Guacamole- the good fat!

If you pass on the guacamole and stear clear of avocado's due to their fat content... have I got some GREAT news for you!  This wonderful fruit, the avocado, is packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and is rich in the important fats-- the mono and polyunsaturated fats.  It can actually assist in weight loss efforts (unless you go crazy and eat 5 or more a day!)  See the bottom of this entry for more nutrional info about one of God's greatest fruit creations!

The first solid food the boys ate were avocados and bananas.  Mashing them up provides a very quick and healthy homemade meal for a baby.

Mashed avocados (as quacamole) still provide quick and easy meals for our family.  Dinners on "Guacamole nights" take about 15 minutes to prepare and they are filling and delicious.  By altering ingredients or spices, guacomole never gets boring!

Recipe:

Chunky Guac:

• Use roughly 2 avocados per person  
• Mash them up with a fork in a bowl or on a cutting board
• Dice onions, sweet red peppers, tomatoes and cilantro and fold these ingredients into mashed avocados
• Mince fresh garlic or use garlic powder to taste
• Add sea salt to taste
• For spicier palettes, add diced hot peppers
• For a zestier flavor, try adding cumin or chili powder

Smooth Guac:

• The only difference to recipe above is to put the avocados in a blender or food processor to create a smooth texture 
• Fold the remaining ingredients above into smooth avocado mixture

Add organic corn chips or organic sprouted grain tortillas and your favorite salad makings or cut up veggies to complete the meal.

Once you have homemade guacamole, you'll never go back to the "cheese whiz guac" served at most Mexican restaurants!  (Some restaurants have a dish called "Guacamole a la vida"...which means they come to the table and make the guac in front of you.  Most of the ingredients above are used--- it's very good and an option we look for when we go out to eat.)

Avocados and Babies

The avocado's smooth, creamy consistency makes it one of the first fresh fruits a baby can enjoy. Sodium- and cholesterol- free, avocados contain valuable nutrients including 8% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for folate; 4% DV for fiber and potassium, 4% DV for vitamin E; and 2% DV for iron. A serving of avocado also contains 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene. Per serving, avocados have 3.5 grams of unsaturated fats, which are known to be important for normal growth and development of the central nervous system and brain.

Avocados Nutrient Profile:

• One-fifth of a medium avocado, or about one ounce, has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 beneficial nutrients to the diet.

• Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including 4% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 8% folate, 4% fiber, 2% iron, 4% potassium, with 81 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene. Phytonutrients are thought to help prevent many chronic diseases.

• Avocados act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.

Avocados and Heart Disease:

• Avocados can help consumers meet the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association, which are to eat a diet that is low to moderate in fat. The fats should be primarily unsaturated and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. The avocado is virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat.