March Superfood of the month is …. Avocados!

There is an avocado tree in our front yard that likes to drop fresh, ripe avocados right at our feet. Although it hasn’t been producing avocados lately, this is no problem because Kigali is filled with avocado trees, and one giant avocado only costs 100 francs (1/6 of a dollar) to purchase!

I LOVE avocados, I put them on everything and in everything I eat. It is an extremely healthy and versatile fruit (not a veggie) which offers numerous health benefits.

Let’s start with the numbers, sure avocados are high in fat in calories, but these are GOOD FATS and fill keep you feeling full afternoon

A typical avocado has 240 calories and 22 grams of fat, but the fat is composed mainly of healthy monounsaturated fats.

One avocado has 10 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein and is relatively low in carbohydrates, making it a great snack for people following a low carb/paleo lifestyle

They are a good source of vitamin K, folate, potassium, vitamin E, magnesium, vitamin C, and Vitamin B6.

Avocados are considered to be heart healthy foods, and when eaten as part of a healthy diet, can help lower your cholesterol and risk for cardiovascular disease.

To tell is an avocado is ripe, give it a gentle squeeze in your hand. The avocado should feel firm, but with gentle pressure. If only unripe avocados are available, place in a brown paper bag at home and store at room temperature. Once ripe or opened, store the avocado in the fridge. If you don’t use a whole avocado at once, keep the pit IN and sprinkle a little bit of lemon/ lime juice and store in the fridge to prevent browning.

So you’re new to avocados and don’t know what to do with them, here are some of my favourite ways to serve and enjoy

1. Guacamole- this was an obvious choice, mashed up, and mix in red onions, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, tomatoes, a dash of Bragg sauce and garnish with cilantro.

2. Cut into thin slices and put on salads, soups, chili or in sandwiches

3. Serve as an appetizer for two, cut a small avocado in half, remove the pit and fill with finely diced tomato, onion and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar

4. As sushi restaurants, order rolls containing avocado or make your own homemade sushi or rice wraps and fill with slices of avocado and cucumber and a protein source of your choice

5. Instead of putting mayo on your sandwich or in egg/tuna salad, use mashed avocado for a rich and creamy taste

6.. Avocados are great to bake with! Replace the butter in a recipe with avocados, make brownies using avocados (http://www.tgipaleo.com/2012/02/16/avocado-brownies-2/), or blend in your food processor for a delicious chocolate vegan pudding or fruit dip (http://www.inspirededibles.ca/2012/10/chocolate-avocado-pudding-with-coconut.html)

Happy Eating