Avocado Smoothie

Many times, a smoothie hits the spot, especially on a hot day. Although I am not a big fan of this typical American concoction, I love avocado smoothies. I encountered them for the first time in Bali. This island produces amazing fruits and vegetables. There is something about Bali which is difficult to describe. It is not only the amazing sense for beauty which the inhabitants display everywhere. There is something intangible in the air, Bali’s own kind of magic.

In Bali I have eaten the tastiest papayas of my life and I encountered avocado smoothies. In Bali it is called avocado juice. This name is somewhat misleading because they blend the avocado with full fat milk resulting in a thick cream which you can eat with a spoon. Being allergic to dairy I have blended avocado with coconut and almond milk which works just as well. Of course it tastes different but it makes wonderful smoothies all the same.

Of course you can prepare smoothies with just about any fruit or vegetable you fancy. Don’t hesitate to experiment. A smoothie in company with some crackers or cookies is the perfect quick snack whenever hunger pangs hit home.

Remember that you need really ripe avocados for this recipe. When you find promising avocados in the market which are not yet soft, ripen them at home. Wrap them in paper and keep them out of direct sunlight. Check them daily as they spoil quickly once they are ready.

 

Velvet sensations with Avocado smoothie

 

Ingredients

(for 1 big serving):

1 small, ripe avocado

1 cup coconut milk or almond milk

1 tablespoon sugar

Method:

Half the avocado; take out the stone and scoop out the flesh.

Place the flesh with the sugar and the milk substitute into the blender and blend until you have a smooth cream.

Fill into a glass and enjoy.

Avocado

The healthy kind of fat

The name avocado has its origin in the Aztec word ahuacatl. The avocado tree has been cultivated in Central and South America since 8.000 BCE. In the mid-1800s it spread through the Asian tropical regions. Indian cultivation started at the beginning of the 20^th century with seeds from neighbouring Sri Lanka.

Although avocados have a lot of fat, they belong to the healthiest fruits of our planet. I own a book called 100 Best Health Foods, which features avocado on place 2. They should not miss in any healthy diet. 

Avocados contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that helps reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol levels and lowers the risk of breast cancer. In addition, it offers a lot of lutein, a carotenoid which enables the body to absorb nutrition from other food sources. If you add some slices of avocados to your salad, your body can make greater use of the nutrients in the salad.

The large amount of vitamin E in avocados boosts the immune system, keeps the skin healthy and prevents heart disease. The list of nutrients in avocados includes magnesium, vitamin C and B6, folate, iron and potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure.

Alligator Pasta

The other day I discovered a beautiful avocado in the market. Instead of preparing my usual guacamole, I wanted to combine this avocado with pasta. Inspired by my internet-research, I came up with the following recipe, which I call ‘alligator pasta’ because avocados are sometimes called alligator pear. I decided to mingle the avocado with feta, roasted garlic, cherry tomatoes, fresh thyme and yellow bell pepper.

“Nice, salad for dinner”, was my husband’s reaction when he saw me preparing this dish. He took it well that the salad turned out to be condiment for pasta. “It works astonishingly well with the feta, but I could do without the cherry tomatoes and the bell pepper”, was his response. I agree with him, but I also appreciate the extra vitamins, minerals and fibre from the added vegetables. By the way, I would be happy to read your comments. I would appreciate your effort.

Wishing you happy cooking, always!

Kornelia Santoro with family

 

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

• 1 big, ripe avocado
• 1 packet (200 grams) feta
• 1 packet (500 grams) Italian pasta
• 75 grams butter
• 200 grams cherry tomatoes
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• any fresh herb you like
• 6 big cloves garlic
• salt
• pepper

Method:

Put a big pot with water on the fire to cook the pasta. Always salt the pasta water shortly before boiling. If you add the salt in the beginning, the water takes longer time to cook.

While the water is heating up, wash the cherry tomatoes and the bell pepper. Halve the tomatoes and cut the bell pepper into cubes. Wash and cut your herbs and place them together with the vegetables into a bowl. Salt and pepper the vegetables slightly and combine them well. Grate the feta cheese and keep aside.

Clean the garlic cloves and crush them. Melt the butter in a small pan and fry the crushed garlic until slightly brown. Be careful not to burn it.

When the water boils, add the pasta and cook according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot and mix it with the garlic butter. Add the grated feta cheese. Turn on the heat until the cheese melts. Keep a bit of feta aside for sprinkling over the top of the pasta.

Pour the pasta into the bowl with the vegetables and carefully blend it with the avocado-mix. You don’t want to end up with a mush. Sprinkle the rest of the feta over the pasta and serve immediately.