avocado: the incredible hulk

the way i see it the diet i try to follow is more about adding certain foods rather than taking away. if i add tons of good foods to my daily meals there won't be room for the bad foods. so these newly added foods need to be superfoods. they need to bring some big benefits to my autoimmune disease-fighting table.

one of the foods you will see in many of my recipes will be avocado. i love this little green hunk and it's not just because he's so creamy and yummy.  the avocado is packed with tons of vitamins, fiber and potassium, which makes for strong hair, skin and nails. it's good for the heart and for lowering cholesterol. avocado is said to fight cancer of the prostate, skin, and mouth. also i saw on a vegan tv show that it was good for the libido...wink, wink.

the reason i choose avocado is because of the fat. that's right...i said fat. F-A-T! these fats are the monounsaturated fats. they're good for you! oleic acid is one of these fats in the avocado. it's job is to create fat transporting molecules in the digestive tract, and this process increases our absorption of fat soluble nutrients like carotenoids. so add avocados to salads and other dishes. the combination ensures maximum absorption of nutrients!

other fats contained in avocados include phytosterols and poly hydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs). both have been proven to provide anti-inflammatory properties. since autoimmune diseases cause and wreak havoc with inflammation, avocados are a big superfood for me. when that little green hunk is ingested it's like he turns into the incredible hulk and just goes nuts and takes care of business! grrrr!

i buy avocados like 4 or 5 at a time. i get the firm ones and leave them on the counter with the bananas until they give with a squeeze then they are off to the fridge. a serving size is 1/5 of a medium sized avocado. seriously? what am i supposed to do with the rest of it, let it get all brown and gross? i eat the thing whole. if i do only go for a half, i stick the other half in a plastic baggie and suck the air out. and be sure to eat it the next day!

avocados are great in:

• salads with lots of colorful veggies.
• smoothies - sounds strange but is delish and creamy!
• sandwiches and wraps - see below.

grilled avocado sandwich

• 2 slices whole grain bread
• vegan buttery spread
• 1/2 avocado sliced
• cheddar vegan cheese shreds
• s+p

1. first toast the bread slices in a toaster. this gets the bread toasted on the side going against the avocado too:)
2. spread vegan buttery spread on outside of bread slices. add avocado slices, cheddar shreds, and s+p.
3. grill on a sandwich press or however else you make grilled cheeses. i went old school and used the George Forman!
4. slice and eat. if you so choose, try Sriracha hot sauce for dipping!

enjoy! - j