Avocado: More than Guacamole and Toast

     Avocado has become a huge craze in the culinary world. You can find it almost everywhere. But aside from being the main ingredient in guacamole, mostly it's found on toast. Avocado toast has hit the world and it does not seem to be going away. Don't get me wrong, there are so many good things about this trend, it's healthy, tasty, and so much more. However, avocado is so good in so many other dishes, and I thought I might share some of them with you.

     But first, a little bit about the health benefits of this awesome little fruit. Avocado is one of the most nutrient dense foods I know of. It's loaded with calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, potassium (more than a banana), copper, phosphorous, and zinc. It's a great source of vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K. Avocado also contains niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin. And a single serving of this awesome fruit can contain over 40% of the recommended daily value of fiber. Though it contains a LOT of fat (about 22.5 grams) over two-thirds of this fat is monounsaturated and actually good for you. Oh and yes, it is a fruit, but it's super low in fructose.

     All of the nutrients help to make avocados great for your health. Several studies have shown that avocado helps keep your heart healthy, prevents age related vision loss, improves digestion and nutrient absorption, protects against sun damage to your skin and hair, balances blood glucose levels, and so much more. How can you go wrong with avocado? That's why I felt I should share these recipes today. Just in case you are wondering, yes, all of these recipes are gluten free. Most are also vegan friendly.

Avocado and Egg Dishes:

I love having avocado for breakfast, and these recipes work so well for that. They're also great for a light lunch. These would be great with smoked salmon or bacon as well, if you like that sort of thing.

Southwest Avocado Frittata

2 teaspoons Butter or Olive Oil

½ of a medium Onion, thinly sliced

1 Avocado, halved and sliced

1 Tomato, halved and sliced

¼ cup Black Beans

½ cup Corn

8 Eggs

½ cup Heavy Cream (or full fat Coconut Milk)

2 tablespoons fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

*optional 1 small Jalapeno, seeded and sliced

*optional ¼ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (or Pepper Jack for some added heat)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375. In a large, oven proof skillet (8-10 inches), on medium heat, use 2 teaspoons of butter (or oil) to sautee the onion (and jalapeno) until the onion is transparent. Remove from heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, cream (or coconut milk), salt, pepper, and cilantro. Whisk until eggs are well incorporated. Pour the mixture into the skillet. Add in remaining ingredients. I prefer to start with the black beans and corn, then layer tomatoes and avocado on top. *Optional, top with cheddar cheese. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake 25 minutes, or until the frittata begins to brown and the eggs are cooked. Remove from the oven, sit 5 min to allow frittata to set. Slice and serve warm!

Egg Stuffed Avocado

2 small Eggs

1 Avocado, sliced and pitted

Salt and Pepper to taste

*optional Shredded Cheese and herbs of your choice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425. Scoop out a little of the avocado, to make the hole a little bigger so you can accommodate the egg. Arrange avocado halves in a cooking dish, careful to not let them tip over. Crack an egg into each half of the avocado. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cheese and herbs if desired (I like to put a little garlic powder and fresh Parmesan on mine, but feta and chive is a great option as well). Place into oven and bake for 15 minutes (or longer if you don't like runny yolk). Serve warm!

Avocado and Pasta:

These recipes make a great lunch or light dinner. If you like chicken or shrimp, feel free to add it into these recipes. These recipes also work really well with Zucchini or Spaghetti Squash instead of pasta.

Creamy Avocado Pesto

1 ripe Avocado, pitted and diced

1 cup fresh Basil leaves

1/3 cup Pine Nuts (or Cashews)

3 Garlic Cloves, smashed

Juice of 1 Lemon

about ¼ cup Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

*optional ¼ cup grated Parmesan Cheese or Nutritional Yeast

1 12oz-16oz box of pasta of your choice (I like Bowties or Angel Hair)

*optional- fresh Spinach, Mushrooms (sliced), or Cherry Tomatoes (halved)

Instructions:

Follow instructions on box of pasta and set aside. In a food processor, combine avocado, basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Process into a thick paste. Slowly add in olive oil until you have reached your desired, creamy, consistency. Mix in parmesan cheese until incorporated. Toss over pasta and fresh vegetables. The heat from the freshly cooked pasta will be enough to warm the sauce perfectly. Serve warm!

Pasta with Garlic Lemon Sauce

For the Sauce:

6 Garlic Cloves

2 ¼ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup Lemon Juice (about 4 lemons)

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

¼ tablespoon Nutritional Yeast (or grated Parmesan Cheese)

Salt and Pepper to taste

*optional ¼ cup Herbs of your choice (oregano, thyme, basil, and marjoram are all good choices)

For the Dish:

1 12oz-16oz box of Pasta of your choice (I like Rotini or Penne for this)

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

8-10 fresh Asparagus Spears, cut into 1-2 inch segments

½ medium Onion, sliced

1 Avocado, pitted and cubed

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

For the sauce:

Preheat the oven to 300. In a small oven proof container, combine garlic cloves and ¼ cup of olive oil. Cover and cook in the oven for about 50 minutes, or until the garlic is a pale golden color and tender. This removes the pungency of the garlic and brings out the sweetness. Cool to room temperature. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and combine with remaining olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, yeast, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth. (Lasts about 2 weeks in the refrigerator)

For the dish:

Follow the instructions on the box of pasta and set aside. Using olive oil, sautee asparagus and onions over medium-high heat until asparagus is tender and onions are transparent. Remove from heat and toss with pasta, avocado, salt, pepper, and sauce. Serve warm!

Avocado Salads:

I love adding avocado to my salads, but in these salads, avocado is the main event! They'd also be great with chicken or tuna added.

Creamy Southwest Avocado Salad

2 Avocados, pitted and cubed

1 small Sweet Onion, diced

1 small Jalapeno, seeded and diced (or bell pepper if you don't want the heat)

1 large Tomato, diced

¼ cup Corn (grill it first to add some awesome flavor)

¼ cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped

¼ cup Plain Greek Yogurt (or vegan sour cream)

Salt and Pepper to taste

*optional-baby or micro greens

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix gently, but well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (it's super tasty if left overnight). Enjoy!

Avocado Chickpea Salad

2 Avocados, pitted and cubed

2 medium Cucumbers, halved and sliced

1 large Tomato, diced

1 15 oz can Chickpeas (or try Fava Beans for a nice twist)

Juice of 1 Lemon

¼ cup Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley, finely chopped

1 Garlic Clove, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a small mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk well. Pour over all other ingredients in large bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (it's really tasty if left over night). Enjoy!

Avocado Dips and Spreads:

Everyone knows about guacamole, so I decided to introduce you to a few other ways to use avocado in dips and spreads. The first recipe is based on a salad dressing that I love, but it's super thick so you can use it as a dip for fresh veggies or chips.

Green Goddess Dip

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 clove Garlic, minced

Juice of ½ a Lemon

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 super ripe Avocados, pitted (you should be able to mush them with a spoon)

1 cup fresh Parsley Leaves

1 Green Onion stalk

1 tablespoon fresh Tarragon leaves

2 teaspoons White Miso Paste (make sure you have a gluten free variety)

¾ cup Tahini

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a food processor, blend dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. Add in the avocados, parsley, onion, tarragon, miso, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a large bowl and add in the Tahini. Mix well.

*If you want to turn this into a salad dressing, add ½ cup (or more) olive oil.

Avocado Hummus

1 Avocado, pitted and diced

1 15 oz can Chickpeas, reserve the liquid

¼ cup Tahini

1-2 Garlic Cloves, minced

Juice of ½ a Lemon

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ tablespoon ground Cumin

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth, adding in chickpea liquid if needed to achieve the right consistency. Enjoy!

Avocado Sweets:

Avocado for dessert? It's surprisingly tasty when combined with the right ingredients.

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

2 super ripe Avocados, pitted

½ cup Chocolate Chips or Cocoa Powder (or try Carob)

¼ cup – ½ cup Milk (or Full Fat Coconut Milk)

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Salt

2-6 teaspoons Honey or Maple Syrup

Instructions:

If using chocolate chips, melt them (on a double boiler) before begining. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Use less milk for a thicker mousse, or more milk for a creamier mousse.

Avocado Banana Cupcakes

(with 2 Frosting Options)

For the Cupcakes:

2 tablespoons Milled Flaxseed

5 tablespoons Water

1 ½ cups Gluten Free Flour (my favorite is by Namaste)

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 ½ cups Mashed Bananas (about 4 bananas)

½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

¾ cup Sugar

¼ teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoon Baking Soda

¼ cup Mashed Avocado

¼ cup Coconut Oil, melted

*optional Sprinkle Crushed Walnuts on top of frosting

Chocolate Avocado Frosting:

2 super ripe Avocados, pitted

½ cup Cocoa Powder (try Carob powder for a vegan option)

6-8 tablespoons Maple Syrup (or Honey)

¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/8 teaspoon Salt

Avocado “Buttercream” Frosting:

2 super ripe Avocados, pitted

Juice of ½ a Lemon

Pinch of Salt

4-5 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted

Instructions:

For the Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine flaxseed and water. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In well, combine the flaxseed mixture, avocados, coconut oil, mashed bananas, and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, be careful not to overmix. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake in oven for 25-30 min, or until a toothpick, inserted in the center, comes out clean. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the Chocolate Frosting:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Chill for 10 minutes before frosting

For the “Buttercream” Frosting:

Combine the lemon juice and avocado in a food processor. Process until completely smooth. Slowly add in powdered sugar until you have reached the desired consistency. Chill for 10 minutes before frosting.

Tips for frosting:

These frostings are not traditional cupcake frostings. They don't pipe well and are more like a thick ganache. If you want to pipe your frosting, instead of 2 avocados, use 1 and add 8 tablespoons of shortening or unsalted butter.

Bonus tip! If you are looking for a great dessert for your St. Patrick's Day dinner, the “buttercream” frosting is much healthier than a traditional frosting, and it's GREEN!

     Have fun, play around, make more avocado recipes, and let me know what you think below!

Grapefruit Honey Hairspray

     I have difficult hair, to say the least.  Its crazy curly and throughout my early life I tried EVERYTHING to straighten it enough to be manageable.  Nothing ever worked.  I even practically destroyed my hair with a variety of chemical treatments.  Still not straight.  About 10 years ago, I finally gave up the fight and started down the road to loving my hair.  When I began learning about herbs and the natural way to do just about everything in life, I made it a point to learn about natural hair products.  I have now been making my own hair gel for about a year, but for some reason I never considered trying hairspray.  

     Early this month, when my husband and I were sick, we picked up a bag of organic oranges at the grocery store.  I took one with me to my day job and cut it open to find out that it was not an orange at all.  In fact, it was a grapefruit.  Gross!  I am not a big fan of grapefruit, in fact it’s pretty safe to say I detest the taste of them.  I do use the essential oil in a few oil blends, and I like grapefruit in some bitters that I use.  However, I was now the proud owner of an entire 5lb bag of grapefruit.  There’s only so much grapefruit bitters I can make, and I do not have the proper licensing to make my own essential oils.  So I started looking up alternative ways to use grapefruit and found a few recipes for hair products.  After looking at several recipes, some of which did not include grapefruit as an ingredient, I came up with a recipe to test out.  Let me tell you, this hairspray really works!  I washed my hair and left out my usual gel, instead I sprayed my hair with this homemade hairspray and let it dry.  No frizz, nice hold (without the usual crunch that gel leaves), and smells great!  So I’m sharing this wonderful recipe with all of you in hopes of spreading the joy of homemade, good for you, hair products!

A Quick Word on Ingredients

Grapefruit promotes hair growth, removes buildup, naturally lightens hair color (any citrus fruit does this, but it works best with just the juice, adding the grapefruit to your hair recipes do not lighten to the same degree), detangles, treats dandruff, and makes your hair shine.  It’s also great for those of you who have oily hair. 

Coconut Oil is an ingredient I added to the recipe because grapefruit can strip your hair of oils, and my hair is quite dry (like most curly hair is).  Small amounts of coconut oil can also help reduce, or even prevent, frizz.  But if coconut oil is not for you then you can substitute argan oil, avocado oil, or even olive oil.

Honey is great for your hair, it nourishes your hair to make it shine.  It also makes a great moisturizer because it attracts moisture.  So for my fellow Florida girls, honey is great because it uses the humidity to help your hair!

High Proof Alcohol is my preservative in this recipe.  However, small amounts of alcohol can also make your hairspray work better.  While larger amounts of alcohol can dry your hair and create frizz, small amounts of alcohol can help ensure an even spread of your hairspray for a better hold.  It can also decrease the time it takes for your hair to dry. 

Essential Oils not only make this hairspray smell great, but they can also help your hair needs.  Some good essential oils to look into include: lavender, geranium, vetiver, cedarwood, rosemary, sandalwood, chamomile, and clary sage.

Grapefruit Honey Hairspray

Ingredients:

4 cups Distilled Water

1 Grapefruit, quartered

4 tablespoons Raw Honey

2 tablespoons Coconut Oil

2 tablespoons High Proof Alcohol of your choice

10-15 drops essential oils of your choice (my favorite blend is 6-8 drops lavender, 3-5 drops vetiver, 3-5 drops rosemary)

Instructions:

Combine water and grapefruit into a pot and boil on medium-high heat until the liquid is reduced to half.  Reduce the heat to low.  Remove the grapefruit quarters, squeezing until all liquid is squeezed out.  Add in the honey and coconut oil.  Cook on low, and stir until coconut oil and honey are well incorporated.  Cover and remove from heat.  Let cool, but don’t let the solids form completely on top, if this happens, just heat up on the stove until melted.  Using a funnel, pour cooled liquid into container of your choice.  Add in the alcohol and essential oils.  Close up with a spray top.  Shake well, and shake before each use. 

 

    This recipe will last for several months, however if you think it is beginning to smell funky, throw it away and make some more!  I hope you enjoy making your own hairspray and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Resources:

Cosamo: Benefits of Using Grapefruit on Hair: http://cosamousa.com/Benefits-of-using-Grapefruit-on-your-Hair

DIY Natural: Homemade Hairspray: https://www.diynatural.com/how-to-make-hairspray/

Hair Buddha: Top 5 Essential Oils for Hair and Scalp: http://www.hairbuddha.net/essential-oils-for-healthy-hair/

Honey Fanatic: Is Honey Good For Your Hair?: http://honeyfanatic.com/401/honey-good-hair/

How To Hair Girl:  Honey Silk and Shine: http://www.howtohairgirl.com/2013/07/honey-silk-and-shine/

Naturally Curly: Alcohols and your Hair: http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/all-about-alcohols/

No Poo Method: Essential Oils for Hair: http://thenopoomethod.com/essential-oils-hair/

WebMD: Wave Bye-Bye to Damaged Hair: http://www.webmd.com/beauty/natural-oils

Wellness Mama: Coconut Oil for Hair: https://wellnessmama.com/2162/coconut-oil-for-hair/

Wellenss Mama: Homemade Natural Hairspray: https://wellnessmama.com/11624/natural-hairspray-recipe/

Sage, the Scent of Thanksgiving

     November is a month of gatherings.  When we gather together this month, we are asked to think about things we are thankful for (at least that’s always been my family’s tradition).  Even though the origin of Thanksgiving may not have happened the way we have all been taught in school, it has come to represent a time of family and friends, of thankfulness and of blessings.  What the holiday has become is a wonderful tradition for families and a great celebration of the things in life that we may take for granted throughout the year. 

     As we do gather together over a bountiful table, certain aromas tend to be present.  The smell of the turkey and dressing are, of course, the most prominent.  Now, each family has their own recipes.  Being from the South, I don’t believe oysters have any business in my dressing (supposedly this is common in certain areas, and is even supposed to be an ingredient in the first Thanksgiving dressing recipe).  However there are certain spices that make themselves into every dressing recipe I have ever encountered.  One of these is sage.

     Sage Salvia officinalis is one of the many, many cooking herbs that are also amazingly beneficial to our health.  It’s in the Lamiaceae family, which is commonly referred to as the Mint family.  Plants in this family are characterized by a square stem and distinctive flowers that have petals fused into an “upper lip” and “lower lip,” which is why this family was originally referred to as the Labiatae (labia is Latin for lip).  The Lamiaceae family is also where you find Basil, Mint, Lavender, Thyme, Rosemary, and Savory, so this is a family known for its culinary delights.  When it comes to culinary herbs, I have a pet theory that they were originally added to food because most of them help aid digestion in some way.  However, it may be a “chicken and egg” situation.  Do we know that they help with digestion because they were added to food? Or were they added to food to aid with digestion?  Hmm… 

     Sage has been used in most cultures as a medicinal and culinary favorite (I use it in my Pumpkin Sage bread).  The ancient Romans actually revered this herb so much that they created a special ceremony just for the gathering of sage.  The Greeks and Romans both used this herb to help preserve meat (science believes that this is due to its high level of antioxidants).  Arab physicians in the 10^th century believed that sage promoted immortality.  14^th century Europeans used sage to protect themselves from witchcraft.  It was also prized in 17^th century China for the flavorful tea it makes.  Today, sage has become one of the most commonly burnt herbs for smudging, which is a practice that comes from the Native American use of burning herbs to cleanse one’s self and space, as well as to connect to nature and spirits.  The actual herbs used in this way by Native Americans varied among the tribes (some of them are very secretive about what herbs the used) and were typically not burnt in a bundle, but instead in a bowl or shell.  But the current practice is beneficial (even for you healthy skeptics), as sage smoke helps us to de-stress and fights the bacteria in the very air we breathe.

     I have used a strong sage tea as a mouthwash and gargle to fight gingivitis and heal a sore throat.  Sage tea can also be used to fight fevers, to calm nervous anxiety, to stimulate digestion, improve liver and kidney function, as a wash for the skin (makes a great toner and helps fight acne), as a hair rinse (makes hair super shiny and helps to darken hair if left on for an extended time), helps reduce excessive sweating, is a natural deodorizer (great for body and home), helps relieve hot flashes in menopausal women, helps deal with feelings of grief and depression, helps protect against cardiovascular diseases, and can help improve brain function and memory.  You can also use sage as a steam inhalation to help with asthma.  Sage poultices can also be beneficial in first-aid situations where antibacterial action is needed.  There are many more benefits of sage and I could probably write a small book on the subject! 

     For all of you new moms, and mom-to-be’s out there, you should avoid taking this herb in medicinal doses, or even at all.  It stimulates menstrual flow which could cause complications in the early stages of pregnancy.  It also dries up milk flow, so breastfeeding moms should avoid this herb until it’s time to wean your baby (at which point it could be very helpful).  It could also cause a minor allergic reaction in people who are allergic to other plants in the Lamiaceae family.  You should also use caution with this herb if you are prone to epileptic seizures. 

    

Parts Used: Leaves, small stems, flowers

Medicinal Actions: Analgesic, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antifungal, Antihydrotic (refrigerant), Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antiviral, Aromatic, Astringent, Carminative, Depurative, Emmenagogue, Estrogenic, Nervine, Vermifuge

    Thank you all for reading this.  I hope you enjoy sage as much as I do and if you have any questions or comments, please leave them down in the comments below!

Resources:

Annie’s Remedy – Sage: http://www.anniesremedy.com/herb_detail52.php

Botanical.com/A Modern Herbal – Sages: http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/sages-05.html

Health Beckon – 20 Amazing Benefits of Sage Herb for Skin, Hair, and Health: http://www.healthbeckon.com/sage-herb-benefits/

Herbalpedia – Sage, Not Just for Thanksgiving: http://www.herbalpedia.com/blog/?p=156

Herb Wisdom – Sage Herb: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-sage.html

History – The History of Thanksgiving: http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving

Manataka American Indian Council – The Real Story of Thanksgiving: https://www.manataka.org/page269.html

Organic Facts – Health Benefits of Sage: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/sage.html

Spirituality and Health – The Ancient Art of Smudging: http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/ancient-art-smudging

World’s Healthiest Foods – Sage: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=76