As you know, we’re crazy about avocados. We love the creamy texture and the delicious, buttery taste. The nearly 20 vitamins and minerals and good-for-you fats seals the deals– avocados are all-stars in our book! So when our friend and colleague, Jessa Nowak, RD, shared her awesome Sweet Basil Guacamole with us, we were hooked! Check out her fun, informative blog below and her delish recipe! She shares awesome tips for storing avocados as well as fun avocado facts!
And here’s some more info about Jessa– follow her great posts on social media! 🙂
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Did you know that those who regularly eat avocados have lower body weight, have a skinnier waistline and have better cholesterol levels compared to people who don’t? (1) One half of an avocado contains 114 calories, 1 gram protein, 6 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams of fiber and less than a gram of sugar. (3) Most of us have the intentions of eating better, so it may be worth your efforts to begin by incorporating avocados!
A Few Fun Facts About Avocados
• Yes, avocado is a fruit.
• Avocados were first grown in Mexico in 500 BC.
• The majority of avocados consumed in the world are the Hass variety.
• Growing season for Hass avocados is from Spring to Fall.
• Avocados are 80% water.
• Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, they help to absorb carotenoids present in other foods. (Carotenoids are responsible for the antioxidant properties of rich colorful pigments in fruits and vegetables.)
• The avocado is the cleanest eating food you can buy, only 1% of samples showed any detectable pesticides.
Choosing and Storing Avocados
Choosing the right avocado depends on when you plan to use it. A perfectly ripe Hass avocado will be a dark and tender to the touch when lightly squeezed. If it feels like a baseball, it needs to ripen up before eating. If it feels as if you are able to squish it easily, it’s overripe.
It’s best to store uncut avocados on the counter, not in the refrigerator. If your avocados are hard as ricks, naturally speed up the ripening process by placing them in a paper bag with a banana. Bananas release ethylene gas that ripen fruit quickly! Store cut avocados in a sealed container with their seed, sprinkled with a bit of lemon juice.
Avocados turn brown after cutting due to oxygen reacting with the freshly opened cells of the fruit. Adding an acid like lemon juice will not allow these reactions to take place because the acidity will help denature the enzyme needed to complete the browning reaction.
Guacamole is best made immediately before eating. But if you do happen to have some left over, this is the best way to store it: this idea came from the Kitchn.
• Press guacamole down into a seal-able bowl to eliminate any air pockets.
• Cover the top of the guacamole with an inch of lukewarm water.
• Seal with a lid.
• When ready to enjoy your guacamole again, pour off the water and fluff with a fork. It should stay green for a day or two if stored like this!
Sweet Basil Guacamole
Ingredients
2 Large Hass avocados
1 Large tomato (about ¾ cup), diced
1/8 cup Red onion, diced
½ cup Packed sweet basil, julienned
1 teaspoon Dried minced onion
¼ teaspoon Garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon Sea salt
Directions
1. Scoop avocado into a medium sized bowl.
2. Roughly smash with back of fork until chunky.
3. Add tomato, onion, basil, minced onion and salts.
4. Stir to combine.
Despite this guacamole having no lime juice, it will keep green for quite some time.
Nutrition Facts
Yields 2 cups, Serving size 4
Calories: 124
Fat: 10g
Sat Fat: 1g
MUFA: 7g
PUFA: 1g
Chol: 0mg
Sodium: 200mg
Carb: 9g
Fiber: 6g
Sugar 3g
Protein: 2g
Learn more about the amazing Jessa here…
- 2 Large Hass avocados
- 1 Large tomato (about ¾ cup), diced
- ⅛ cup Red onion, diced
- ½ cup Packed sweet basil, julienned
- 1 teaspoon Dried minced onion
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Sea salt
- Scoop avocado into a medium sized bowl.
- Roughly smash with back of fork until chunky.
- Add tomato, onion, basil, minced onion and salts.
- Stir to combine.
- Despite this guacamole having no lime juice, it will keep green for quite some time.