Our three favorite avocado recipes plus why we should love avocados
Here at iCook, we love love avocados! What’s not to love!? Avocados have so much to offer!
We love avocados since they’re incredibly nutrient-dense Avocados are high in Vitamins C, E, B5, B6, and folate. They are also high in potassium! In fact ½ of an avocado provides more potassium than a whole medium banana! Vitamin E and C act as antioxidants, which help our body fight off disease and inflammation. Additionally. Avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fat! Monounsaturated fat is the great kind of fat that we should include in abundance in our diet. This is because the monounsaturated fats found in avocados have been shown to reduce inflammation, lower blood cholesterol levels, and protect us from heart disease. Talk about a full package! Lastly, avocados are a great source of fiber. One-half an avocado packs 6-7 grams of fiber, which is more than 20% of the RDA for fiber. As you can see, avocados are a great addition to your diet. Now that we know why we want to include avocados in our meals and snacks, let’s talk about how!
We love avocados because they are so versatile! They can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack or dessert! Below are three simple and delicious avocado recipes for you to try out today:
Avocado Toast
A true classic, avocado toast is simple, delicious, and customizable.
Toast two pieces of your favorite bread. In a small bowl, mash ½ of an avocado. Add a splash of lemon juice (optional). Mix until creamy or desired consistency is reached. Lay your toast flat on a plate and spread your mashed avocado onto your toast.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and enjoy!
Looking to take it up a notch? Here are some of our favorite toppings to add to your toast:
- 1 egg, any style- we love sunny side up!
- Chilli flakes
- Sliced tomatoes
- Arugula
- Sesame seeds
This recipe tastes the best when you make it your own! Be sure to season and top yours just how you like it!
Avocado Salsa
You will need 1 avocado, 1 tomato, ½ of a red onion, fresh cilantro, the juice of ½ lime, salt, and pepper! That’s it!
Dice the flesh of 1 avocado into small cubes.
Dice the tomato and ½ of a red onion
Finely chop fresh cilantro
Add all of the above ingredients in a bowl and mix
Add the juice of ½ lime
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy with chips or add to tacos!
Avocado Brownies
Using an avocado in a brownie provides that rich, fudgy, and creamy texture that every brownie needs. Here’s how we do it:
You will need: ½ of an avocado, ¼ cup of oil, 1/1/4 cup of oats, ½ cup of cocoa powder, ½ cup honey, 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt, ½ cup of water, and ½ cup of chocolate chips!
Mash ½ of an avocado and whisk with ¼ cup of oil until smooth
Blend 1 ¼ cup of oats in a blender until it becomes oat flour
In a large bowl, combine your oat flour, avocado mixture, ½ cup cocoa powder, ½ cup honey, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, and ½ cup water. Mix until well-combined.
Fold in ½ cup of chocolate chips into your batter.
Distribute your avocado brownie batter into muffin tins and bake in the oven at 375 F for 15 minutes.
Take your treats out of the oven, allow them to cool, and enjoy!
We hope you try out one of our avocado recipes today and experience the health benefits of avocados for yourself!
About the author: Tatiana Lehocky is a dietetic student and intern at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she is earning her BS in Nutrition and Dietetics. She loves to help people find simple and approachable ways to incorporate nutrition into meals they already enjoy.