Avoca- “Don’t mind if I” -do!! The many reasons that avocados should be on your LOVE list…

AVOCA-DO. AVOCA-DON’T. AVOCA-DON’T even think of passing it up~

I don’t know about you, but I am honestly the hugest fan of AVOCADOS!!  In recent years, they have become a daily part of my wellness regimen and I encourage you to find a place for them in your heart as well… And with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I want to tell you about my Love Affair with Avocados…

I mean really…who doesn’t just adore Guacamole?  Despite the fact that you can’t help scooping a heaping helping onto your favorite chip, there are still some good nutritional elements to be found in that big ol’ bowl of tasty green goodness!!  That stuff is loaded with tons of Vitamins… K, B5, B6 and C to give you an idea! And the fats in avocado?  Well, I’m here to tell you that these are the fats you can bring home to Momma!! Avocados are high in monounsaturated fats…and you can have a full blown love affair with those babies!!  Avocados are also super low in sodium and fructose, making them naturally wonderful for you…

I used to despise avocados.  The thought of that icky green thing anywhere near my food or my plate gave me the shivers.  Didn’t like the smell.  Didn’t like the feel when I touched it. And NO WAY did I like the texture when I tried to eat it. Clearly I’m a sensory sensitive person.  Of my own choosing, of course!!

And then ~ I got on board with that whole “get me healthy” thing I’ve been telling you about.  And I kept reading stuff about- you guessed it- how darn good avocados are for you.  And how they should be part of your diet for wellness.  And how “all the healthy people are doing it“.  Now, I’m not one to be called a follower… I can just hear my mother now…”If all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you be jumping too???”  Nah.  That doesn’t apply here.  This time I chose to be a follower just for ME!

And I’m not even gonna lie about it.  It took some doing to get me on the other side of the “avocado fence” as it were.  But I got creative with those beauties and I found ways to enjoy them which led to loving them.  You can do an awful lot with avocado; from using them in your baked goods in place of oils to replacing mayonnaise with avocado.  I’ve done it all and My name is Jeanie, and I am an Avocado-holic.

I’m going to share a load of photos with you that may just inspire you to become an Avocado-holic too!  I’ve converted many already…feel free to jump on the big green bandwagon and get ready to fall in love!!

Here is one of my ALL TIME favorites…this is what I enjoy for breakfast nearly every day.  A flatbread sammie with a half of an avocado smashed onto each piece…sprinkle a hint of salt and I add my favorite hot sauce too.  Delish!!

And sometimes, when the garden is giving us so much wonderful goodness in the form of fresh tomatoes, I’ll throw together a quick little lunch like this one…

And then there is the post workout superfood bowl…greens, cherry tomatoes, roasted chicken deli meat….and you guessed it…AVOCADO!!  Drizzle a little EVOO on top, season to your own taste with S & P and Wha-Laa!  Dinner!

Look at this tasty little dinner…these Sweet Chili Ground Chicken Sliders are super yummy with smashed avocado in place of mayo.  My whole family gobbled these right up!  No leftovers for this lady’s lunch! 

And finally (but seriously not the last of the zillions of yummy ways I use avocados!!), here is my leading post workout meal…which is like the uber meal… A baked sweet potato (no…you cannot load it up with butter and cinnamon and brown sugar…) topped with diced avocado and drizzled with Sriracha sauce… Oh. My. Yumminess.  This gorgeous little wonder will make you feel like a million bucks after your workouts…Good tasting and GOOD for you!!

So…yeah…give it a whirl…be brave…you just might find you have a new love in your life!!

If you’re looking for some good information or recipes here are a few links to get you started…Enjoy!!

http://www.mercola.com/infographics/avocado-uses-health-benefits.htm  A great resource for avodaco beginners.

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20395687,00.html  Fantastic recipes to inspire your newfound love affair with avocados.

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/avocado-recipes Cooking Light Magazine’s recipes for everything from sandwiches to salsas.

http://www.pinterest.com  This is the greatest “go to” site for all thing wonderful. There are so many delightful recipes for using avocado on here that I was dizzy!