By G. Stassi for MizEnPlace.
I love trees and I’ve never met one that I couldn’t find something beautiful about with one exception – the homely avocado tree. It’s awkward –it’s huge –it’s blossoms are indiscernible and the fruit is unapproachable. It seems like one has to wait months before you’ll ever get to taste it and it’s an inedible disaster if your timing is not just so.
Now, there’s another way to look at this tree: it is much like the girl next door. You never really noticed her. She was not particularly pretty or charming until one day your mouth dropped open and you realized that she had matured into a succulent beauty. She had shed her awkwardness and revealed her creamy rich flesh. She doesn’t need anything to complete her loveliness. She doesn’t need fancy clothes or a face full of makeup. She is a natural beauty ready to be plucked from her mother and devoured by you.
You see, the avocado is quite often over-dressed and made-up like a Las Vegas showgirl. We have become so accustomed to eating this fruit laced-up tightly with onions, peppers, cilantro, and even processed with ground lettuce to make things like guacamole. Sometimes, it is the only “avocado” that people have ever eaten. You ask people, “do you like avocados?” and they respond,“I love it. You mean like guacamole, right?” Well, no. I mean that beautiful flesh that’s so creamy and rich that you’re tempted to rub it all over skin after you strip off that alligator suit she’s been wearing. She’s the one that gives to the touch when you barely squeeze her. If she’s not rigid or hard – she’s ready for you to indulge.
So I want you to try this beautiful native of the subtropics au natural and better yet, she is a local girl now grown all over Central and Southern California. Let’s not adulterate her – let’s just peel her, cube her and compliment her with some rather daring partners. What have you got to lose? She’ll be so good to you and is loaded with nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid, and iron. And better yet, avocados enable the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods when eaten together. They are great for the heart because they contain both mono and polyunsaturated fats and when eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels, therefore, decreasing the risk of heart disease. The avocado’s good fats provide 3grams of mono and 0.5grams of polyunsaturated fat per 1 oz. serving. These fats also make our skin, hair and nails supple and shiny. Don’t be intimidated by her because you think she’s rich in calories either: she is only 138 calories per half a fruit. Now, compare that to the stale muffin, acidic coffee and possibly over 600 calories you’ve been paying six bucks for every morning.
An avocado with breakfast will stave off hunger easily until lunchtime. I highly recommend trying these possibly foreign (or as I prefer to refer to it as exotic) combinations for breakfast or lunch with a cup of green tea: avocado with grapefruit, sliced grapes, diced apple, sliced pears, canned or fresh mandarin oranges or sliced mango; drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon or lime (optional).
And, don’t worry, you can thank me later – I knew you two were perfect for each other all along.
