Health & Wellness

Boomer Edition | 10th Annual | 2014

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Indonesians take it up a notch, by making their avocado milkshake, jus alpukat, with chocolate syrup and/or coffee drizzled in. American health conscious eaters have been chopping avocado into salads and spreading it on sandwiches for years, says Jessica Crandall, a registered dietitian and nutritionist with Denver Wellness and Nutrition-Sodexo GM. She also recommends spreading it on your morning toast. "It's an excellent substitute for butter," she says. "Two tablespoons equal about 50 calories, whereas an equivalent amount of butter has 100 calories. Since it's cholesterol-free, it's much better for you." Vietnamese Sinh To Bo – Avocado Shake Shake up your regular smoothie with this Vietnamese treat. For additional flavors, use avocado in place of a banana in your regular smoothie blend. Recipe serves 2. 1 medium avocado 1+ cup vanilla almond milk 1+ cup ice 2 – 3 tablespoons agave, honey or other sweetener Optional: add a banana, berries, kale, etc. Puree until smooth, use plenty of ice. Serve immediately. Selecting and Storing Select an avocado with clean, unblemished skin and one that "gives" slightly when squeezed. It should not feel soft or be sunken in. A firmer, less mature fruit can be ripened at home in a few days at room temperature or more quickly in a paper bag. Once ripe, store it in the refrigerator. Sprinkle leftovers with lemon or lime juice to prevent browning, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Slight discoloration is still edible. Peeling The greatest concentration of carotenoids in an avocado lies in the dark green flesh just beneath the skin. To get all that goodness, cut the avocado in half and scoop out the flesh using a spoon to fully scrape it apart from the skin. Avocado Toast/Crostini Spread avocado on toast in lieu of butter or mayonnaise for a healthy, satisfying breakfast, appetizer or snack. Avocado Toasted bread or crostini Salt and pepper Optional: Squeeze of lemon, fried egg, olive oil, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, strawberries, goat cheese, etc. Toast bread and spread it with avocado (sliced or mashed). Season with salt and pepper to taste, add a light squeeze of lemon to deter browning. It's ready to eat or add additional toppings. Chocolate Avocado Pudding This is an easy, no- guilt, good for you treat. Add more cocoa, sweetener, milk to taste. It's rich, so it can serve 2. 1 medium avocado 1+ heaping tablespoon cocoa powder 1+ tablespoon honey, agave or maple syrup 1+ tablespoon almond milk, coconut milk or milk 1/2 tsp vanilla Dash salt Optional: 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chips (melted) Puree until smooth, it should be thick and velvety. Refrigerate. Best when eaten within 24 hours. Andrea Juarez is an award-winning writer and a hobbyist food anthropologist. In her blog Fork Fingers Chopsticks, she writes about an ingredient's origins and cultural uses. View more recipes at ForkFingersChopsticks.com. Health and Wellness Magazine • 27

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