Friday Five: Avocado

After yesterday's news, I feel like I'm supposed to write something in tribute to Farrah Fawcett or Michael Jackson. But I don't really have enough to say about either one, although I do have vivid memories of watching "The Making of Thriller" during sleep-overs at my friend Kirsten's house because she had a VCR and we didn't and I was always really scared and had to hide in my sleeping bag because I was just that sensitive. But I digress...

Instead, I'm going to stick with my original topic, about which (perhaps strangely) I have plenty to say: the beautiful, yummy avocado. Some may be afraid of avocados because of their high fat content, but it's monounsatured fat and low in cholesterol. They're also rich in potassium, B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin K and lutein, in addition to having the highest fiber content of any fruit. And they make a perfect baby/toddler food that's great for brain development -- just serve it like you would banana, either mashed into baby cereal or cut up as a finger food.

Here are five of my favorite ways to work avocado into your diet:

1. Grilled cheese: I first discovered this tasty lunch/dinner at The Raleigh Times, but it's easy enough to make at home. Use good sourdough bread with slices of cheddar, tomato and avocado. Grill on your panini maker (also known as the George Foreman Cooker at our house).


2. Triscuit and muenster sandwich: My favorite snack is to make little stacks of avocado and muenster cheese on top of a Triscuit. When I was pregnant, I would eat an entire avocado at one sitting. Now I try to limit it to half the fruit at a time. It's the perfect combination of crunchy, creamy, sweet and salty.


3. Mexican casserole: An easy, tasty, healthy dinner option is the sweet potato/black bean casserole. Layer mashed sweet potatoes, black beans, mexicali corn, quartered grape tomatoes, avocado slices and shredded cheddar. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until hot all the way through.
   
4. Chopped salad: We found this filling and delicious salad at Moonlight Pizza Company. Or you can make your own with romaine, grilled chicken, crispy bacon, avocado slices and crumbled bleu cheese.
   
5. Guacamole: No list of avocado recipes would be complete without this perfect dip. Again, I can probably eat the whole bowl myself with a bag of chips -- but I always try to share.