Avocado Time     

 

May is the time to celebrate many things. Here at Oldways, it's National Mediterranean Diet Month. We hope you will visit our new web page and spend some extra time thinking about Mediterranean foods and flavors, and ways to inspire your family and friends to adopt this healthy eating pattern.

 

It's also a time to rejoice in the fact that you can finally find California avocados in supermarkets from coast to coast. (The season runs from now to early fall.) Avocados in California are grown by nearly 5,000 farmers who plant, tend, and harvest their trees by hand. These lovely green, creamy, plump and delicious fruits, which we usually categorize as vegetables, are nutrition powerhouses, delivering nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, as well as fiber, potassium, and healthy fats.

 

Since they're typically eaten fresh, their important nutrients aren't lost in processing or heating. Beneficial carotenoids are concentrated in the dark green part closest to the peel, so be sure to "nick and peel" an avocado to get every bit of its goodness - or simply cut it in half and eat it with a spoon, scooping all the way down to the peel. 

 

There are so many ways to enjoy avocados throughout the day! Pit and devour plain; mash and spread on toast; use to top baked potatoes or stuff hard-boiled eggs; add them to vegetable, fruit, and grain salads; fill them with rice and olives; serve as a side with eggs; or puree for a unique dessert treat.

 

Here are a few recipes to get you started.  

 

 

Couscous with Avocado, Mango and Shrimp  & Mango-Lime Dressing 

Serves 4  

 

Here's a hearty salad that makes a great dinner meal. Enjoy the leftovers for lunch. 

  

Ingredients  

24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon seafood seasoning

Olive oil, optional

2 cups water

1(10-oz.) box plain couscous

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

2 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal

1 cup cooked edamame (shelled soybeans)

 

Preparation 

Toss the shrimp with the seasoning. Barbecue or sauté in olive oil for about 3 minutes, turning over once. Remove to plate and set aside. In a 2-quart pan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the couscous, olive oil and salt. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. In a bowl, combine the avocado and lemon juice; set aside. Remove the lid from the pan and fluff the couscous; cool. Pour the couscous into a large mixing bowl. Add the avocado, mango, onions and edamame.

Make the dressing (see recipe below). Pour the dressing over the salad, as needed. Toss to coat. Serve on plates and top with cooked shrimp.

 

Mango-Lime Dressing 

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch cubes

½ cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground white or black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons snipped fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro leaves

 

In a food processor, combine the mango, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper and cumin.   

 

Nutrition Analysis: 

Calories: 270, Fat: 16g, Sodium 560mg, Carbohydrate: 25g, Protein: 9g 

 

Recipe courtesy of the California Avocado Commission