Taste Life Blog

Jaci is the web designer who has helped me prepare and send Taste Life ezine for many years. She makes this healthy, quick smoothie for lunch. This shake would also be perfect for breakfast. You could easily make this the evening ahead, refrigerate and drink on your ride to work. I guarantee you will feel full until lunch time. Drinking 330 calories rich in omega 3’s and monounsaturated fats will save you hundreds of snacking calories.

1 banana
1 avocado
1 c. frozen organic strawberries
1 c. rice milk
1/4 c. plain whey protein powder
2 tsp. ground flax seeds
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of allspice
Sweeten to taste with stevia *

Blend until smooth. It will be really thick like a milkshake. This recipe can serve one or two. You could prepare this in the morning and consume half for breakfast and the other half for lunch. Supplement with a high fiber bagel and a few turkey slices for lunch and you are good to go.

Gary and I split this recipe for an evening snack. I used fresh strawberries, skim milk, one tablespoon of ground flax seeds and two packages of Truvia to sweeten it. I skipped the cinnamon and allspice.

Be creative. Use fruits you enjoy. Next time I prepare this I will use the frozen cherries we always keep in the freezer instead of the banana.

Nutrition Composition:
Yield: 2 servings
One serving: Calories: 337, Carb 32 gm, Protein 18.4 gm, Fat 17.5 gm

*Can use agave nectar, or honey.

The Good News About Avocados and Fat

Studies have shown that the key to maintaining your weight or to lose weight
is to eat fat and protein at each meal. Don’t be afraid of the 17 grams of fat.
I guarantee these 17 grams of fat will fill you up and keep you away from junk food.
One trip to the vending machine costs 240 calories and 15 grams of fat for a candy bar or bag of chips without any nutrition.

Don’t afraid to eat 15 grams of fat for a meal, read more on my blog

Avocados contribute to the good fats in your diet by providing 3 grams of monounsaturated fat and 0.5 polyunsaturated grams fat per 1 oz serving.
The avocado is the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat.

Avocados also 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 be substituted as a spread for many of your favorite foods.

Reference: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18 (2005) and FDA Food Labeling Guidelines for Voluntary Nutrition Labeling of Raw Fruits, Vegetable and Fish (Vol. 71, No. 159); Appendix C to Part 101 – Nutrition Facts for Raw Fruits and Vegetables (2006). Nutritional values are for the item listed only; not as consumed with other foods or ingredients.

Many people tell me they don’t buy avocados because they don’t know how to pick ripe ones. The following are guidelines to help you quickly purchase your avocados.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT AVOCADO FROM MEXICO

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.

RIPENING AND STORAGE

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.

Visit www.theamazingavocado.com for more recipes.