4 Avocado Recipes for Every Meal

Tweet

They’ve been called the world’s greatest superfood, and there’s no wonder why. With their ability to reduce your risk of heart attack and cancer, slim your waistline and even protect your vision, avocados make a great addition to any diet.

In fact, a new study shows that if you grub them down on a regular basis, you’ll probably weigh less than people who don’t.

Here’s a little nutritional info on this delicious fruit:

Avocados are:

• Packed with healthy monounsaturated fats
• Contain oleic acid, lutein & folate
• Loaded with vitamin E
• High in carotenoids & phytochemicals

These nutrients help protect from:

• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Metabolic Syndrome (which ups your risk of developing Type II Diabetes)
• Degenerative Eye Disease
• Decreased cognitive capabilities
• Skin aging & damage from UV rays
• Chronic Inflammation

(Source: Yahoo Health)

And if you think the only thing avocados taste good in is guacamole, think again. Here are 4 tasty avocado recipes – one for every meal. Try them at home to truly experience this superfood at its best.

1. Breakfast: Avocado Egg Bake

It’s hard to imagine just how delicious this avocado egg bake really is, but the unique flavor and protein-packed fuel will have you whipping this up every morning you can find the time. Not only do the eggs give you tons of protein to energize you for the rest of the day, but the avocado also provides you with all the nutrients you need to fight against disease. Wake up 20 minutes earlier tomorrow and give this one a try. 

What you’ll need:

• 1 avocado
• 2 eggs
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• ½ tablespoon chopped chives

How to make it:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Slice the avocados in half, and take out the pit. Scoop out about two tablespoons of flesh from the center of the avocado, just enough so the egg will fit snugly in the center.
• Place the avocados in a small baking dish. Do your best to make sure they fit tightly.
• Crack an egg into each avocado half. Try your best to crack the yolk in first, then let the egg whites spill in to fill up the rest of the shell.
• Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cooking time will depend on the size of your eggs and avocados. Just make sure the egg whites have enough time to set.
• Remove from oven; then season with pepper, chives and garnish of your choice. 

*Yields 1 serving.

Nutritional Info:

Calories: 449; Fat: 38.2g; Protein: 15.2g; Carbs: 18.1g; Fiber: 13.6 g; Sugar: 2g; Sodium: 137mg

**Recipe Courtesy: Fit Sugar
 

2. Lunch: Zesty Lime & Shrimp Avocado Salad

Salads always make a noontime meal, and this one’s sure to delight for any lunch-hour. It can easily be prepared the night before and tossed into a Tupperware container for the next day, and it’s so filling you will definitely not be hankering for any late-afternoon snack.

What you’ll need:

• 1 lb jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 hass avocado, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced fine
• ¼ cup chopped red onion
• 2 limes, juice of
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:

• In a small bowl, combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil & a pinch of salt and pepper. Marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes.
• In a large bowl, mix chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, cilantro & jalepeño. Mix in the ingredients in the small bowl and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste.

*Yields 4 servings

Nutritional Info:

Calories: 210; Fat: 9.2g; Protein: 25.1g; Carbs: 7.8g; Fiber: 3.6 g; Sugar: 0.6g; Sodium: 261mg

** Recipe Courtesy: SkinnyTaste
 

3. Snack: Avocado Fusion

This avocado snack really lets the creamy superfood stand on its own. All you need are a couple ingredients to enjoy the fruit without any complicated prep. Eat just half of the avocado and you’ll be good to go until dinnertime, but munch down the whole thing and you’ll likely push your evening meal back a couple hours.

What you’ll need:

• 1 avocado, pitted & halved
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Garnish (Optional):

• Wasabi
• Pickled ginger
• Cilantro

How to make it:

• Take a spoon between the meat and skin to loosen.
• Pour 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce over each half of avocado.
• Scoop out with a spoon and enjoy!
• Add wasabi, ginger, or cilantro to taste.

*Yields 2 servings

Nutritional Info:

Calories: 162; Fat: 14.7g; Protein: 2.3g; Carbs: 8.7g; Fiber: 6.7g; Sugar: 0.7g; Sodium: 174.6mg

** Recipe Courtesy: Food.com
 

4. Dinner: Roasted Garlic Avocado Pasta

A scrumptious meal that the whole family can get down on, this avocado pasta is not only healthy, it’ll make you look like a full-on gourmet chef. It’s pretty easy to make, and there’s no better nighttime fuel than pasta and avocado to help you sleep easier and give yourself and your family all the nutrition they need.

What you’ll need:

• 3 med. zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
• 1 leek (white part only) thinly sliced, separated
• 1 med. red and yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 Chinese eggplant, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
• 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, divided
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 5 med. cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. Salt and pepper
• 8 oz. penne pasta, cooked
• ½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken, cooked and cut into cubes
• ½ cup salt reduced, fat free chicken broth
• 1 avocado, seeded, peeled and cut into 16 slices
• 1 bunch fresh basil, 1 whole leaf per serving plus additional thinly chopped leaves (optional)

How to make it:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large roasting pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, combine all vegetables.
• In a small bowl, blend about two thirds of the balsamic vinegar, oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
• Pour over vegetables and toss to coat.
• Roast in oven for 45 min, stirring twice.
• Remove vegetables from oven and pour on remaining balsamic vinegar.
• In a large bowl, toss together cooked pasta, roasted garlic and vegetables, chicken, chicken broth and fresh basil (optional).
• Place the avocado slices on top.

* Yields 8 servings

Nutritional Info:

Calories: 200; Fat: 6g; Protein: 15g; Carbs: 21g; Fiber: 2g; Sugar: n/a; Sodium: 300mg

**Recipe Courtesy: Avocado Central
 

Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager

Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness. 

Recipes & Kitchen Tips

Tweet