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You are here: Home / Archives for Avocados

Avocados

10 Ways to Make Avocado Toast (Infographic)

May 11, 2017 By Joi Sigers

10 Ways to Make Gourmet Avocado Toast - 5 Types of Avocado Toast
Source: eReplacementParts.com blog
If you don’t like avocados, I challenge you to try them again.  Seriously, give them another chance. Their buttery, delicious flavor is something that (in my mind, anyway) would be impossible not to love. Pick yourself an avocado that’s slightly “soft” – too soft and the avocado is going to be a huge disappointment – too hard and… well… the avocado is going to be a huge disappointment. Find one that is “ripe” – the infographic below gives a cool little trick you can use if, unlike me, you don’t like groping avocados.

Try not to judge.

I always use lime juice with my avocados and guacamole, but a lot of people swear by lemon juice. I also like to add freshly ground Pink Himalayan Salt but sea salt is also really good. My husband likes cayenne pepper on avocados as well as in guacamole – but I’m more in favor of letting the avocado enjoy the spotlight with just a little salt and lime juice.

{For my favorite easy guacamole recipe, click the link. }

Something that’s pretty big right now is avocado toast… DELICIOUS!… and you just have to try it to see how amazing it is.

Keep reading for ways to enjoy avocados and avocado toast!

10 Ways to Make Gourmet Avocado Toast - 5 Types of Avocado Toast
Source: eReplacementParts.com

Filed Under: Foodie Infographics, Guacamole, Quick and Easy Recipes Tagged With: avocado infographic, Avocado recipes, Avocados, foodie infographic

McCormick Spices Shake Things Up!

February 23, 2011 By Joi Sigers

McCormick Ground Cayenne Pepper from the Gourmet Collection

I first tried McCormick’s Gourmet Collection Ground Cayenne Red Pepper several months ago. I wanted some “quality” cayenne pepper for a batch of Spicy Guacamole I had in mind for a Sunday Night Football game.

I can’t remember who was playing, but I do remember my first bite of that guacamole!

Guacamole is a beautiful thing. McCormick Cayenne Red Pepper is a beautiful thing. When they get together? Well, you might want to warn your taste buds they’re coming. They’ll want to brace themselves for the spectacle.

I’ve fallen in love with many of the spices in the McCormick Gourmet Collection (hence the week-long series of posts being comprised in their honor) but the ones I use the most are the Ground Cayenne Red Pepper, the Saigon Roasted Cinnamon, and (the star of the next post) Smoked Paprika. Granted, there are some I’ve yet to try, but I’m working on it.

You’ll be the first to know when I do.

Below are some of my favorite Guacamole tips and tricks:

  • When buying avocados for guacamole, you want them to be soft but not squishy. Squishy means they’ll probably have a lot of grayish brown spots that you’ll have to cut away. Wasted avocado is never good.
  • Always use a little lemon or lime to keep the freshly cut avocado from turning. Once the fruit is cut, exposure to air will cause it to lose its gumption! They turn pretty fast, so I always splash them with a little lemon or lime as soon as they hit the light of day.
  • In the produce aisle, you’ll probably find packets of guacamole mix. Some are labeled mild, some are spicy, and some may be extra spicy (trust them). These mixes don’t require additional lemon or lime, they’re armed and ready to prevent the avocado’s transformation. They’re also really quite good.
  • Never think that you have to limit guacamole to avocado, salt, and lemon or lime juice. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a can’t miss combination, and sometimes I insist on my guacamole rolling old school. However, guac-ing on the wild side makes for an outrageous stroll. Stir in chopped jalapeno (or even more temperamental peppers if you’re brave), firm tomatoes, chilies, red onion, green onion, scallions, red pepper flakes… or any combination of the above.
  • McCormick Gourmet Collection Ground Cayenne Red Pepper, Smoked Paprika, and Roasted Ground Cumin are each excellent in guacamole.

McCormick Ground Cayenne Red Pepper from the Gourmet Collection is one of those spices I refuse to run out of.  Along with my “baby,” McCormick’s Smoked Paprika – when the bottle gets low, off I go.  I hit the spice aisle harder than the Steeler’s defensive line ever hoped to hit anyone.

Below are a few other ways I jazz things up in the kitchen with Cayenne Red Pepper:

  • Eggs
  • Hummus
  • Soup (Excellent with tomato soup)
  • Boca Burgers and Morning Star Burgers
  • Hominy
  • Pasta Salad
  • Fried Chicken
  • Pork Chops
  • Sausage
  • Turkey Bacon (wake up call)
  • Black Beans
  • Chili
  • Spaghetti Sauce
  • … basically anything you want to add a little fire to.

Make this one of the next spices you try, I guarantee you won’t regret it.

Filed Under: Dips and Sauces, Food Reviews, Reviews Tagged With: Avocados, guacamole, McCormick Spices, review, spices

Nigella Lawson’s Roquamole Recipe from Nigella Express: In a Word, Divine!

February 10, 2010 By Joi Sigers

Nigella Express

It’s been well-documented that Nigella Express is one of my all-time favorite cookbooks… and if there’s something I know inside/out it’s cookbooks. A collection numbering in the hundreds earns you the title expert.

A recipe I return to often is Nigella’s Roquamole. Like Nigella, I’m completely obsessed with avocados, so I thoroughly appreciate new and creative things to do with them. This recipe makes a throroughly modern Millie type of recipe that I know you’ll love.

Nigella Lawson’s Roquamole Recipe

Yield: 4-6 Servings
1 cup crumbled Roquefort or Saint Agur blue cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup sliced pickled green jalapenos from a jar
2 tablespoons finely sliced scallions
1/4 tsp paprika
large bag of blue corn tortilla chips
(the blue corn ones make a huge difference, I recommend them with this recipe)

  1. Crumble or mash the blue cheese with the sour cream in a bowl
  2. Mash in the avocados.  If they are ripe, a fork should be all you need.
  3. Roughly chop the jalapenos and stir them into the mixture along with the finely sliced scallions.
  4. Arrange in the center of a plate or dish, dust with paprika, and surround with tortilla chips.  Dive in.

Filed Under: Appetizers, Cookbook Reviews, Dips and Sauces, Nigella Lawson, Quick and Easy Recipes Tagged With: Avocados, Cookbook Reviews, guacamole, Nigella Lawson

Original Super Bowl Recipes Courtesy of the Amazing Avocado!

January 31, 2010 By Joi Sigers

I can’t even tell you how much I love avocados.  I’ve tried before and felt that I came up short, so I figure why even try?  Suffice to say, I could eat two every single day for the rest of my life and want more.  I use them in guacamole (of course), on paninis, in tossed salads, in pasta salads, on pizza, in tacos, in fajitas, and I’ve even put them into scrambled eggs before.

I also love to slice them, remove the pit, and sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice inside.  Then I toss a little finely chopped tomato with a little olive oil and salt and glob the tomato mixture onto the avocado.  If I have fresh cilantro on hand, I sprinkle some on top.  Then I have a party in my mouth.  Naturally, I also simply slice them and eat them quite often as well.

A year or so ago, while reading a favorite cookbook, Nigella Express, I came across this quote from the beautiful author:  “I eat an enormous amount of avocados…. (I remember reading) when I was really quite young, just in my teens, that the dogs that lived in avocado orchards always had shiny, glossy coats because of all the windfall fruit they snaffled up daily.  That image has stuck with me, and it is such an appealing one.  I always have it in mind as I prepare myself an avocado, which is often.”

Ever since reading that quote, I picture Nigella’s gorgeous hair when I cut open an avocado!

Below you’ll find a wealth of Avocado information – how to pick an avocado, how to cut an avocado, how to prepare an avocado, the nutritional values of avocados, a guacamole recipe, and a Chicken and Avocado Pizza recipe.  Have mercy!   The avocado recipes below (as well as the ones linked to at the end of this Mega Avocado Post) can give you the power to have the best Superbowl Snacks on the block when the Colts and the Saints fight it out for the big one.  This has nothing to do with avocados or even cooking, but for the first time EVER, I honestly don’t care which team wins this year – I like them about the same.  Peyton Manning is a class act and the Colts are a classy organization -what’s not to like about them?  At the same time, the Saints are a lot of fun to watch and they’ve really built their program up to a position of dominance.  It’d be great to see them rewarded for all their hard work.

I guess I’ll just sit back and enjoy the game, almost as much as the snacks!

Guacamole Monster Dip Recipe

1 fully ripened Avocado from Mexico – halved, pitted and diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon wasabi
1 cup plain thick Greek-style yogurt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

  1. In bowl, combine avocado, yogurt, ginger, salt, wasabi, garlic, and lime juice; stir until well mixed.
  2. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
  3. Garnish with chopped chives, if desired.
  4. Serve as a dip with chips or vegetables or topping for iceberg lettuce wedges or romaine hearts.

Preparation time is about 5 minutes. Yields about 1-1/2 cups.

Chicken and Avocado Pizza Recipe

California-style pizza, ready to enjoy in less than 15 minutes | Serves 2-4

1 12-inch Boboli ready-made pizza crust
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/4 teaspoon chipotle Tabasco
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 fully ripened Avocado from Mexico, halved pitted, peeled and sliced

-Heat oven to 425°F. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet; bake crust 7 minutes.
-In small bowl, combine pizza sauce and Tabasco.
-Spread pizza with sauce; top with chicken, Avocado and cheese.
-Bake until crust is crisp on the bottom, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Yields 8 slices.

Nutritional Information for Avocados:

  • One-fifth of a medium avocado (3 slices), or about one ounce, has only 50 calories.
  • 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.
  • Avocados contribute good fats to one’s diet, providing 3 grams monounsaturated fat and 0.5 polyunsaturated grams fat per 1 oz. serving.
  • Avocados have a favorable unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio of 3.5 grams to 0.5 grams, making them a great substitute for foods rich in saturated fats.
  • Avocados can help consumers meet the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA), which are to eat a diet that is low to moderate in fat. According to the AHA, mono and polyunsaturated fats, when consumed in moderation and eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease risk for heart disease.
  • Avocados are cholesterol- and sodium-free, and more than 50 percent of the fruit’s fat content comes from monounsaturated fats. The avocado is virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat.
  • 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 contain 76 milligrams beta-sitosterol in a 3-oz serving of avocado. Beta-sitosterol is a natural plant sterol which may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
  • Avocados contain 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein in a 1 oz. serving, which some studies suggest may help maintain healthy eyes.

How to Choose the Perfect Avocado from Mexico

(Or, How to recognize your Hass!)

  • Avocados from Mexico are available year round. You can spot a ripe Hass Avocado from Mexico by its green-black pebbly textured skin.
  • Look for the “Avocados from Mexico” sticker
  • It appears on only the finest Avocados imported from Mexico.
  • Hass has heft
  • When you hold the Avocado, it should feel heavy for its size and have no mushy spots.

Get it ripe
Avocados mature on the tree, but they soften and develop their fullest flavor after picking. You can count on a firm green Avocado to ripen within three to four days. If the skin is a mottled color – green with black patches – it will be ready for use in a shorter time, two to three days.

Need your Avocado now?
If you need Avocados to use right away, look for fruit whose skin has turned dark green or black. The Avocado should yield to gentle pressure from a thumb.

Avocado Ripening and Storage Information

How to tell if your Avocado is ripe
To determine if your Avocado from Mexico is ripe, gently press on the bottom with your finger; ripe Avocados will feel slightly soft. And when shopping for and storing Avocados, use this guide:

Storing ripe Avocados
Avocados at stages 2 – 4 can be stored at room temperature in an area with good circulation to continue their ripening. For speedier ripening, keep Avocados in a closed paper bag. To slow down ripening, refrigerate them until a few days before use.
Avocados at stages 4 – 5 can be stored in your refrigerator (36º to 40º F) for up to one week. When saving part of an Avocado for later use, cover the exposed flesh with plastic wrap to slow oxidation.

How to Cut and Prepare an Avocado

Cut
Using a sharp knife, cut into the Avocado straight down, longitudinally (from top to bottom) until you hit the pit.
Twist
Take the Avocado and twist it until it separates into two halves, one of which will contain the pit.
Hit
Carefully strike the pit with your knife. Using a twisting motion, use the knife’s leverage to loosen and dislodge the pit.
Spoon
With a spoon, gently scoop away the Avocado’s flesh from the outer skin.
Enjoy
Your Avocado is now ready to make your appetizer or entrée a work of culinary art.

Ways to Serve Avocados

Avocados are most commonly used to make guacamole, but they are so versatile and can be incorporated into many other dishes like main entrees,, salads, dips, desserts, and sandwiches.

Avocados substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods may help reduce dietary intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.

Images, recipes, and information are courtesy of  www.theamazingavocado.com.  Visit their site  for hundreds of recipes.  I just found one for Fish Tacos that I’ll be trying this week (I’d make it tonight  if I didn’t already have a huge pot of Great Northern beans, potatoes, and ham cooking!).   Another favorite is the Portabella Burgers with Avocado Spread.  I’ve linked you to the page containing these recipes – be sure to browse around for more.  That’s where I’m headed!

Filed Under: Appetizers, Chicken Recipes, Dips and Sauces, Food Reviews, Game Day, Health and Fitness, Nigella Lawson, Pizza Recipes, South Of the Border, Tailgating Tagged With: Avocados, Chicken Recipes, guacamole, pizza

The 13 Most Powerful Super Foods

October 4, 2008 By Joi Sigers

Avocados - The First Step Toward Guacamole! In case you were wondering, someone has indeed come up with a list of the 13 Most Powerful Super Foods.

I’m over the moon because not only did my good friend the Avocado make it, the following regulars in our kitchen made the cut as well: mushrooms, garlic, eggs, almonds, blueberries, and fish. Click through to see the WHAT’s and WHY’s of what we should be eating more of.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness, Oh, Nuts!, Table Talk, Vegetables Tagged With: almonds, Avocados, blueberries, eggs, fish, garlic, mushrooms, powerful foods, super foods

Avocado Tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa From the California Avocado Commission

September 22, 2008 By Joi Sigers

I found these recipes while I was rounding up Avocado recipes at Avocado Central. My printer’s worn out from all the work it has done this morning! I found too many recipes to even mention, but these tacos and salsa were amongst the ones I’m most excited about.

Hass Avocado Tacos–5 A Day Recipe
(From the California Avocado Commission)

1 ripe Hass Avocado, peeled and seeded
1 medium onion, julienned
2 large green peppers, julienned
2 large red peppers, julienned
1 Cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 ½ Cups fresh tomato salsa (Below)
12 flour tortillas
non-stick cooking spray
Fresh Tomato Salsa
(Below)

Spray skillet with cooking spray. Lightly saute onion and and peppers. Cut avocado into 12 slices.
Warm tortillas in oven and fill with peppers, onions, avocado slices and salsa.

Fold the tortillas and serve with Fresh Tomato Salsa.

Fresh Tomato Salsa
(From the California Avocado Commission)

1 Cup tomatoes, diced
1/3 Cup onions, diced
½ clove garlic, minced
2 tsps cilantro
1/3 tsp jalapeño peppers, chopped
½ tsp lime juice
pinch of cumin

Mix together all ingredients and refrigerate before serving.

I have an appointment with these tacos soon – really, really soon. You HAVE to visit Avocado Central and see the recipes for yourself. They’re unbelievable!

Also See:
Being Vegetarian: A Guide We Could All Learn a Thing or Two From
Classic Guacamole
Crushing on Guacamole

Filed Under: Health and Fitness, Quick and Easy Recipes, Recipes, South Of the Border, Vegetarian Dishes Tagged With: Avocado recipes, avocado tacos, Avocados, guacamole, guacamole recipes, salsa, salsa recipe, vegetarian recipes

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My name is Joi (“Joy”) and Get Cooking is where I celebrate some of my greatest passions: Recipes, kitchen gadgets, gluten free food reviews, gluten free recipes, pig collectibles, chocolate, cookbooks, and coffee.

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