Avocados: The Good, the Bad and the Wholly Guacamole!

Avocados really sparked our interest this week after seeing a volunteer’s avocado seed sprout leaves! If you’re as obsessed with avocados as we are then you know the value of growing your own. Not only are you saving money but you could also have plenty on hand for your next batch of chicken salad or guacamole.

Mashed avocados are the perfect substitute for creamy ingredients like mayonnaise. Avocados can also be substituted for butter or oil in baking. They boost any recipe’s nutritional value too, adding an extra 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to the dish. Avocados are sodium free, cholesterol free, and low in saturated fat. Avocados are just the perfect addition to your diet in so many ways! Lucky for all us avocado lovers out there, they are always in season! Learning how to choose avocados is the first step. Look for ones with firm skin and no soft spots. They will firm but yield to gentle pressure when ripe. Click on this link for a neat tip to ripen your avocados more quickly. They will stay yummy in the refrigerator for a few days after they ripen.  Check out our Pinterest board for creative ways to eat more avocados! If you want to learn anything about produce, check out the website Fruit and Veggie More Matters. It has information about when all different types of produce are in season, how to select them, how to store them, recipes to make with them and their nutritional value.