merged.
5. Gently spread the avocado ice-cream mixture into the refrigerated cookie crust. Smooth the top with a spatula.
6. Return ice-cream cake to the refrigerator.

For the fudge topping:

1. Bring the heavy cream, cacao powder, and brown-rice syrup to a boil in a small pot. Reduce the heat; simmer for approximately 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until smooth.
2. Allow the fudge sauce to cool to room temperature before spreading on top of the avocado-ice-cream cake.

Freeze for 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Thaw for 5 minutes before serving.

Whip up more sweet treats with inspiration from our avocado desserts recipe page. Or make it a meal with ideas for everything from appetizers to main dishes on our avocado recipes page.

The post Summer’s Night Avocado Ice-Cream Cake Recipe appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Mediterranean cuisine is all about fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and limiting saturated fats. So whether you’re on the Mediterranean diet or are simply a fan of the cuisine, you can leave Avocados From Mexico on your grocery list. That’s why we gathered five mouthwatering ways to make guacamole, each recipe inspired by the zest of the Mediterranean.

Related: Discover more internationally inspired recipes on the Guacamole World Tour.

Mediterranean Guacamoles Recipes

• • Mediterranean Tabbouleh Guacamole

    This hearty guac is stuffed with goodness. Tomato, feta, and parsley are blended perfectly with the umami of bulgur for a full-bodied snack to beat anyone’s hunger. Dip with pita flatbread or olive bread for some added grain.

  • Pesto Caprese Guacamole

    Pesto and avocado: They’re better together. Trust us. This guacamole highlights a zesty trio of lemon, basil, and garlic, creamed together with jalapeño for heat and pine nuts for texture. Squisito!

  • Figtastic Guacamole

    Delicious avocado is layered with dried figs and smooth ricotta, opening a whole new world of guac. Finish it off with the sweet nutty crunch of pecans, and this guac has it all fig-ured out.

  • Pomegranate Guacamole

    Beginning with a classically delicious guacamole of mashed avocado, red onion, cilantro, and lime, this guac takes it to the next level as exciting pomegranate morsels erupt throughout. More like Olympus than Vesuvius, this guac is totally divine.

  • Mint & Cucumber Guacamole

    This Mediterranean guacamole is dressed to impress. Cherry red tomato, onion, and refreshing cucumber stand out against velvety smooth waves of avocado. Throw in a distinctive hint of mint and this guac looks (and tastes) like a million bucks.

If you dig these Mediterranean guacamole recipes or are looking for more ways to include avocados in the Mediterranean diet, check out our guacamole recipe page.

The post 5 Mediterranean Guacamole Recipes appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Avocado margaritas are the quintessential cocktail for Cinco de Mayo, beach days, or backyard BBQs — and for good reason! They’re creamy, cold, and refreshing, with the perfect blend of sour and sweet to get the party started. Classic avocado margaritas are easy enough for any novice mixologist to whip up in a blender, and once you’ve mastered the basics, you can shake things up (literally!) with complementary flavors.

While these avocado cocktails taste amazing, please fiesta responsibly. These recipes are for mixologists 21 years of age and older.

How to Make an Avocado Margarita

To make a classic avocado margarita, you’re first going to need ripe avocados to dice into chunks. In a blender, combine avocado chunks, sweet-and-sour margarita mix, tequila, orange-flavored liqueur, fresh lime juice, and ice. Blend into creamy goodness.

To rim serving glasses with chili-lime seasoning or salt, spread the seasoning in an even layer on a plate. Dampen the rim of your glasses with a wet paper towel and place the cups down into the salt. Twist back and forth and release.

Garnish with lime wheels and fresh avocado slices. All that’s left is to find a nearby beach, pool, or open window to sit by and sip.

Related: Keep the summer energy rocking by breaking out one of these tropical pineapple guacamoles.

Avocado Margarita Remixes

Half the fun of making margaritas is experimenting to create your own signature flavor. Shake it up!

• Avocado Beer-rita: Bottoms up! Pick up a mini, 7-oz. bottle of your favorite light cerveza and dump it neck down inside your margarita glass. The beer will drain into the margarita as you drink.
• Avocado Sangria Swirl: This overnight cocktail is worth the wait. The night before, stir together a fruity red wine, orange liqueur, and orange and lime juice. Poor into an ice cube tray and freeze. When it’s party time, blend the sangria ice cubes into your avocado margarita mix!
• Mango Jalapeño Avocado Margarita: Is it hot in here? Blend finely chopped jalapeños and mango chunks into your basic avocado margarita recipe for a spicy-sweet treat. Feeling more mild than wild? Remove the jalapeño seeds beforehand to lessen the heat.

More Avocado Cocktails

The party doesn’t stop at avocado margaritas. Avocado cocktails come in all shapes and sizes. If you’re feeling more sweet than sour, give this Sweet Chili Avo Cocktail a sip. Prefer a spicy, garden-fresh adult beverage? Go with the Maria Verde Cocktail, made with avocado, tomatillos, green chile sauce, and jalapeño! For something really different, dare to toss back the Bandera Cocktail, made with fresh oysters and tomato.

Have your avocado and drink it too. Discover more avocado cocktails, smoothies, milkshakes, and more in our library of avocado beverage recipes.

The post Avocado Margarita (And More Avocado Cocktails) appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

No backyard is complete without a heaping bowl of creamy guacamole. This summer, give your guests a sweet treat: a rainbow of fruit guacamole scooped into a flight formation.

To help you find the perfect fruit guacamole for you, we created this library of recipes for you to peruse. We don’t use the Dewey Decimal System in this library. Instead, just look for the emoji of the fruit you want to try.

Related: Did you know? Technically, all guacamole is fruit guacamole. Learn why avocado is a fruit, not a vegetable.

Apple Guacamole 🍎

• Apple Radish Guac: It’s radishing, darling, just radishing,
• Caramelized Apple & Chili Guacamole: Tastes most excellent on tiny toasts.
• Chipotle Apple & Almond Guacamole: Johnny Appleseed would approve.
• Cucumber Green Apple Guacamole: A juicy, refreshing guacamole for a hot day.
• Tarragon, Apple, and Crab Guac: The tart Granny Smith apples give this oceanic recipe a surprising bite!

Banana Guacamole 🍌

• Banana Chipotle Jelly Guacamole: Your friends will be jelly they didn’t find this recipe first.
• Latin Sizzle Guacamole: Made hearty with black beans. Scoop with crispy fried plantains.

Coconut Guacamole 🥥

• Coconut Shrimp-Mango Guacamole: Shrimp guactail, anybody?
• Guava Coconut Guacamole: Thick and decadent thanks to coconut cream.

Cherry Guacamole 🍒

• Cherry Guacamole: Bing! Dinner is served.
• Duck & Cherry Guacamole: If this isn’t the height of luxury, we don’t know what is.

Mango Guacamole 🥭

• Habanero Mango Guac: Tastes great dipped with fried plantains.
• Mango Avocado Salsa Guacamole: An Asian cuisine-inspired recipe featuring ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, and sriracha.
• Mango Guacamole: Turn up the heat with serrano peppers to your liking.
• Mango and Tajin Guacamole: Salty and citrusy Tajin seasoning can be used to add a little zing to … well … just about anything!
• Mango and Tomatillo Guacamole With Queso Fresco: Dip with spicy rolled tortilla chip snacks for a fiery treat!
• Spicy Mango Serrano Guacamole: Topped with salty, crumbled queso fresco.

Orange Guacamole 🍊

• Bright Pineapple & Orange Guacamole: Squeeze the oranges yourself or grab the OJ from the fridge.
• The Heat Is On Guacamole: Orange you glad you have a glass of water handy?
• Orange and Tomatillo Guac: This recipe calls for roasted tomatillos coated in a dry spice mix.
• Sour Orange, Honey, Habanera, & Caramelized Scallion Guacamole: Sour. Sweet. Spicy. This guac does it all.
• Spicy Citrus Guac: Possibly the only recipe in the world with avocado, blood orange, poblanos, and maple syrup.

Peach Guacamole 🍑

• Brûlée Peach and Habanero Guacamole: A chunky-style guacamole with a little kick, thanks to tequila!
• Peach Charred Chile Guacamole: Charred peaches and sweet, caramelized onions give this guac a unique blend of flavors.
• Peach Guacamole: There’s bacon involved. Need we say more?

Pineapple Guacamole 🍍

• Chipotle Pineapple Guacamole: Holy smokes, that chipotle heat!
• Hawaiian Guacamole: Say ‘Aloha’ to Canadian bacon. Tastes like a luau!
• Holy Pineapple Guacamole: Bonus presentation points when served inside a pineapple half.
• Jerk Guacamole: Featuring top flavors of the Caribbean: habanero, jerk seasoning, and rum.
• Piña Colada Guacamole: Tastes great, especially if you like getting caught in the rain.
• Pineapple & Cucumber Guacamole: Fresh, funky, and delightfully chunky.
• Pineapple Guacamole: Made spicy-sweet with jalapeño.
• Tomato Guacamole With Pineapple: Green tomatoes to match green avocado.

Strawberry Guacamole 🍓

• Cupid Guacamole: Triple threat! Made with strawberries, pomegranates, and raspberries. You’ll heart it.
• Strawberry Pico Guacamole: A sweet take on a true classic.
• Summer Brûléed Melon Guacamole: For those that fancy playing with fire.
• Sweet and Seedy Guacamole: Creamy, sweet, and a little nutty.

Safety first! Before making guacamole, learn the correct way to cut, slice, and dice avocado. Then, you’re on your way to discovering all kinds of guacamoles and dips.

The post Fruit Guacamole Library appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Foodies around the world are talking: Air fryers are hot right now. Of course, we wanted to get in on the action, so we’re sharing our very own recipe for air-fried avocado frites. These golden-brown morsels are delicious appetizers at any event — and they’re made even more appetizing by our favorite dipping sauces!

Related: Explore all the ways to serve guacamole as an appetizer here.

Air-Fried Avocado Frites Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 ea. Avocados From Mexico, sliced lengthwise
• 4 large eggs
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• Nonstick cooking spray as needed

Instructions:

1. Slice your Avocados From Mexico lengthwise. (Here’s how to do it like a pro.)
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs with salt and black pepper. (Like it hot? Add cayenne pepper and chili powder to this bowl for a spicier batter.)
3. Separate all-purpose flour and panko breadcrumbs into two bowls.
4. Dredge each avocado slice in flour, shaking off the excess. Dip the floured avocado slice into egg mixture and then dredge in the panko breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to adhere. Repeat with all slices.
5. Place the avocado wedges into the air fryer’s basket and cook at 400°F for 9 to 11 minutes. Turn them over halfway through cooking. Let cool before eating.

Feelin’ Saucy?

These five fantastic dips and dunkers are our gift to you, so you don’t have to go looking all over the Internet for the perfect sauce to dip your avocado frites in. Each one is easy to make and incredibly delicious.

• Spicy Avocado Ranch: Ranch is the king of dipping sauces, made all the more dazzling with avocado.
• Avocado Green Chile Crema: Velvety, green, and the perfect cooling companion for piping hot avocado frites.
• Avocado Chipotle Sauce: Adobo adds a spicy punch to this sauce.
• Garlic Avocado Aioli: Pleasantly pungent, this four-ingredient aioli tastes great as a dip.
• Avocado Salsa Verde: Salsa time! Keep things green with this recipe.

Happy dipping! If you’re still hungry for more, check out the extensive catalog of recipes over at our avocado recipe page.

The post Air-Fried Avocado Frites and 5 Dipping Sauces appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

If you haven’t heard, avocado pizza is in. With a crispy crust, ripe avocado, and gooey cheese, how can anyone resist? The best days begin with avocado breakfast pizza or end with a decorate-your-own avocado pizza with the kids. To help you have more days just like that, we’ve assembled a list of six of our favorite pies your family will fall in love with at first slice.

Related: Bonus recipe! Here’s how to make a Margherita pizza with avocado.

6 Avocado Pizza Recipes

• Avocado Pita Breakfast Pizza

  Start your day sunny-side up with a personal-size avocado breakfast pizza. This recipe is so simple, you can start it well before your first cup of coffee. No oven necessary. Sub out the pita bread crust for whole-wheat toast or naan bread for a heartier bite.

• Braised Brisket Skillet Breakfast Pizza With Egg, Avocado, and Chimichurri

  If your favorite pizza order is meat lovers, you’ll eat this up. This recipe begins the night before, with brisket simmering in a slow cooker. The next morning, you wake up to juicy, mouthwatering brisket ready to join freshly chopped avocado, tomatoes, and eggs on a pizza crust baked in an iron skillet.

• Avocado Fajita Pizza

  Tell the kids it’s pizza night… and fajita night! This pie features familiar Tex-Mex flavors, such as fresh avocado, bell peppers, and fajita beef. Instead of mozzarella, use a Mexican blend of cheese, then drizzle with homemade avocado crema.

• Chicken Avocado Pizza

  Sometimes, making the pizza is half the fun. Let your kiddos call the shots with a supervised night of top-it-yourself avocado pizza. Start with a premade, frozen dough and let your kids sprinkle on the toppings: diced avocado, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, roasted chicken, and more!

• Avocado Cauli-licious Pizza

  One more reason to love the gluten-free life: avocado pizza on a cauliflower crust. This pizza is layered with complex flavors from nutty avocado to bitter arugula, sun-dried figs, and slices of salty prosciutto. That’s one sophisticated pizza!

• Chicago-Style Avocado Chicken Pizza

  If you like your pie layered sky-high, this Chicago-style avocado pizza is for you. This recipe shows you how to make your own deep-dish crust and fill it with a savory mix of classic ingredients. It’s all held together with a thick avocado-cilantro sauce.

Avocado pizza is versatile by nature. These recipes are just a starting point to get your creativity flowing. Add your favorite ingredients and improvise in the kitchen for a personalized avocado pizza experience!

Explore more clever ways to eat avocado from sunup to sundown on our recipes page.

The post 6 Avocado Pizza Pies appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Thai cuisine is known for its distinct flavor profile that combines four essential tastes: sweet, salty, sour, and spicy. Southeast Asian cuisine is a chef favorite in the fusion food space, which blends two or more regions’ distinct cooking methods and local ingredients to create a singular dish.

Try your own hand at fusion food with these four Thai-inspired guacamoles. Mexico meets Thailand among smooth, creamy Avocados From Mexico and strong hints of curry and sweet chili.

Related: These pad thai burritos fuse two of the world’s most beloved cuisines.

Our Four Favorite Thai Guacamole Recipes

• Green Curry Guac

  Green curry paste, shredded coconut, and dried currants give this guacamole a delightfully sweet taste. Lime, cilantro, and pickled onions deepen the dip’s flavor. Keep the green theme going — while letting the complex essence shine through — by serving this delicacy with sliced green bell pepper.

• Guacamole Masala

  Garam masala takes this guacamole to the next level. Expect a warm and flavorful dip with subdued spice. Want a spicier take? Kick up the heat by adding more sriracha and red pepper flakes. Slather this guacamole on your favorite cracker or add a dollop to your favorite Thai noodle dish.

Pro tip: Don’t wait. Learn how to quickly ripen an avocado.

• Thai Guacamole with Asian Slaw

  This guacamole is more than a dip — it’s a highlight of beloved Thai flavors. Fresno and Thai chiles give the guacamole a complex heat. Enoki mushrooms, carrots, and radicchio tossed in sweet soy sauce and rice-wine vinegar create a hearty, flavorful slaw. Serve this guacamole as a beloved side dish.

• Thai Sweet Chili Guacamole

  Sweet, savory, tangy, and spicy — this green goodness has it all! Coconut cream and avocado combine to create a cool, creamy base. Lime juice, scallions, and cilantro give this concoction a traditional taste of Thailand, and sweet chili sauce offers a craveable finishing touch. This dip is the perfect companion to crispy, flaky coconut shrimp.

Our avocado recipes page is a passport to creativity — and creamy, delicious guacamole variations.

The post 4 Thai-Inspired Guacamole Recipes appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

This ahi-avocado poke tostada fusion recipe offers exotic flavors hailing from oceans apart: creamy Avocados From Mexico and fresh ahi tuna poke from the Pacific. Together, they’re an unstoppable force of flavor, and they taste like an island getaway.

Related: Fan of Pacific cuisine? Try our irresistible recipe for Spam musubi with avocado.

Ahi-Avocado Poke Tostada Recipe

Ingredients:

Poke

• 4 oz. sushi-grade ahi tuna
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1/4 c. chopped green onions
• 1/4 T. sesame oil
• 1/4 T. toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 jalapeño, deseeded and diced
• 1/2 T. finely crushed macadamia nuts

Slaw

• 3 c. shredded cabbage
• 1 T. rice wine vinegar
• 2 t. honey
• 3 T. roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Tostadas

• 1 ripe Avocado From Mexico, sliced
• 4 small corn tortillas
• 1 T. avocado oil

Garnish

• Toasted sesame seeds (to taste)
• Sriracha whisked with mayonnaise (to taste)

How to Make Ahi-Avocado Poke Tostada:

1. Prepare the poke. Using a sharp knife, cut ahi tuna against the grain into 1/2-inch pieces. Combine ahi tuna, soy sauce, sesame oil, green onion, toasted sesame seeds, jalapeño, and macadamia nut grounds in a plastic bag or medium glass bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
2. Make the slaw. In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded cabbage with rice wine vinegar, honey, and cilantro. Set aside.
3. Bake the tostada. Preheat the oven to 500F. Brush both sides of tortillas with avocado oil and set on a foil-lined baking sheet without overlapping. Set a timer for 5 minutes and continually check to see when the tortillas become crispy and golden. Allow to cool.
4. Add toppings. Break out your ripe Avocado From Mexico. Carefully cut, lengthwise, around the pit. Twist the halves apart. Remove the pit and slice the avocado inside the skin. Scoop out the creamy, delicious avocado inside and smush onto the tortillas using a fork. Layer with slaw, ahi tuna, toasted sesame seeds, and a drizzle of spicy sriracha mayo.

Poke Around

Tuna poke and avocado are a dynamic flavor duo, and we love seeing them together. Try this tuna poke parfait with avocado wasabi crema next. Or if guac is more your scene, this tuna poke miso guacamole is for you. Fact is, we’ve got avocado recipes for all manners of taste. Feel free to poke around!

The post Homemade Ahi-Avocado Poke Tostadas appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

No matter how you slice it, Margherita pizza is a classic staple for pizza-makers everywhere. Our original recipe has all the great things you come to expect from this traditional style of pizza — paper-thin crust, garlicky tomato sauce, leaves of basil, and globs of mozzarella. But we’ve taken it a step further: We added creamy Avocados From Mexico to push it over the edge, and we are never going back.

Related: Guacamole has a soft spot for pizza too. Here are five ways these two can be paired.

Margherita Pizza with Avocado

Ingredients:

Dough

• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 oz. instant yeast
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 3/4 c. warm water
• 1 T. olive oil

Pizza Sauce

• 15 oz. canned tomato sauce
• 6 oz. canned tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 T. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Toppings

• 4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese
• 6-8 fresh, large basil leaves
• 1 Roma tomato, sliced thin
• 1 Avocado From Mexico, sliced thin
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

How to Make Margherita Pizza with Avocado:

1. Prepare the sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all sauce ingredients and mix until smooth. Set aside.
2. Make the dough. Put 3/4 cup warm water in a large mixing bowl. Be sure the water is warm but not boiling. Boiling water will kill the yeast and leave your dough flat. Add the sugar and yeast and stir until well mixed.
3. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until the yeast begins to bubble. Add olive oil and combine.
4. Add flour and salt and mix well until ball of dough forms. Dough should be slightly tacky and soft. Add water or flour to adjust the consistency as needed.
5. Assemble the pizza. Roll out a section of parchment paper that will cover your pizza stone (or flat cookie sheet). Gently but firmly, shape and stretch the dough until it’s 1/4-inch thick and the desired shape. Brush dough with olive oil.
6. Spread sauce to cover the dough, leaving roughly 1inch of border around the edge.
7. Arrange all toppings evenly over the sauce-covered area.
8. Bake. Place pizza in the oven at 475 F. (Pro tip: Use a pizza stone for an extra-excellent crust!)
9. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is melted and bubbly, roughly 8-10 minutes. Cut, serve, and enjoy!

Still have an appetite for more? There are so many ways to use avocado every day, and it is always worth it! Find out just how many different ways we can spin this fantastic green fruit at our recipe page.

The post Scratch Kitchen: Margherita Pizza with Avocado appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Some people have a sweet tooth. All people have an avocado tooth. The luckiest have both — and for us, caramelized avocado hits the spot! Caramelizing avocado requires few ingredients and only a little prep time. It’s deceptively easy and divinely decadent. So, what are you waiting for? Sprinkle some sugar on snack time with this one-of-a-kind recipe.

How to Make Caramelized Avocados

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe Avocado From Mexico
• 1 T. granulated sugar
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 T. avocado oil

Directions:

1. Halve the avocado. Using a sharp knife, slowly cut into the avocado, lengthwise. Once you hit the pit, continue to cut all the way around it in a single line. Remove the knife and twist the halves apart with your hands. Gently tap the knife into the seed and twist to release. Then, peel the skin away with your fingers. (Learn more tips about cutting, slicing, and dicing avocado here.)
2. Prepare the pan. Heat avocado oil in a small skillet on the stove over medium heat. Tilt the pan from side to side so that a thin layer of oil covers the entire bottom of the pan.
3. Prep the avocado. Sprinkle both halves of the avocado with sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.
4. Caramelize. The moment you’ve been waiting for! Add avocado halves to the heated pan, facedown. Cook 2-3 minutes, until golden in color and lightly fragrant. Flip and cook for another minute or two.

You can also recreate this recipe using avocado slices. Reduce the cooking time to 1-2 minutes and keep a watchful eye to make sure they don’t burn.

Related: If you love exploring new ways to enjoy avocado, you’ll love these State Fair-inspired recipes and games.

How to Serve Caramelized Avocado

There are near-infinite ways to work caramelized avocado into dining opportunities across the day. But if you need a good excuse…

• Breakfast: Bring your sweetie breakfast in bed, featuring caramelized avocado on top of banana avocado pancakes or smashed onto a hearty slice of toast. Family always on the go? Kick-start your day at maximum power with an avocado superfood smoothie bowl topped with acai berries, blueberries, and caramelized avocado slices.
• Snack time: Scoop savory meats like brisket or crumbled chipotle bacon inside the caramelized avocado half. Treat yourself to a caramelized avocado “boat” filled with sweet fruits and berries.
• Dessert: Wind down after dinner with a decadent, caramelized avocado dessert. Top a caramelized avocado half with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce. You won’t be sorry.

Explore more ways to satisfy your sweet tooth by checking out our library of avocado dessert recipes.

The post How to Make Caramelized Avocados appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

We’ve gathered our best vegan avocado recipes and assembled this collection of the most fantastic five. Each recipe is a delicious combo of fruits, veggies, grains, and greens that fit perfectly in a vegan lifestyle. And with flavors from all across the spectrum, there is something here for everyone.

To get started, learn the best ways to pick, store, and slice avocados. Then dive headfirst into this rainbow of color, flavor, and avocado.

Related: You won’t disappoint anyone, vegan or otherwise, with these plant-based guacamole recipes.

5 Vegan Avocado Recipes

• Avocado Rainbow Roll-Ups

  Perfect for packed lunches, snacks on the go, or appetizers at a get-together, these bite-sized pinwheels are the perfect way to eat the rainbow. Rich hummus is your spread, uniting crisp red cabbage, carrot, sweet bell pepper and creamy avocado in a blanket of flavor. It’s all wrapped snuggly inside a spinach tortilla — it looks almost too good to eat!

• Sicilian Citrus & Avocado Salad

  This is no ordinary salad — in fact, it’s extraordinary. Sweet, tangy blood orange complements the umami goodness of avocado while blending seamlessly with arugula and red onion. Finally, top it off with succulent pomegranate arils and crunchy, toasted pumpkin seeds. Orange you glad you discovered this vegan avocado recipe?

• Black Bean Lettuce Cups

  Simple and delicious, these cute lettuce cups taste like pure happ-bean-ness. An easily assembled dish, this recipe is inspired by Mexican American cuisine, featuring cilantro lime rice, sweet corn, smooth avocados, and black beans. Lettuce just say it’s an instant classic.

• Avocado Beet Salad

  Ideal for entertaining, this salad is as delicious as it is beautiful. Cubed avocado and beets are dressed to the nines and carried in on a leafy bed of lettuce. The best part: For minimal prep time, this recipe packs a mighty helping of flavor. You can’t beet that.

• Vegan Avocado Breakfast Tacos

  Let’s break it down: A spicy hot tofu and mushroom mix takes center stage on a corn tortilla. Along comes a spoonful of avocado salsa to top it all off. Whether you’re vegan or not, you have to admit that this recipe is something to taco ‘bout.

Looking for more fun with our favorite green fruit? Check out our extensive recipe page for more mealtime magic.

The post 5 Colorful Vegan Avocado Recipes appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

When combining the cuisines of different cultures, exciting new flavors await you at every turn. Avocados From Mexico and chicken curry might be one combination you weren’t expecting, but we’re serious when we say avocado is delicious with everything.

Slow Cooker Chicken Avocado Curry (Serves 4)

Avocado Curry Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 c. Mexican rice blend
• 14 oz. (about 1 can) coconut milk
• 2 Avocados From Mexico, diced
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 4 tbsp. red curry paste
• 2 jalapeños, sliced thin
• Cilantro, chopped rough
• Tortilla chips

Pro Tip: Learn how to cut, slice, and dice an avocado like a pro.

How to Make Avocado Curry:

1. Chop your chicken into bite-size cubes and add to slow cooker with coconut milk, red curry paste, and chopped onion.
2. Set the slow cooker on low and let cook for 4 hours.
3. About 30 minutes before mealtime, cook Mexican rice by following directions on the package.
4. Distribute the cooked rice evenly between four bowls and top with chicken. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the slow cooker while leaving the sauce.
5. Ladle the sauce out of the slow cooker and into a blender. Add half of your diced avocado to the blender and pulse until you’ve achieved a smooth, even sauce. If you’re having trouble getting it to blend, you can add a bit of coconut milk or water, but be careful to not add too much. You’ll end up with a thin sauce — thick, rich, and creamy is what we’re going for.
6. Pour the blended avocado curry sauce over each bowl.
7. Top each bowl with chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeños, diced avocado, and crushed tortilla chips.

Chef notes: Try pairing your avocado curry with Indian guacamole. Serve it with your meal on naan bread for a delicious twist!

With both Mexican and Indian cuisines known for hearty helpings of spice and flavor, this chicken avocado curry is a scrumptious fusion of both. And with the aid of a slow cooker, it’s a convenient meal to prepare.

Related: Discover more culinary breakthroughs on our blog, such as our avocado ramen recipe.

If you enjoyed this recipe, have we got a treat for you! We’ve got all kinds of avocado recipes for you to explore, from guacamoles and salads to tacos and desserts.

The post Mexican-Indian Fusion: Slow Cooker Chicken Avocado Curry appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Not everyone is familiar with Spam musubi. Inspired by onigiri, a Japanese snack made from rice and seaweed, Spam musubi has been enjoyed since the 1940s, when it found great popularity in Hawaii. Traditionally, it is eaten as an on-the-go snack or served during family breakfast or lunch.

Avocado Spam Musubi Ingredients:

• 1 12-oz. can of Spam
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1/4 c. oyster sauce
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 2 medium Avocados From Mexico, sliced
• 4 c. cooked sushi rice or short-grain rice
• 5 sheets sushi seaweed (also called nori)

How to Make Avocado Spam Musubi:

1. Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar until dissolved. Set aside.
2. Slice Spam lengthwise into 8 slices. Fry the slices on a skillet over medium heat until browned on each side. Add the soy sauce marinade to the pan until the sauce thickens.
3. Cut the seaweed sheets into 2-inch-wide strips, then place vertically on a cutting board, shiny side down.
4. Place a slice of fried Spam horizontally on the seaweed strip.
5. Fill a musubi rice mold with 1/3 cup of rice, line up with the Spam slice and press down to release. If you don’t have a rice mold, use your hands to form the rice into a flat shape with firm pressure. Dip your fingers in water to keep rice from sticking to them.
6. Using our guide, slice avocados. Place a slice on top of your rice, then roll it until the seaweed sheet is wrapped all the way around. Using your finger, seal the two ends of the seaweed with water. Repeat steps 4-6 for each roll.

Some enjoy Spam musubi warm, serving it right off the frying pan. Others store it in the fridge to be chilled and eaten later. (If you want to save your Spam musubi with avocado for later, we recommend spritzing the avocado with lemon juice to keep it fresh.) Serve with soy sauce, barbecue sauce, or ketchup.

Today, Spam musubi is being adapted and enjoyed all over the United States. It’s versatile and relatively simple to make, and it’s made all the more delicious with the addition of ripe Avocados From Mexico. Our recipe is a crispy, salty, and creamy treat that serves 4-8 people and takes no longer than 30 minutes to prepare.

Related: Keep the Hawaiian energies flowing with these six pineapple guacamole recipes.

Can’t get enough avocado dishes? Head to our avocado recipes page for endless inspiration.

The post Spam Musubi with Avocado appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

How to Make Avocado Salsa Verde

When it comes to salsa, there’s a fine line between preserving tradition and innovation. That’s why we came up with this avocado salsa verde recipe: Fresh and smooth with a spicy zing, it’s the twist on dip that’s exactly what you’ve been craving.

Avocado Salsa Verde Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 10 medium tomatillos
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 Avocados From Mexico, peeled and pitted
• 1 serrano, seeded
• 1/4 c. cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2tbsp. lime juice

How to Make Avocado Salsa Verde:

1. Remove tomatillos from their papery covering and halve.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add tomatillos, onion, and jalapeño. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and allow all the contents of the pan to sauté until lightly browned.
3. Remove pan from heat and place contents into a blender. Add avocados, serrano, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. If you like your salsa extra spicy, add the serrano or jalapeño seeds back into the mix.
4. Pulse for 1 minute or to desired consistency. Store in the refrigerator and let cool before serving.

Finally, it’s time to eat! You can dip right in with tortilla chips or use this fresh avocado salsa verde as a topping for your favorite tacos, salads, or tamales.

Chef notes: Salsa pairs well with many different dishes, but one of our favorite combinations is salsa and chicken. Try pairing this salsa with our grilled chicken and avocado BLT recipe!

The unique texture of avocados transforms this classic salsa into something closer to a salsa crema — only it’s made without cream! Not only is it easy to make, but you can make this avocado salsa verde any time of year — Avocados From Mexico are always in season. So break out the blender and have some chips on hand for this delicious new dip!

Related: Green is easy with avocados. Here are four leafy greens to add to your next guacamole.

For even more delicious recipes, head to our avocado recipe page.

The post Avocado Salsa Verde appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

Avocado Lunch Ideas for Kids

Over the past few years, children’s self-assembly lunches have achieved great popularity — and for good reason. Kids love to build their own lunch. To them, “some assembly required” is a selling point. But when prepare these lunches at home, Mom and Dad can rest assured that nutritious foods are packed inside — like avocados!

We call the following four recipes “AvocaDoables,” since they are easy, fun, and doable avocado lunches for kids to put together by themselves. They all add something yummy and green to their plate at lunchtime!

Related: Learn how to save half an avocado in the fridge for the next day’s lunch.

Kids’ Avocado Taco

What to pack:

• Avocado slices
• Miniature flour tortillas
• Pico de gallo
• Shredded Mexican cheese
• Cooked chicken slices or ground beef

Kids’ Avocado Pizza

What to pack:

For the base:

• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Marinara sauce
• Bread thins or mini bagel slices

For the toppings (pick and choose):

• Diced avocado
• Pineapple chunks
• Green bell pepper slices
• Sliced black olives
• Mini pepperoni slices

Kids’ Avocado Lunch Wrap

What to pack:

• Thin avocado slices
• Slice of preferred cheese
• Slices of preferred deli meat (chicken, turkey, or ham)
• Tomato slices
• Spinach leaves or chopped romaine lettuce
• Medium flour tortilla

Kids’ Avocado & Cracker Stacks

What to pack:

• Avocado slices or cubes
• Cheddar cheese slices
• Rolled, thin-cut slices of ham or turkey
• Cucumber slices
• Whole wheat crackers

Pro Tip: Keep the avocado slices fresh in transit by spritzing them with a little lemon juice, lime juice, or olive oil spray. This prevents the air from reaching the surface, which oxidizes avocados and turns them brown.

If you find yourself with leftover slices after you pack your kids’ avocado lunches, don’t let it go to waste! Leftover avocado can be used as a kids’ side salad with tomato and feta cheese or in a fresh fruit salad with strawberries and pineapple. And if their lunchbox is full, go ahead and blend the avocado into a breakfast smoothie for yourself.

Check out more kid-friendly recipes that are perfect for school lunches, sleepovers, and birthday parties.

The post AvocaDoables: Avocado Lunches Built by Kids appeared first on Avocados From Mexico.

We created this Mexican-Thai fusion for those who love both cuisine styles and don’t want to choose. It unites the warm, delicious comfort of pad thai with the handheld convenience of Mexican burritos — complete, of course, with Avocados From Mexico.

So the next time you've got cravings for both Mexican and Thai, don't choose. Fuse!

Related: Thai isn't the only fusion-worthy cuisine. Try this Mexican-Japanese take on homemade ramen with avocado.

Pad Thai Burritos with Avocado

Pad Thai Sauce Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp. Thai fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 4 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp. sriracha (add more to taste)