06/14

Thinking Beyond Guacamole: 3 Avocado Recipes to Try Now

I’ll be honest with you, I’m a sucker for guacamole. If it were up to my taste buds, every day would be Cinco de Mayo  and the Stuber-Sims household would be one 24/7 fiesta of chips and guac.

Living in California, the unofficial state of avocado-appreciation, I’ve learned that avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat (the “good fat”), making it a heart-healthy that also does wonders for your nails and skin!  And since becoming a mom, avocados have become an even bigger superstar in our household.  Literally one of Brooks’ first solid foods!!

Avocados are the perfect method of getting nutritious fat and protein into my baby boy. I’ve also discovered that despite their distinctive taste and bold color, avocados are actually quite the chameleons and really lend themselves well into a variety of recipes—both sweet and savory.  Check out some of my fav recipes below!

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Don’t be scared! I promise you, this stuff is good.  SUPER good. The avocado makes the mousse really creamy and the chocolate is so potent that no one will even have a clue that they’re not eating the heavy-whipped, full-fat version. The trick is to get the ratio right and let it chill at least 4 hours before serving. Bon Appetite!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I like Enjoy Life’s version because they’re gluten free and vegan!)
• 3 large ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
• ½ cup of agave, maple syrup or brown rice syrup (basically any kind of sweetener will work)
• ½ cup unsweetened coco powder
• 1/3 cup of rice milk, soy milk or almond milk
• 1TBS vanilla extract
• A dash of sea salt
• Strawberries for garnish

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into the food process and blend until ingredients are completely combined.

2. Spoon into glasses and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Super Healthy Breakfast Egg Toast

Let’s be honest. Your average bread & butter offers a ton of fat and carbs with very few nutritional benefits. But this revamped version is like fiber-town meets healthy fat city meets superfood mall, all wrapped into one super easy breakfast combo. And did I mention it’s delicious??? I make this for my husband and baby boy at least once a week. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

• 1 slice of sprouted bread (I like Ezekiel 7 sprouted grain)
• 1 fried egg
• ½ avocado
• ½ TBS of olive oil
• Dash of flax oil (can easily omit—I just like the extra nutrition!)

Directions:

1. Combine flax and olive oil and spread it on bread.
2. Toast the bread.
3. Spread avocado on top of toast.
4. Fry one egg sunny side up and pile it on. Top with a dash of salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

Avocado Face Mask

Avocados are so widely proclaimed to be complexion-clearers that even big-time retailers like Kiehls are using them in their skincare products. But why go on a shopping spree when you can just as easily head to your pantry? You can find hundreds of DIY recipes online, but I love this one on LaurenConrad.com.