VeggieBlog

As you may be able to tell, I am rather obsessed with avocado. Avocados are so delicious and nutritious, and great in sandwiches, salads and dips. Today I found a fantastic website devoted entirely to avocados!! The site is http://www.avocado.org and is full of recipes and info on this marvellous food! I’m certainly going to try some recipes, but first here’s some info on the avocado from this site:

Avo Facts

• Avocados are a fruit, not a vegetable, belonging to the genus Persea in the Lauraceae family.
• Avocados are sodium- and cholesterol-free and have only five grams of fat per serving, most of it the monounsaturated kind.
• Avocados were once a luxury food reserved for the tables of royalty, but now avocados are enjoyed around the world by people from all walks of life.
• Brazilians add avocados to ice cream
• Filipinos puree avocados with sugar and milk for a dessert drink.
• Latin Americans wrap avocados up and give them as wedding gifts.
• The avocado is also called an Alligator Pear because of its pear-like shape and green skin.
• Avocado is a corruption of the Spanish word aguacate, which is in turn a corruption of the Aztec word ahuacatl.
• About 43% of all U.S. households buy avocados.

nutrition details of avocado

• One-fifth of a medium avocado or about one ounce is 55 calories, but contributes beneficial nutrients such as fiber, potassium, Vitamin E and lutein to the diet.
• Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.
• Avocados provide more than 25 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid.
• One-fifth of a medium avocado has 55 calories and provides beneficial phytochemicals such as glutathione, beta-sitosterol, and lutein. Phytonutrients are thought to help prevent many chronic diseases.
• Avocados are a good source of fiber and fiber may help maintain heart health.
• When used instead of other fats, avocados contain over 25 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and can be part of a calorie-reduced diet.
• Avocados are a good way to get more lutein in the diet. An ounce of avocado contains 77 micrograms of lutein.

This recipe looks fabulous I must try it!

Avocado Gourmet Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 11/16 Cups very warm water
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 ½ Tbsp vegetable oil or avocado oil
• 1 1/3 Cups unbleached white flour
• Toppings
• ½ Cup diced tomato
• 1 ¼ Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1 Cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
• 2 California Avocados, seeded, peeled and sliced