There is a certain kind of excitement that comes with getting something new, whether it be a new pair of shoes, new gadget (like an iPad) or even a new favorite show on TV. For me, the excitement over our new Big Green Egg (BGE) grill is motivating me to put close to anything I can “over the coals”. I’ll save the long explanation of the Big Green Egg, but let’s just say it’s the most amazing grill we’ve ever owned - long cook times, fantastic flavor for everything we’ve cooked, and easy to use.

This BGE enthusiasm led me to experiment with making guacamole recently. Avocadoes are quite possibly my most favorite food and avocado season is upon us! I love a delicious, fresh guacamole, but to add an authentically roasted flavor to it seemed like a perfect way to up the guac game.

I prepped (aka: washed, sliced and lightly brushed with coconut oil) my organic ingredients: red onion, red pepper, Serrano chili, heirloom tomatoes, limes and avocadoes (pitted, with skin on). Then placed them face down on the grill over medium heat and cooked each until they were just starting to char and blister. As they finished cooking, I took them off to cool. Once they were done, I scooped out the avocado, chopped the peppers and onions and combined everything except the limes in a bowl and mashed until they came together in perfect union. I added fresh crushed garlic, sea salt and squeezed one lime at a time until the flavor was just right. It was a perfect compliment to our turkey burgers and doubled as a tasty dip for the grilled sweet potato fries. A 100% cooked outdoors meal - - tastes great and keeps the heat out of the kitchen!

You could easily adapt this concept and grill your mango salsa or grill tomatoes and bread for a twist on the traditional Italian tomato-bread salad. How will you up your grilling game this summer? Share your inspiration in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!

*note: Grilling slightly changes the texture of avocadoes. If that does not appeal to you, then grill all the ingredients except the avocado and then add them to a bowl with (un-grilled) avocado and mash together for a still-delicious guacamole.

Creamy, delicious avocados… one of my most favorite foods to eat! And not just as a dip to scoop up with tortilla chips or as a topping on a salad. They are even delicious to eat straight out of the peel with a squeeze of lemon or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

If you don’t already love this fruit that moonlights in the vegetable world, please give it another chance! There are dozens of varieties of avocados, Haas being the most common. Their tough green skin contains “a whole lotta goodness” inside. Here are just a few of the many reasons avocados should be a part of everyone’s diet:

Avocados have…

· 10 grams of fiber (for one medium sized fruit)

· vitamins A, B6 and C

· magnesium, iron and protein

· twice the potassium of a banana

· ‘good’ monounsaturated fats

· omega 3’s, which reduce inflammation in the body

Avocados typically show up in a bowl of guacamole, but there are dozens of ways to incorporate them into your life. Have you tried these?

· Use mashed as a spread on sandwiches in place of mayonnaise

· Add to a smoothie for a creamy nutritional boost

· As a facial mask for your skin

· As a key ingredient in dairy-free chocolate pudding

· Bake an egg in the center of it

· Grill it

· Use as a hair conditioning treatment

· Stuff with chopped tomatoes and balsamic dressing

· Dress up your next batch of ahi-poke with chopped avocado

And my new favorite… Avocado “Fries”!

I had my first taste of a fried avocado in a vegetarian taco and loved the crunch and creamy taste combination, but not the fried part and since fried foods don’t make my ‘clean eating’ list, I needed to find an alternate way to get that same taste combination. I’ve had this recipe for ages and can’t remember exactly where it came from and how it ended up in my ‘try it’ pile of recipes, so I can’t officially give credit to its creator, but it’s easy and delicious.

Avocado Fries

2 ripe avocados

¾ cup panko flakes

¼ cup nutritional yeast

pinch each of sea salt and pepper

½ cup milk alternative

3 tbsp flour

Heat oven to 400F and line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Cut avocados in half, remove pit and then carefully scoop (in one piece) the flesh out with a spoon. Next, cut each half into quarters (or 6ths if it’s a large avocado). In a bowl combine panko, nutritional yeast and salt and pepper. In a separate bowl whisk flour into the almond milk until well combined.

Dredge each slice in the milk mixture, then gently coat with the breadcrumb mix until evenly covered. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all avocado slices are coated. Bake for 10minutes, turn over then bake for additional 10 minutes, until golden brown. Serve hot with a dip made from plain, whole milk Greek yogurt mixed with chipotle hot sauce.

Resources: foodreference.com, Californiaavocado.com, naturalnews.com

Do You Grill Your Guac?

For the Love of Avocados!