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I'm sure we've all heard of egg-filled avocado and avocado brownies by now. But there are even more creative ways to use this testicle-shaped fruit (the Aztecan word for avocado, ahuacatl, literally means "testicle", so... yeah. you're welcome...?).
Way back in the "early days" of my blog, I did a blog post on avocados where I talked about the different benefits and uses of avocados, such as for making chocolate pudding, as a mayonnaise substitute or in baking. However, there are still some more unusual ways to use avocado other than for guacamole, pesto, pasta alfredo or dairy-free cheesecake. – Although, to be honest, avocado cheesecake is pretty dope.
1. AVOCADO OATMEAL
Avocado is a great source of healthy fats, protein, potassium, zinc, folic acid and vital vitamins, including Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin K and makes for a nutritious addition to any meal. It is also a great flavour carrier due to its fat content, further enhancing the sweetness of your oatmeal.
You need:
1/2 cup oats
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 ripe banana
sweetener of choice (optional)
1 tbsp cacao powder (optional)
1/2 avocado
Mash your banana. In a small saucepan, heat up the mashed banana and plant-based milk. Stir frequently. When it starts to bubble and comes to the boil, toss in the oats (and cacao powder if you want to have some chocolaty oatmeal), and reduce the heat to minimum or switch off completely. Let it simmer and thicken for 5 to 10 minutes. You should keep the lid closed as to retain the heat, but keep checking on the oats every now and then.
When it's done, the consistency of your oatmeal should be creamy and thick. Now you can either dice up the avocado and fold it under the warm oatmeal, or you can cut it into slices and place it on top of your oatmeal. If you don't like the avocado chunks – which will basically blend in with the flavour of the sweet oatmeal – you could also mash the avocado before adding it to the oats. Sweeten to your liking, and enjoy!
2. AVOCADO FACE MASK
You need:
1/2 avocado
1 tbsp organic jojoba oil (or any other high-quality carrier oil such as sweet almond oil or simply cold-pressed olive oil)
1 tsp raw honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
Finely mash your avocado with a fork. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mash until a smooth paste forms. Apply to your face and leave in for 15 to 20 minutes. When the time is up, take off the mask with a wash cloth and wash your face with warm water.
Lemon juice contains citric acid which helps "brighten" the skin and reduce inflammation on the skin (think of blemishes, breakouts or redness as inflammation), while the raw honey acts as a great natural exfoliant so it helps shed dry skin while healing irritated skin with its natural antibacterial/antimicrobial properties. Jojoba oil refines the skin's texture and acts as a mild, natural sunscreen.
If you have some leftover avocado oil mash (which you will unless you have like a ginormous face), you can use it on you hair as a deep conditioning hair mask or even on your legs and feet to moistuize and smoothen the skin. Of course, wash it off thoroughly after letting it do its magic for around 10 to 15 minutes.
3. AVOCADO CHOCOLATE
1/2 avocado
Method:
Finely mash your avocado with a fork. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mash until a smooth paste forms. Apply to your face and leave in for 15 to 20 minutes. When the time is up, take off the mask with a wash cloth and wash your face with warm water.
Lemon juice contains citric acid which helps "brighten" the skin and reduce inflammation on the skin (think of blemishes, breakouts or redness as inflammation), while the raw honey acts as a great natural exfoliant so it helps shed dry skin while healing irritated skin with its natural antibacterial/antimicrobial properties. Jojoba oil refines the skin's texture and acts as a mild, natural sunscreen.
If you have some leftover avocado oil mash (which you will unless you have like a ginormous face), you can use it on you hair as a deep conditioning hair mask or even on your legs and feet to moistuize and smoothen the skin. Of course, wash it off thoroughly after letting it do its magic for around 10 to 15 minutes.
3. AVOCADO CHOCOLATE
Are you looking for a healthy sweet treat? The following recipe is a lucky "kitchen accident" of mine that I discovered while making snack balls. Serving as a cheaper and healthier alternative to coconut oil, avocado can be used to make a delicious homemade chocolate with only three ingredients!
You need:
1/2 avocado
1 heaping tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp sweetener such as honey, agave, maple syrup or rice syrup
pinch of salt
Method:
Mash your avocado as finely as possible. Add in sweetener and cacao powder. A pinch of salt will bring out the sweetness. Pour the mixture into an ice cube tray or any other freezable pliable tray, and put in a fridge or the freezer for at least 2 hours. After it has cooled and hardened completely, remove the chocolate from the mold and enjoy your homemade melt-in-your-mouth chocolate.
Method:
Mash your avocado as finely as possible. Add in sweetener and cacao powder. A pinch of salt will bring out the sweetness. Pour the mixture into an ice cube tray or any other freezable pliable tray, and put in a fridge or the freezer for at least 2 hours. After it has cooled and hardened completely, remove the chocolate from the mold and enjoy your homemade melt-in-your-mouth chocolate.
Get creative!
- Add in more sweetener or melted coconut oil for a runnier, creamier consistency.
- Add in 2 tbsp of oats to roll the mixture into truffle balls. Coat in cacao powder.
- Add in a ripe banana and some cinnamon to make chocolate pudding.
What is your favourite use for avocadoes?
♥
Maisy
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