Amazing Avocados

Avocados are actually a type of berry.  While you may not be looking to add them to your next fruit salad, they are something to consider adding to your regular menu.  Rich in folate, copper, vitamin K, and fiber, they are also a great source of beneficial fats.  The unique fats found in avocados have anti-inflammatory benefits and also aid in absorption of fat-soluble nutrients.  A multitude of studies have been done and are underway to evaluate the potential benefits of avocados in regards to heart disease, regulation of blood sugar, and cancer prevention.

It took me a long time to become friendly with avocados because I was not sure how to pick a good one.  And then I was not sure what to do with it besides make guacamole!  Avocados are ripe when they are slightly soft to the touch.  I like to buy them a little firm and let them ripen at home.  They should not have any dark sunken spots or cracks.  To prepare one, slice it lengthwise with a knife and then twist apart the two slices.  Remove the pit and then either peel away the skin or scrape out the inside with a spoon or avocado scoop.  The greatest concentration of carotenoids exists in the dark green flesh just under the skin, and therefore you want to try to get as much of that when scraping or peeling.

I buy one of these dark green babies every week.  I mash it and then add lemon juice for flavor and to slow the oxidation, and then place it in a sealed container in the fridge for the week.  I use it as a spread in multiple ways, from atop a chicken breast to atop a salad to atop a sandwich.  My favorite thing to do is to spread it inside a pita pocket and add hard boiled egg whites and spinach.  The lemon adds a wonderful zing to the butteriness of the avocado, and the eggs and spinach turn it into a rogue egg salad sandwich of sorts.

If your avocado ages faster Benjamin Button in reverse, that's ok.  It is still ok to eat if it is slightly brown, it may just taste more bitter.  However, if the flesh is very dark or stringy, it is not a good idea to eat.  Be careful to also avoid a moldy avocado.  Avocados age fast at room temperature because of their high fat content.  Do not refrigerate an avocado until it is ripe; it can then be stored cold for several days.  It is best to keep avocados whole until use, but if you do slice it, cover the unused portion in plastic and store in the fridge.  I add lemon or lime juice to the exposed flesh, again to slow oxidation.