Have you fallen in love with avocado yet? It took me a while to warm up to this funny-looking fruit. The taste is bland, and the texture a bit pasty. That was my thought the first time I tried it, sliced and slimy on a not-so-sensational salad at a restaurant somewhere.
I knew it was good for me. I knew that I “should” eat it, but “should” is never a good place to start. I needed to want it, to crave it, to fall in love.
I worked on this relationship and endured many avocado misadventures in my kitchen, but the answer, when it arrived, was surprisingly simple. If you are not in love with avocado, try this simple sandwich and see if it works for you.
Avocado dill sandwich
- 1 Hass avocado, organic
- 1 tbsp. sweet Dijon dressing (Use your favorite dressing.)
- 1 tsp. lime juice (I use Santa Cruz organic.)
- Pinch of fine Himalayan pink salt
- Fresh dill sprigs, as many as you like (I use 6 or 7, home-grown when possible.)
- 2 slices of Great Harvest Bakery rye bread (Use your favorite bread.)
First, prepare the avocado. Remove the hard stem if it is still there, because you don’t want this in your sandwich. (Yes, I’ve done that.) Slice the avocado in half lengthwise, going around the pit. Twist the two sides in opposite directions to separate them. Squeeze the pit out of the one half, or use a knife to pry it out. Finally, squeeze each half to press the pulp out of the shell and into a bowl. Remove any brown spots.
Next, add the dressing, lime juice, and salt. Mash and mix with a fork until it’s completely smooth or slightly lumpy (your choice). Spread this mixture on one slice of bread, lay the dill sprigs on top, and add the second slice of bread. Ta-da, lunchtime!
Avocado nutrition
Why should you eat this? Avocado has a complete protein, about 2.7 grams per one fruit. It is high in monounsaturated (healthy) fat, potassium, vitamins C, E, K, B6 and folate, and high in iron, magnesium, copper, and manganese. It has high fiber, and a low glycemic load. It is alkalizing and anti-inflammatory. Avocado’s high potassium level has benefits for high blood pressure. When eaten frequently, avocado lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, while raising HDL (good) cholesterol. It is soothing to the digestive tract, and it helps with bad breath.
This fruit is also good for the outside of you. Rub some of the mashed pulp into your hands, around your cuticles, on your face, your scalp, and your hair. (Rinse it off again.)
The mailman
The avocado is native to Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. The Aztecs called it the “fertility fruit,” and evidence suggests that it was used as far back as 10,000 BC in Mexico. One avocado tree can grow to 69 feet tall and produces an average of 1200 avocados in a year.
Today, every single avocado of the popular Hass variety is descended from one “mother tree” raised by Rudolph Hass, a mail carrier in California who was smart enough to patent his tree in 1935. Mexico now exports hundreds of thousands of tons of Hass avocados each year, and the number has grown exponentially in recent years. Large quantities are also grown in California.
So, that’s billions, trillions, quadrillions of avocados? I wonder. More than a few people have learned to love this fabulous fruit.
What about you?
© Copyright 2011, Laura J. Rongé, Ciel Bleu Media, healthiveg.com. All rights reserved for all content on this site, including text and photos.
Disclaimer—The articles here are not intended as medical, nutritional, or other professional advice. The ideas presented are my own, unless otherwise noted, and are for informational purposes only. Please use this information with discretion.
Let me tell you how I fell in love with an avocado; I was working in Tokyo and needed to find a healthy, convenient, inexpensive lunch to carry to work. I picked one up at the vegetable stand near the train station (they were cheap) and took it to work. I cut it in half and ate it from the skin with a spoon. I think that my first impression was as good as it was because I was hungry and it was such a beautiful color of green. The love grew because it was creamy, nutritious and satisfying. Of course over time our relationship has evolved into sandwiches, salads and guacomole dips (I think that it goes with everything!) but I still like to go back to our roots and just eat one with a spoon! Thanks for the new recipe, I look forward to trying it!
Janet, Thanks for the wonderful story–no packaging, no processing, portable, a perfect lunch!
In Brazil (where I’m from) it’s eaten more as a sweet treat (although it can be found in a more “mexican way” in many places). I had a lot during my childhood and I loved it!
You put the pulp in a blender, add milk and something to make it sweet, like maple syrup or honey (I would have white sugar by then : ( ). I suggest you use something that doesn’t interfere in the beautiful color of the avocado. You blend everything until it turns into a smooth cream. Then, just enjoy it with a spoon. If you prefer, you can add more milk and drink from a tall glass with a straw, as a smoothie. Use a mint leaf to decorate. Or you can just put the avocado in the blender with milk (no sweetener this time), turn it into a cream, pour it in a cup, add one scoop of vanilla ice cream, stir and enjoy with a spoon. One more thing, I prefer it cold, so I would suggest you use ice cold milk.
You can do exactly the same with papaya (in Brazil you find it everywhere and it is cheap as banana) but you don’t need any sugar, as the fruit is already very sweet.
I loved your website! I already added it to my favorites.
Ana
Ana, I love these ideas! Thanks for sharing them. xoxo Laura
I fell in love with avocado myself and I am not sure where or when. It’s wonderful – sandwiches, on salads, in guacamole or my own version of salsa/guacamole – yum!
My only challenge with avocado has been finding them when they are ripe but not overly ripened. If you have any suggestions please do share.
Love the site.
Thanks, Kathy! I always buy them green and hard and let them ripen on the countertop. They are deep, dark green and slightly soft when ripe. It may take a few days. It goes faster if you set them with fruits like apples and bananas. These fruits naturally give off ethylene gas, which speeds the ripening of any fruits exposed to it. It is a tricky business to catch an avocado just right, so when I open a perfect one, soft but not too soft, not turning brown inside, it is an extra special treat. xo Laura
Thanks!
I love Avacodos! My latest love has been smashing a nice ripe Avacado and adding 3 cloves of raw garlic that have been placed in a garlic press. Add it to wraps, just use it for dipping and I’ve taken it to parties when asked to bring something. It never lasts! So healthy and yummy! Knowing that it is God’s food and it is NOT processed makes all the difference!
Thank you, Jean! Such a perfect recipe. Both garlic and avocados are so very healthy, and yes, the less processed, the better. Your friends are lucky to have you at their parties! xo