Avocadoes the Super Fruit

Avocadoes I think are probably my most favourite food, today that is. If you had asked me 20 years ago if I liked avocadoes I would have said, “Um, I have never tasted one.”

Yes, I am one of those who was raised on meat and potatoes and a little seasonal fruit every now and then. Foods like cilantro, avocadoes, arugula, and anything else that was green was probably not high on my list, nor was served at our supper table.

Then my life became all about food allergies and what the heck was there left to eat. Guess what, avocadoes were on the Can Eat List. So I tried one, and well I just loved them. They are so smooth and creamy and I can’t imagine how I had lived without them.

 I think I first tried them in a local vegetarian restaurant where they had made them into an avocado and onion salad with lemon juice, uembushi vinegar, olive oil and salt. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

Since that day I have never looked back and every time I go grocery shopping which is fairly often, I pick up at least 6 avocadoes.

My significant other was like me, and when we met a few years ago I tried to get him to eat avocadoes. He would always say “I don’t really care for them”, and” I would say,” have you ever tried them?” Now he eats more avocadoes a week than I do. His favourite way to eat them is sliced on toast or with a chicken sandwich. He also loves them with his eggs on the weekend, or on our homemade flax crackers.

My girlfriend always carries an avocado in her purse when she goes out just in case there is nothing on the menu that she can eat. She will ask the waitress to bring her some olive oil and lemon and voila she has a healthy snack.

I put sliced avocado into all my salads. Whether it is a green lettuce salad, a cabbage salad or kale salad, an avocado always makes it taste so much better.

Not only do they taste great, they are good for you. Full of healthy fats, fibre, oleic acid, which makes you feel full, and folate; so if you are pregnant add them into your diet. Avocadoes can help lower cholesterol, so why not pick up a few avocadoes at your local supermarket and add them to your menu planning.

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My favourite kitchen gadget

What is your favourite kitchen gadget?

As someone who is always cooking there are just some gadgets that I can’t live without.

Many of us are in our kitchen daily preparing meals for ourselves or family members. For me, food prep is essential as I have multiple food allergies and Celiac Disease.

Prepared foods are not an option for me and I am currently following the Paleo Diet in hopes of curing my leaky gut syndrome which I think I have had all my life.

From what I read, most illnesses especially auto immune diseases stem from the gut and the first step in healing, is to heal your gut.

Currently I am reading “Minding our Mitochondria” by Dr Terry WahIs. Having being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis her illness progressed quite quickly and she ended up in a tilt wheelchair unable to walk. A few years ago she decided to take her life into her own hands. Studying and researching how to heal her body. She found that the Paleo Diet was the answer along with certain supplements and electrical stimulation to help her muscles to heal. She is now able to walk and even ride her bike. Wow!

I have also read the PH Miracle Cure by Dr. Robert Young. He advocates that the only way to heal the gut and illness is go on a total vegetable ( greens diet) by juicing and making shakes. Along with supplements, colonic irrigation and keeping your body more alkaline you can heal your gut.

I am not sure what the answer is. All I know is I continue to search for the right diet for me. Along the way, I use my favourite kitchen gadgets.

Is there a kitchen gadget that you would find hard to live without?

I have 2 favourite kitchen gadgets. The first is my zester. I have 3 of them and they are all a little different. Whether I am zesting an orange, a lemon or grating ginger they are tools that I use daily.

I purchased one of them at my favourite kitchen shop, another at Lee Valley Tools and the third one at my local grocery store. They range in price from $13.95.

My salad spinner is another one of my favourite things. Be it cleaning lettuce, kale, cilantro, parsley or other greens I can’t imagine how I managed without it. I paid a little more for my salad spinner, but as I said, I can’t imagine being in my kitchen without it. Considering I am trying to push my intake of veggies up to 9 cups a day I eat a lot of salads and wash a lot of greens.

So what is your favourite kitchen gadget?

p.s. I just bought an Excalibur 4 tray dehydrator and I think it is going to be my new favourite kitchen gadget, or maybe I will have to write about my new favourite kitchen appliance?

I love my kale chips and flax crackers, they are delicious!