Avocados are a fantastic source of monounsaturated fats, as well as a number of vitamins and minerals. You’re probably most familiar with this savory fruit as an ingredient in guacamole, or perhaps sliced into other dishes. The avocado is a far more versatile ingredient than you can imagine. Read on to learn six more ways that you can incorporate avocados into your meals.
1. Avocado Smoothie
If you’re a smoothie drinker, you probably tend to use bananas as your base to add body and creaminess to your beverage. Avocado, surprisingly, works in a very similar way.
This basic avocado recipe calls for, you guessed it, a ripe avocado, milk, lime, basil, sugar, and ice, but you can substitute ripe avocado into just about any smoothie.
2. Kale, Carrot, and Avocado Salad
This salad uses avocados’ creamy nature to substitute for a rich dressing. Simply throw together raw kale, grated carrot, avocado, red onion, lime juice, soy sauce, and toasted sesame seeds in a bowl, and mix it by hand.
As you do so, mash up the avocado until it coats the kale. You could serve this as is, or add a protein like grilled chicken or tofu to it for a full meal! Check out the recipe here.
3. Curried Tofu and Avocado Dip
Is it guacamole? Almost, but this curried tofu and avocado dip is a totally different creature. Puree together avocado, silken tofu, low-fat sour cream, Greek yogurt, lime zest, and garlic, and season it with mint, curry powder, salt, pepper, and a dash of honey.
The resulting dip is extremely creamy, but still light and very flavorful. Serve it as a dip for pita chips or veggies, or use as a sandwich spread for a healthier, tastier alternative to mayo.