HEALTH COACH: The Superfood Avocado

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Lunch With HEALTH COACH

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Avocados are high in valuable, health-promoting fats. For a typical avocado:

About 75% of an avocado's calories come from fat, most of which is monounsaturated fat. Avocados also contain polyunsaturated fat.

Avocados are a good source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids

Avocados also have 60% more potassium (lowers and regulates blood pressure) than bananas. They are rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamin E, A, K, and heart-healthy carotenoids. Avocados are also an essential source of zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, and calcium.

Avocados have a high fiber content – including 75% insoluble and 25% soluble fiber.

Avocados have high ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) antioxidant values.

Avocados are a digestive aid.
When are avocados in season? While the California growing season lasts from approximately February through September (with peak output over the summer), Mexicos' crop is pretty consistent year-round and eclipses Californian production by about 3:1. We also get a summer supplement from Peru, a winter bump from Chile and the Dominican Republic, and an occasional assist from New Zealand. The high season, when avocados are at their best is in the month of March. Cook Republic: Know Your Avocado Varieties And When They're In Season

High avocado intake has been shown to have a beneficial effect on blood serum cholesterol levels. Specifically, after a seven day diet, rich in avocados, mild hypercholesterolemia patients showed a 17% decrease in total serum cholesterol levels. These subjects also showed a 22% decrease in both LDL (harmful cholesterol) and triglyceride levels and 11% increase in HDL (helpful cholesterol) levels. Additionally avocados contain substances which have a natural antibacterial component.

The Beauty of Avocados

Certain sugars found in avocados, like D-manno-heptulose, can improve the structure of the epidermis by boosting collagen. Avocados contain the protein sterolin which helps to reduce age spots, heals sun damage and scars and soothes inflammation. They can also provide a protective antimicrobial barrier.

Avocado Recipes

Avocado Toast

Whole grain sourdough bread, toasted

1 whole, ripe avocado, peeled, sliced, and mashed

Fresh-squeezed

lemon juice

Fresh-ground, naturally-harvested salt

Fresh-cracked pepper
Optional: Tabasco green pepper sauce, a day-off, and wine

Prepare toast and avocado. Assemble the slices of avocado on toast. Squeeze lemon over avocado, mash avocado with a fork, and season with salt and pepper.

Peach salsa-stuffed

Avocado Truffles

with ancient grains and super seeds

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2 Avocados
Presidents Choice Blue Menu
Ancient grains and super seeds blend
Peach Salsa

micro-dice:
1 medium sized garden fresh tomato
1 peach
green onion
garlic

add:
fresh-squeezed lime juice
naturally harvested salt
hot sauce

Slice ripe avocados horizontally, remove seed. Using a small spoon, enlarge the seed hollow, and peel the avocados carefully. Roll avocado halves in seeds that have been put in a small bowl. Plate and add salsa. Recipe inspired by Golubka's Kitchen

^{Healthy Breakfast Burrito}

1⁄4 fl oz (10 ml) olive oil
1 3⁄4 oz (50g) red onion, diced
5 1⁄4 oz (150g) red pepper, seeded and diced
5 1⁄4 oz (150g) drained, rinsed tinned black beans
1 t. ground cumin seed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
1 1⁄2 oz (45g) shredded cheese
1 whole-wheat tortilla
1 3⁄4 fl oz (50 ml) salsa
4 1⁄2 oz (125g) tomato, seeded and diced
4 1⁄2 oz (125g) avocado, cubed
hot sauce
sour cream (optional)

Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the onions and peppers until onions are softened and peppers are slightly charred, about 8 minutes. Add black beans and chili flakes and cook until warmed through, another 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a dish. Whisk the eggs then stir in the cheese. Reduce heat to low and heat olive oil then add eggs, scrambling until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Spread tortilla with salsa, then layer with the black bean mixture, the scrambled eggs, some diced tomato and the avocado. Season, to taste, with hot sauce. Roll up burrito-style and serve.

Avocado, Mango and Arugula Salad
6 cups arugula leaves
1 mango, peeled and cut into long slices
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
1⁄2 red onion, sliced
1 tbs lime juice
Spicy orange vinaigrette
1 T champagne vinegar
4 T orange juice, about 1⁄2 orange
2 T lime juice, about 1⁄2 lime
4 T olive oil
1⁄2 t cumin
2 T finely chopped cilantro
1 red chili or hot pepper, sliced
Salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients for the salad dressing in a jar, close it tight and shake until the ingredients are well mixed. Soak the onion slices in warm water with a dash of salt and 1 tbs lime juice for about 10 minutes. Rinse and drain the onions slices. Toss the arugula leaves with half of the vinaigrette. Add the avocado slices, mango slices and onion slices to the arugula mix, drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top. Serve immediately.

Laylita's Recipes

Shrimp Stuffed Avocado
4-5 firm ripe avocados
1 lb medium sized cooked shrimp
1⁄2 medium red onion, diced finely
2 radishes, diced finely
1⁄2 red bell pepper, diced finely
2 celery stalks, diced finely
5 tbs cilantro aioli or regular mayonnaise
Lime juice from 1 lime
salt/pepper to taste

Chop shrimp in half, if desired keep a few to garnish. Combine diced onions, radishes, bell pepper, celery, shrimp, 1⁄2 of the lime juice and aioli in a bowl, mix well. Taste and salt/pepper if necessary. Cut avocados in half, remove seed and peel carefully.
Drizzle remaining lime juice over avocados, this help keep them from darkening too quickly. Use a spoon to stuff avocados with shrimp salad filling. Add any garnishes and serve immediately. From Laylita's Recipes

Crab Cakes with Avocado Sauce

1 lb lump crabmeat
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 T mayonnaise
2 T celery, finely chopped
2 T red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 T sweet onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 T freshly squeezed lime juice
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, pureéd (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 t salt
2 to 2-1/2 cups panko crumbs
2 T olive oil

For the sauce ~
1 T vegetable oil
2 T onion, finely chopped
1 T garlic, finely chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced
8 or 10 small tomatillos, chopped
1/2 t sea salt
1 T agave nectar (or sugar)
2 ripe avocados, cut into small cubes
2 T freshly squeezed lime juice
2 T fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Prepare the crab cakes ~

Place the crabmeat in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, mayonnaise, celery, red pepper, sweet onion, cilantro, lime juice, chipotle pureé and salt. Combine thoroughly, then add the panko crumbs in 1/2 cup increments until the mixture reaches a consistency that will hold together when formed into patties. To form the crab cakes, gently pack some of the mixture into a 1/3 cup measure that has been sprayed with nonstick coating. Turn it upside down and tap gently until the formed crab cake comes out; then, using your hands, gently firm the patty and place on a plate. Repeat with the remaining crab mixture and refrigerate the formed patties for 30 minutes to one hour. While the crab cakes are chilling, make the sauce.

Prepare the sauce ~

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeños and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatillos and salt and simmer until the tomatillos soften and break down and the mixture thickens (about 12 to 15 minutes). Transfer to a shallow dish and set aside to cool. In a small bowl, toss the cubed avocado with the lime juice and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro and set aside.

Sauté the crab cakes ~

Heat the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the crab cakes in a single layer and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm while cooking the remaining crab cakes.

To serve, combine the avocados with the tomatillo mixture, then spoon a small amount of the sauce on top of each crab cake. Put the the balance of the sauce in a serving bowl. Garnish the crab cakes with the remaining cilantro if desired.

Choco-cado Pudding
(Chocolate-avocado pudding)
1 T. almond butter
1/2 c. dark agave nectar
1 medium Haas avocado, cut into cubes
1/2 c. water
1/8 c. cocoa powder
pinch sea salt
1 T. coconut oil
1 t. pure vanilla extract

Blend all of the ingredients except the water and oil with a hand-held blender or in a food processor. Add water as needed for a pudding consistency. Add coconut oil after all of the other ingredients are well-blended and smooth.

This healthy pudding is rich and delicious and you will not be able to tell the difference between it and a dairy version. The wink of coconut flavour is lovely too. We garnished ours with chocolate mint from my daughter's garden.

recipe from Fitness Sista

Avocado Face Masks

Avocado Moisturizing Face Mask
In shallow bowl, mash 1/2 a ripe avocado until smooth. Add 1 tbsp plain yogurt and 1 tbsp honey; stir until combined. Apply evenly to face and leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

For Oily Skin and Acne

Cucumber and Avocado Mask

* Cucumber slices
* Avocado pulp – 1⁄2 cup

Take an avocado and cut it into two halves. Now scoop the pulp from one of the halves of the fruit. Use a spoon to crush it to make a smooth paste. Now take a cucumber and cut two slices. Use face wash and warm water for cleansing the face thoroughly. Later pat dry the face. Now spread the paste evenly all over the face and massage it well to soak it into the skin . Place cucumber slices on the eyes and rest for about 10 – 15 minutes. Later, use lukewarm water to rinse your face and pat dry the skin.

Honey and Avocado Face Mask

    * Yogurt – 1 tablespoon
    * Honey – 1 tablespoon
    * Cucumber – 1
    * Avocado pulp (medium ripe) – 1⁄2 of the fruit

Chop avocado fruit and scoop out the pulp. Take a fork and crush the pulp until it is creamy. Also it helps you in getting an even paste. Now add yogurt and honey for the pulp and stir well. Now cut 2 slices of cucumber. Wash your face with face wash and warm water, pat dry. Apply the paste evenly over the neck and face. Massage it well into the skin . Now keep cucumber slices on the eyes and sleep for about 10 – 15 minutes until the mask sets. After this, clean your face using lukewarm water and pat dry the face.

Egg white and Avocado Face Mask

    * Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
    * Egg white – 1
    * Avocado pulp – 1⁄2 avocado

Cut an avocado into two halves and extract pulp from one of the halves. Crush it with a spoon to make smooth paste. Now mix egg white to pulp and then add lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Spread this mixture on the neck and face evenly and massage it well into the skin. Egg white helps the mask to set in thoroughly. Allow it to sit on the skin for about 20 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water, pat dry. You skin now becomes oil free. Egg whites usually clear the oil and grime that got accumulated in the skin pores. It also reduces the sebum or oil production.

First Pancake Studio

Do You Know?

When are avocados in season? While the California growing season lasts from approximately February through September (with peak output over the summer), Mexicos' crop is pretty consistent year-round and eclipses Californian production by about 3:1. We also get a summer supplement from Peru, a winter bump from Chile and the Dominican Republic, and an occasional assist from New Zealand. The high season, when avocados are at their best is in the month of March. Cook Republic: Know Your Avocado Varieties And When They're In Season

Healthy fats are an essential part of a natural, whole food diet. It is the type of fat you eat and the amount consumed that matters. Fats are necessary to the building and health of all cells. Healthy fat aids the function of the brain, metabolism, hormones, lungs, eyes, digestion, immune system and the heart. Healthy fat eases inflammation. Low fat diets are often high in refined carbohydrates, salt and sugar and low in fiber.

Mono unsaturated Fats are liquid at room temperature and thicken and are cloudy when cooled. These include plant oils, nut and seed oils, avocados, olives, meat, whole grains and cereals. Mono unsaturated fats lower LDL (low density lipoprotein) also referred to as Bad Cholesterol, and increase HDL (high density lipoprotein) also referred to as Good Cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated Fats are liquid at room temperature and when cooled. These include sunflower, corn, soy and flax seed oils and walnuts, peanut butter, algae, leafy greens, bananas, seafood, hemp seed and oil, flax seeds and fish. These fats have low amounts of triglycerides and help to ease inflammation and protect against cardiovascular disease. Omega 3 essential fatty acid is a polyunsaturated fat and is essential (cannot be made by the body) to our health and rich supplies are available in a natural, whole food diet.

Essential Fatty Acids are super healthy fats that control blood clotting, build cell membranes and aid cellular function, are building blocks of DNA, reduce bad cholesterol, blood pressure, the risk of cardiovascular disease, liver cancer, depression and dementia. There are two main types of essential fatty acids: Omega 3 is Alphalinolenic acid, Omega 6 is Linolenic acid. Originally they were called vitamin F. Essential fatty acids reduce and prevent inflammation, arthritis, psoriasis, heart attacks and asthma. The best natural food sources include: fish (especially cold water fatty fish such as salmon, herring, anchovies, sardines, cod, mackerel, tuna and trout), shellfish, seafood, flax seed, hemp oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, coconut oil, avocado, chia, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, leafy green vegetables, walnuts, algae, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds and cold water fish oil supplements.

The recommended ratio is 2 to 1 Omega 6 to Omega 3. The current North American ratio is 10 - 20 Omega 6 to 1 Omega 3. Too much Omega 6 and too little Omega 3 causes blood clots, constricts arteries, increases the risk of heart attack, cancer, weight gain, increased blood sugar and insulin levels and aggravates inflammation, arthritis and psoriasis.

If you are taking a supplement, the recommended dose is 500 mg/ day or 1- 3 g EPA/DHA. Make sure it is a dependable supply that is mercury-free, pharmaceutical grade, molecularily distilled and check the expiry date! Store in refrigerator.

Omega 3 essential fatty acid reduces prostate tumour growth and the risk of breast cancer. It is made of three components: Alpha-linolenic Acid (ALA), Eicosapentalnoic Acid (EPA), and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA). A 3 to 2 ratio of EPA to DHA is recommended.