This summer four fabulous avocado recipes were among our guests’ favorites. I’m going to share the recipes with my readers in this article.
About Avocados
“Avocado” is derived from the Aztec word “ahuacatl”. The avocado ( Persea americana ) tree is native to the Caribbean, Mexico, South America and Central America, where they have been cultivated for over 10,000 years. It’s thought to have originated in southern Mexico but was cultivated from the Rio Grande to central Peru before the arrival of Europeans.
Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They also act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit. Discover what’s inside every Avocado and see also this Avocado nutrient contents list.
Avocados and health
Recent research suggests that adding healthy monounsaturated fats such as those found in avocados have numerous health benefits. Depending on your weight, adding avocados to the diet could be an excellent idea.
OSU scientists believe that consuming avocados may help prevent oral cancer. In another study extract of avocado inhibit the growth of both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines in the laboratory.
Avocado, Parsley and Pistachio Pate
Serves 4 – 6
Chill 6 – 8 hours or overnight prior to serving
Serve with toasted tortilla wedges (or tortilla chips, rusks or crackers)
Ingredients
- 4 ripe avocados, peeled and stones removed
- 18 oz. (500 g) cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) very finely chopped green onion
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves very finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp (2.5 ml) chili powder
- dash of sea salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped parsley
- 2 Tbsp chopped pistachios
- kalamata olives
- 4 tomatoes
- toasted tortilla wedges (or tortilla chips, rusks or crackers)
Instructions
1. Line a 4″ x 8″ wide loaf pan with 3 layers of baking paper to extend 2 inches (5 cm) over the longest sides. Brush the top sheet with oil.
2. Combine avocados and cheese in a good processor until smooth. Add onion, lemon juice, garlic, chili and sea salt and process again until well combined.
3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan and level off the top. Press a apiece of plastic wrap on the surface and make the surface as smooth as can be. Chill for 6 – 8 hours or overnight.
4. Remove the plastic wrap and upturn the pate onto a platter. remove the baking paper.
5. Combine the parsley and pistachios in a bowl and then sprinkle over the pate.
6. Cut the tomatoes into wedges.
7. Serve the pate with the tomato wedges, kalamata olives, toasted tortilla wedges (or tortilla chips, rusks or crackers).
Salsa Fresca
*Tip: Buy chilis fresh and freeze them for later use. When you need one, take it them and, still frozen, grate on a cheese grater. This creates a really, really fine mince.
Ingredients
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped and drained
- 1 small white or yellow onion, minced
- 1 (or more) whole serrano or jalapeno chili, seeded and minced*
- 1/4 cup finely cut cilantro (coriander)
- 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- Sea salt to taste
- 2 cloves roasted garlic, mashed (optional)
Toss ingredients together in glass bowl. Refrigerate for at least two hours, drain, and serve with tortilla chips.
Guacamole
My guests couldn’t get enough guacamole. Some liked it smooth and others like it chunky so we made both.
Serve with toasted tortilla wedges (or tortilla chips, rusks or crackers)
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
- 1/3 recipe Salsa Fresca (see above)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
1. Mash avocado coarsely with a fork in a straight-sided bowl. Add salt and lemon juice and stir together.
2. Make sure salsa is drained well, then add to avocado mix. Stir together and refrigerate, covered, for at least two hours.
3. Serve with Serve with toasted tortilla wedges (or tortilla chips, rusks or crackers).
Avocado Salsa
Serves 4- 6
We make healthy food that our guest gobbled up, and this summer we had an abundance of Roma tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 6 Roma tomatoes, seeded, chopped (or 15 oz. canned diced tomatoes, drained)
- 2 avocados, pitted, peeled and diced
- 3/8 cup red onion, chopped fine
- 4 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, fresh, chopped coarsely
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- zest of one lime
Instructions
1. In a bowl, combine chopped avocado, tomato, onion, cilantro, and lime zest.
2. Whisk together lime juice and oil and drizzle over salsa.
3. Cover and refrigerate to let the flavors blend about 1- 2 hours before serving.
Are you an avocado lover?
A masculine construct of God calls one to adhere to God the Father’s laws. It includes the concept that God commands all to obey his laws, and at the end of time will ultimately punish unbelievers sending them to a living hell, but will forgive and reward believers with eternal life in heaven with him. This construct is embraced by those who say their understanding of God comes from reading the Bible.
A feminine construct of God calls one to be aware that for every thought and action there is a reaction, a consequence, an outcome regardless of the law. Those who embrace this construct of God say their understanding of God is comes from their experience that the universal laws of nature are impersonal. Reactions are outcomes flowing from natural law (
My understanding of God does not come from scripture. I don’t think we humans can ever have a true understanding of the nature of God until we recognize we are in charge of our selves and nothing more. When I reached the point in my life where I recognized I had no control over anything or anyone but myself, I came to understand that God was in everyone and everything.
I was raised in the backcountry in a family that encouraged vocalization, musicality and improvization. No one was left out. Everyone old or young was encouraged to vocalize in any way they wanted to, and to make music on instruments that were available or to create their own. The whole idea was to have a good time.
When exposed to city life I was astonished to find only those children who were outstanding vocalists and musicians were encouraged to sing traditional music and to play typical instruments avaiable at music stores, and all others were channeled towards sports, science clubs, etc.
Vitamin B12 is water-soluble and is needed by every cell in the body. B12 is a vitamin required for blood formation and rapidly growing tissues. Many people say that the only foods which contain vitamin B12 are animal-derived foods. This is untrue. No foods naturally contain vitamin B12 – neither animal or plant foods. Vitamin B12 is a microbe – a bacteria – it is produced by microorganisms. Vitamin B12 is the only vitamin that contains a trace element – cobalt – which gives this vitamin its chemical name – cobalamin – which is at the centre of its molecular structure. Humans and all vertebrates require cobalt, although it is assimilated only in the form of vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 is produced exclusively by microorganisms, but is also found in animal flesh due to ingestion, or presence of the micro organisms in the gut. However, since grazing “meat animals” tend to accumulate heavy metals from the environment, it might be suggested that animal sources of B12 are not as “good” a source as might be supposed.
