Avocado is a versatile little fruit that’s rich in fiber, potassium, and some very good fats. It may not have as many uses as our friend coconut oil, but it still provides plenty of options, and the list will surely grow as you make suggestions in the comments. Put the smooth and buttery avocado to work in your life.
1. Dressing – Make an amazing alternative to ranch that you can drizzle over salad or use as a dip for your veggies. Take one avocado, pitted and peeled, and blend it with 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2–3 tablespoons lime juice, the juice of one orange, 1 clove garlic, a handful fresh cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and a dash of pepper and cumin. Add in a seeded jalapeno for more kick.
2. Mayo Substitute – You can use avocado in place of mayo on sandwiches. You get the same delicious fatty flavor while using healthier fats.
3. Smoothie – Avocado makes a delicious addition to just about any smoothie. Make your next green smoothie a little greener, but try avocado with raw cacao and you’ll love every bit of it.
4. Frosting – That’s right, frosting. Make a green-tinted buttercream with 2 medium avocados, 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 pound powdered sugar, sifted, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract. Just beat them together in minutes. You can also make a devilish chocolate avocado icing. Simply add in about a half cup of raw cacao powder. These aren’t the healthiest ways to use avocado, but a nice infrequent treat.
5. Grilled – Yes, you can grill avocado. Slice it in half, remove the pit, dash it with salt, and place the flat side on the grill. Once it has some nice grill marks, remove it and add it to veggie tacos, salads, or whatever else you might enjoy. The grill makes avocado soft, buttery, and delicious.
6. Spread – Mash up an avocado and give it a pinch of salt and pepper. It makes a wonderful spread on just about anything.
7. Pasta Addition – A few cubes of avocado add a delicate and mellow flavor to almost any pasta dish.
8. Mac and Cheese – Make the ranch-like dressing above and mix it in with your mac and cheese, using nutritional yeast for vegans. This makes for a sensational twist on the classic flavor and color. Top it with a few fresh cubes of avocado and enjoy.
9. Alfredo Sauce – Combine 1 large avocado with 1 clove garlic, the juice of half a lemon, a handful of fresh basil, salt, pepper, and bit of almond milk to make a creamy alfredo sauce unlike any other.
10. Guacamole – This dip for chips is the favorite use by far for avocados, with a million different recipes. Try one with tomato, cilantro, lime, garlic, and a dash of salt and pepper, but you can do what you like with yours, from salsa to diced onion or even olives.
11. Salad – Diced or sliced, this green fruit is a rich, filling, and healthy addition to any green salad.
12. Pudding – Take one medium avocado and blend it with 3 tablespoons cacao powder, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1/4 cup honey, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Then enjoy every chocolaty bite.
13. Ice Cream – Add an avocado to frozen bananas and blend until smooth and creamy for a green soft serve that rivals anything you can find in the store. Add frozen berries or raw cacao to change up the flavors.
14. Soup – Add a few freshly cut cubes of avocado to your favorite soup for a surprisingly great way to liven up tomato, tortilla, potato, and many more soups. Or make avocado the star of its own soup creation. There are tons of recipes out there for creamy, silky, heart-warming soups that blend avocado with sweet potato, leeks, broccoli, cucumber, and other healthy veggies. Choose your favorite and give it a try.
15. Deep Fried – You may not have seen this one coming, but avocado can be deep fried. Once again, not the healthiest option, but a rare appetizer when you feel like being a little naughty. Cut the avocado into strips and dip it in a batter made from 1 cup flour whisked with ice cold seltzer water. They’ll cook up in 2–3 minutes if your oil is hot, around 350 to 375 degrees.
16. Butter Substitute – Avocado can replace butter measure for measure when baking. You still get the decadent taste with better, plant-based fats.
17. Dip – Blend an avocado with some vegenaise, garlic, and herbs for the perfect, thick veggie dip.
18. Cheesecake – Get the rich dessert with less guilt. Blend an avocado with 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons coconut oil, and a pinch of salt. Pour it over a vegan pie crust and pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes for amazing cheesecake that won’t have you missing the real thing at all.
19. Baby Food – The soft avocado is a perfect transition food from mush to solids. The mild flavor means it is less likely to end up on the walls, and it’s full of the healthy fats a growing child needs too.
20. Conditioner – Did you think the humble avocado was only a food? It does so much more. Mash up one avocado and combine it with a little olive oil or coconut oil and rub it through your hair. Rinse it after about 30 minutes for deep conditioning that will nourish both hair and scalp and let your locks shine.
21. Face Cleansing – Your skin releases oils that mix with dirt and then clog pores. Makeup can do the same thing. Oils like other oils, so those good fats in avocado help draw out the greasy mess that’s built up on your face throughout the day. Make a mask using an avocado and a teaspoon of honey for dry skin or a teaspoon of lemon juice for oily skin to really clean up. Apply it to your face while avoiding your eyes. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse.
22. Exfoliator – Why not exfoliate a little while you cleanse? Add 2 tablespoons of oatmeal and one tablespoon of olive oil to the recipe above. Rub your face down and then rinse the dead skin cells, oil, and grime away.
23. Eye Therapy – Got bags under your eyes? Cucumbers are great, but try a slice of chilled avocado. The oils replenish and hydrate skin so it looks firm, full, and healthy.
24. Medicine – Avocado has traditionally been used to treat gout and arthritis. It also has some pretty powerful ingredients that lower cholesterol and fight inflammation.
25. Plain – Sometimes you don’t need something fancy or some crazy reason to break out an avocado. They taste great, so slice one up, dash it with some salt and enjoy it as is or simply on a slice of toast.
Let us know if we missed anything or if you’ve come up with some amazing recipe we all should know.
