Guacamole

I have been sharing food with flour and I think it is time to move away from it for awhile. I also realised I haven't been having enough fruits and vegetables in my meals lately and no wonder all the pimples are surfacing on my face. I need to stop blaming it on my busy schedule, its just me not managing my time well!

Contrary to the popular belief that avocado can be not good to us, due to the fats in them, many do not know that avocados contain the healthiest fats that our body needs. Stay away from bad fats (trans and saturated fats) and absorb more of healthy (unsaturated fats), i.e. Omega 3 fats which are found in salmon, polyunsaturated fats found in sesame, pumpkin, chia & flax seeds, soy milk, tofu and monounsaturated fats found in avocado, olives & nuts..to name a few. And I would like to share one of my favourite fruits today: Avocados! Never knew what you can do with avocado? Most of the people around me do not know how to appreciate this super fruit, most of the time they find it tasteless or they don't like the soft creamy texture but hey that could be turned around when you add a few simple seasonings...& it is super rich in fibre!

Choose avocados that can be pinch in slightly, these are considered riped. If not, place it in a bag with apples/bananas because they release a kind of ethylene, the hormone that triggers ripening. Cut it into half, then half again so you can release the seed in the middle without having to dig it out when its in its half, can be pretty ugly haha! After that you just have to peel them out and there you go, clean cuts. 

Personally I can't have an avocado by itself too, so what I usually do with it? 

• Have it with greek yogurt. The sourness in natural yogurt will be neutralised and blend very well with avocados. Need more? Throw in crushed almonds. 
• Make it your sandwich wrap. I would spread some peanut butter (PB) over it. If I do not have time to make natural PB, I use those commercially made ones. Just stick to 2 tbsp a day (it would be crazy to really measure the 2tbsp, so estimate). The difference between commercial ones and the PB you blend yourself is the salt and sugar in them, but if 2 tbsp of it is all that you're going to consume a day, it really doesn't make a lot of difference. 
• Salads are great too! Just add a few raw spinach, cottage cheese, red onion, smoked salmon and dress it with balsamic vinegar. Light dinner made possible ;) 

Guacamole
(Recipe adapted from www.allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

3 avocados (peeled, pitted, and mashed)
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
12-15 small cherry tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions

• In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lemon juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic.
• Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately. I cooked a serving of pasta and stir the Guacamole through it because I needed a filling lunch! Most people dipped it with Nachos or plain biscuits, perfect tea time snack.. at least for me :)