Eat Yourself Fit Part IV: Anti Aging Properties of Avocado

I just LOVE avocados: they're filling, can be used in sweet/savory recipes and they're beneficial for our health (a superfood). This post will tell you how to check if an avocado is ripe, how to take the flesh off successfully, the benefits and a few recipes to help inspire you to eat more of this green goodness!

How to check if the avocado is ripe

• I usually press the avocado with my thumb using moderate force, if my thumb imprints into the avocado, it's ripe. 
• Another way to check is: Flick the small brown stem off the bottom of the avocado. If it flicks of easily and is green underneath, it's ripe. If the stem doesn't come come off or if it's brown, the avocado is not ripe.

How I take the flesh off

I don't like scooping the avocado from the flesh as I tend to leave some of the goodness behind; instead I peel the flesh off with my hands (like you would with a satsuma):

 Benefits of eating avocados

• Helps increase fat metabolism. 
• Rich in the powerful anti-oxidants which decreases oxidative stress and allows for a healthier cellular environment in our bodies.

 Breakfast recipes

ABS tummy smoothie (Avocado, Banana, Spinach & Strawberry)

 Ingredients (One Serving)

• Almond Milk, around 240 ml (1 cup-US),
• Handful of Spinach,
• 3 Medium Sized Strawberries,
• One Banana, cut into bite size pieces,
• Cold Water & dessert spoon of whole chia seeds (both optional)

Method

1. In a blender add the almond milk and spinach and blend until the leafy chunks are gone,
2. Add the strawberries and banana, blend,
3. The mixture may be thick, at this point you can put cold water into the blender and blend or alternatively keep it thick for a yoghurt like dessert,
4. To fill you up (and additional health benefits) add chia seeds and mix into the smoothie (wait one minute before drinking it). The chia seeds are the sesame like seeds on my drink, please read Holland and Barrett to understand health benefits.

I buy my Chia seeds from Holland and Barrett, to purchase click here. I will record on video how Chia seeds fills us up at a later stage.

 Wholemeal Toast Topped With Scrambled Egg, Hot Garlic Sauce & Sliced Avocado

Ingredients (One Serving)

• 1 Medium Egg, scrambled,
• 1 Slice Wholemeal Bread, toasted,
• 1/4 Avocado, sliced,
• Sriricha Sauce,
• Coriander to Garnish (Optional).

Method

1. Spread sriricha sauce on the toast, the best sauce is the Flying Goose make which can be purchased from here. Alternatively: Mix hot sauce e.g. Encona (pictured above) and a garlic sauce
2. Add sliced avocado
3. Garnish with coriander

This breakfast provides a healthy balance of carbs, good fats, protein and flavour. It can even be eaten for lunch or post-workout!

Tips:  

1. To reduce calories, I crack the egg in a bowl, add black pepper and cook it the microwave. I open the microwave every 20 seconds to ensure it doesn't explode.
2. Only cut off the amount of avocado needed or wanted at the time, leave the rest in its flesh but cut a wedge of lemon, squeeze its juice on to the avocado,  place the wedge on top of the exposed bits (green bits of avocado) then wrap it all tightly in foil, then it doesn't go brown!

I've got plenty more recipes using avocado but didn't want to make this post too long. 

How do you guys eat your avocados? Have you got any creative recipes? Id so I'd love to hear from you (by commenting below) or contacting me.

Also if you enjoyed reading this blog post please let me know then I will share some other avocado recipes e.g. the recipe for the picture at the start of this post!! Thanks for reading :)...

Kimren xo