Do you want to add flavor and lots of vitamins and minerals to your sweets? Try substituting avocado for butter in your cookie bake. What you give up in calcium, you gain in more nutrients. More avocados have less saturated fat and are cholesterol free. You also give up about half the calories you’d find in cream cheese and four and a half times the calories in butter.
If you like crunchy cookies and your recipe calls for a cup of butter, use ¼ cup of butter and ¾ cup of avocado. If you like your cookies chewy, use a one-for-one substitution between butter and avocado. Since many of us wait until Christmas to bake, the green color added to the dough will be perfect for the season. It’s also perfect for St. Patrick’s Day.
The word avocado comes from the Aztec language and means testicle. Although the large ones are grown in Florida (namely avocados) and can weigh up to four pounds, most avocados come from California and average five ounces. The outer skin can be rough or smooth and its color varies from green to almost black. The two most common varieties are Hass and Fuerte. They can be tough because they are picked before they are ripe. However, they should give a bit when squeezed if they are ready to eat. You can always put them in a paper bag at room temperature to speed up the ripening process. Choose the ones that seem heavy for their size.
Just like an apple, avocados will discolor when exposed to air. Since they are most often associated with guacamole, sprinkle them with lemon or lime juice when making them ahead. Slice one into sandwiches to add moisture, or include avocado chunks in your salad. Serving them with something crunchy like walnuts in a salad is a nice contrast. Because they are so neutral in flavor, you can pair them with something tart and savory like raspberries or oranges. A honey mustard dressing also pairs well with avocados, whether served on salads or sandwiches.
Despite avocado’s delicate makeup, don’t be afraid to add chunks at the last minute to a stir-fry. It can help cool down a dish that you’ve seasoned with too many hot peppers. Mix some corn and black beans with tomatoes and hot sauce and serve as an appetizer over a pitted avocado half. For those who can’t stand the heat of the chiles, serve a mild sauce and offer your guests a glass of chardonnay. Its acidity will help to bring out more flavor.
Another alternative to rock your taste buds is to serve that sliced avocado with grapefruit wedges and drizzle French dressing on top. Other spices that go well with avocado are garlic, chives, chili peppers, cilantro, and oregano. If you’ve made guacamole and want to use the leftovers, fill it with celery or serve it with crackers.
Now that you can see that avocados have more uses in your home and are a healthy addition to your diet, spend some time with your kids and make a batch of no-butter chocolate chip cookies. Who knew you could have a tasty vegetable as part of your dessert?
