Breaking
FoodNerdy Recipes Management System
Tag

avocado

Browsing
Food

Make Avocado Ice Cream Yourself – with Chocolate and Mint

Summer, sun, sunshine – and ice cream! This vegan ice cream simply tastes like summer: fresh mint, crunchy chocolate, and creamy fine ice cream. We can’t get enough of this green avocado ice cream. And you don’t even need an ice cream maker. It’s so easy to make your own avocado ice cream.

Make your own avocado mint ice cream

You’ve certainly never eaten ice cream like this: fresh mint gives the creamy-green avocado ice cream a particularly refreshing note – and really helps to cool off on hot days. The crunchy pieces of chocolate give a certain crunch effect. And on top of that, it’s also vegan ice cream!

To make the avocado ice cream yourself, you only need a few ingredients: coconut milk, avocados, mint, chocolate, and possibly some agave syrup. Although avocados have a relatively high number of calories and a high-fat content, healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids predominate.

Mint and lemon provide vitamin C and at the same time provide a fresh kick. The whole thing is also done in no time at all: you only need 15 minutes until the ice is in the cooler – but then you have to wait. But anticipation is often the best joy!

We fell in love with the creamy avocado ice cream – just try it out and enjoy the fresh licking fun on hot days.

The recipe for the avocado mint ice cream with chocolate

For 6 servings

  • 1 can of coconut milk
  • 3 ripe avocados
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • Agave syrup (optional)
  • fresh mint (or mint extract)
  • 100 g chocolate drop (or to taste)
  • Besides that
  • cling film

Preparation steps

  1. Open the coconut milk and scoop out the solid part at the top – don’t shake the can first – and pour it into a large bowl! Using a hand mixer, beat the solid coconut milk until fluffy, and then pour into a cake or casserole dish.
  2. Split the avocados, pit and scoop out the flesh, and place in a food processor. Blend together with the lemon juice, agave syrup, and mint leaves until smooth and creamy.
  3. Put the avocado mixture on the fluffy coconut cream, sprinkle the chocolate chips over it, and mix the mixture carefully but evenly.
  4. The surface of the mass should be relatively smooth. Now place cling film on top and press lightly so that there is no air between the film and the ice cream mass. Place the ice cream in the freezer for at least two hours.
  5. Let it thaw and enjoy.
Keep Reading
By
Food

Avocado Potato Soup

A hearty potato soup with avocado, garlic sausage, and fresh peppers. Inexpensive and quick to prepare, healthy and very tasty. The ideal meal for a cold winter day. As the days get shorter and temperatures drop, the need for hearty meals increases.

The simple yet sophisticated soup with potatoes and avocado warms the heart and stomach. The hearty sausage gives this product from the new soup kitchen a spicy touch. Vegetarians can also garnish the avocado and potato soup with croutons that have been sautéed in olive oil and garlic.

Ingredients for 4 persons

  • 2 onions
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 500 g potatoes (mainly waxy)
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp medium-hot mustard
  • ground cumin
  • 3/4 l vegetable or beef stock (instant)
  • 1 red pepper
  • 200 g garlic sausage or Debreziner
  • 1 ripe avocado (approx. 200g)
  • 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and pepper

Preparation of avocado and potato soup

  1. Peel and finely chop the garlic and onions. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onions and garlic until translucent.
  3. Add the mustard, cumin, and potatoes and stir-fry. The broth
  4. pours and boils. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  5. In the meantime, quarter, wash, and trim the peppers. Cut into cubes of about 1/2 cm
    and fry in the remaining oil in a small pan for about 4 minutes. Cut the sausage into thin slices, add to the peppers and fry briefly. Remove the pan from the stove.
  6. Halve the avocado, and remove the stone and skin. Cut part of the avocado into small cubes, immediately pour lemon juice over the rest, and puree.
  7. Push half of the potato soup through a sieve and stir in the remaining half as well as the diced avocado and the puree.
  8. Finally, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle the sausage and paprika cubes over it.

Useful additional knowledge

There is more to potatoes than is commonly believed. The great tuber contains high-quality protein and about as much vitamin C as an apple. The numerous minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium are located directly under the peel and are largely lost when peeling. Therefore, feel free to use unpeeled potatoes – well-scrubbed, of course, and if possible from controlled cultivation.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Superfood Avocado: What Happens To Your Body When You Eat It Regularly?

We all know the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. But does that also apply to the superfood avocado? What happens if you eat them every day?

The avocado is considered a real superfood. But what exactly is the pear-shaped fruit all about? And is she really that healthy? The avocado originally comes from Mexico. It now also grows in subtropical areas such as southern Spain or Israel. Depending on the variety, the fruits of the avocado tree can weigh up to a kilogram and can take on different shades of green.

Avocado: Why is the superfood so healthy?

In contrast to most fruits, the avocado contains hardly any sugar, but a lot of fiber. In addition, the consumption of avocados provides important minerals, including iron, calcium and phosphate. Especially in the vegan diet, the high-fat fruit is used in many recipes due to its numerous nutrients. The avocado is actually a true superfood. The green fruit is especially good for:
The cholesterol level
The cardiovascular system
The care of our skin
According to studies, an avocado a day lowers the so-called “bad cholesterol” (LDL cholesterol), since our body mainly needs unsaturated fatty acids for metabolism. The fatty acids in the avocado are responsible for promoting the “good” HDL cholesterol. This in turn ensures that the LDL cholesterol is removed from the arteries.

In addition, the daily consumption of avocados also makes you happy: it supports the formation of the happiness hormone serotonin.

It’s so easy to integrate the avocado into your diet

Most people know avocados in the form of guacamole, the popular Mexican dip often eaten with chips. On the other hand, if you want to include an avocado in your daily diet, you can eat the valuable fruit pure or prepare it with other healthy foods. Very tasty: sliced ​​avocado with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt. Since the avocado is very creamy due to its high fat content, it is ideal as a butter substitute, in dressings or in smoothies.

For further use, simply cut the avocado in half, deseed and scrape out with a spoon. The crushed pulp can also be enjoyed wonderfully on a rice waffle or as a vitamin-rich bread topping.

Conclusion: The avocado is clearly one of the fattest fruits. Depending on the variety, their flesh contains 15 to 25 percent fat. But this fat consists mostly of unsaturated fatty acids. For this reason, the avocado is an extremely healthy food, despite the many calories (compared to other types of fruit).

Keep Reading
By
health

Avocado Against Dry, Brittle and Damaged Hair

You certainly know the problem: your hair looks dull, brittle, or stressed. Reasons for this can be frequent coloring but also unfavorable weather conditions. Especially now, when the fresh season begins, cold, dry weather and heating air ensure that hair loses its shine and strength.

In such cases, it is not always possible to go to the hairdresser. In addition, care products are often overpriced and have a short-term effect. Completely different from a weekly avocado pack.

Shiny hair, all-natural

Common hair care products are often too expensive. In addition, they often contain silicone-like components, which we do not yet know what they will do to our hair in the long term. Just one large, ripe avocado and one tablespoon of honey a week will change the texture of your hair in the long run. The moisture level improves significantly and your hair looks shiny and healthy!

Avocado, good for hair and scalp

For this moisture pack, just mash up an avocado and add a tablespoon of honey. First, wet your hair with warm water. Make sure the water is not too hot. This is not good for the scalp. Now massage the avocado-honey mixture into your hair. Now leave the pack on for 30 minutes.

Moisture pack with great effect

The pack is best absorbed under a shower cap or wrapped in a towel. After about 30 minutes, the essential oils of the avocado fruit have penetrated. They now give your hair an unmistakable shine and help to rebuild brittle areas. Now all you have to do is rinse your hair and wash it off with little shampoo.

…and her hair shines with new freshness!

This moisture pack is a time and money saver. Apply only once a week and you will see that your hair radiates strength and freshness after a very short time. A little tip: If you can’t find a ripe avocado, just take an unripe one and wrap it in the newspaper for 1-2 days. Then she is ready for your hair treatment!

Keep Reading
By
Food

Media Warn: “Avocados Are Not Vegan”

Vegans like to eat avocados. Because the healthy superfood is a delicious substitute for animal foods. Strictly speaking, the avocado is not vegan at all – at least that is what the British television broadcaster BBC claims.

“Which of these foods can you eat as a strict vegan?” presenter Sandi Toksvig asks her contestants on the latest episode of BBC quiz show “QI”. Almonds, avocados, kiwis, a pumpkin and a melon are shown on a screen. The surprising answer: “None.”

Although the food does not consist of animal products, animals are exploited for their cultivation, according to the moderator. Just like honey production, avocado cultivation uses bees in an unnatural way. “The fruits depend on the bees, which are transported long distances across the country by truck,” says Toksvig on the show.

Animals are exploited to grow avocados

The method is called “migratory beekeeping”, in which the bees swarm out to pollinate the fields, then put them back in boxes and transport them to the next cultivation area. The same applies to cucumbers, broccoli, cherries and lettuce.

In fact, when it comes to honey, animal rights activists argue just like the BBC show: According to the animal welfare organization Peta, bees for the honey industry are “victims of unnatural living conditions, genetic manipulation and stressful transport.”

The difference, however, is that honey is produced directly by the bees. When growing avocados (and growing many other fruits and vegetables), the bees are only responsible for pollinating the plants.

Pollination is actually a natural process. On large fields and plantations, however, there are not enough bees to fertilize an entire plantation. The bees are therefore placed artificially on the fields.

So are avocados, almonds & co. vegan?

Media such as Bild.de, bento or Focus online are picking up the story and warning vegans about the allegedly non-vegan types of fruit and vegetables. But what is the truth of the claim?

Ultimately, whether avocados and other fruits and vegetables are vegan depends on how you define veganism. The organization The Vegan Society, for example, contradicts the interpretation of the program “QI”. “Vegans avoid using animals as much as possible,” spokeswoman Dominika Piasecka told the online magazine Plant Based News.

It is clear that in agriculture animals are often harmed indirectly. Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to avoid this at the moment, the spokeswoman said. “Vegans go a long way in reducing animal suffering. We welcome any changes in farming practices that support this.”

Avocados: Not only problematic for animals

Apart from that, the avocado is also a not unproblematic food for other reasons. In Germany, for example, the fruit is mainly imported from Peru, Chile, Mexico and South Africa. It covers a correspondingly long transport route in refrigerated containers, which causes emissions twice over and has a negative impact on the ecological balance of the fruit.

In Mexico in particular, environmental organizations also complain that forests are being cleared illegally to make way for avocado fields.

And avocados need enormous amounts of water: an avocado tree needs around 50 liters of water per day, which is already scarce in the rather hot, dry growing areas. Estimates assume that almost 1,000 liters of water are used for one kilo of avocados – that’s often only three pieces.

So whether the avocado is vegan or not is a matter of definition. The fact is: the fruit is not exactly sustainable. If you still don’t want to do without avocados, you should opt for organically grown fruit and also choose avocados from Spain or Israel, because the transport routes are shorter here.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Eating Avocado Seeds: What Speaks For and What Speaks Against it

Instead of eating the avocado pit, most people just throw it in the trash. The core contains extremely healthy ingredients. But what about the controversial bitter substance persin?

The avocado is considered a healthy superfood that is rich in unsaturated fatty acids as well as vitamins and minerals. Normally, however, we only talk about the pulp – the skin and core usually end up in the garbage.

In recent years, however, it has been found that the avocado seed contains healthy nutrients and antioxidants. So should you eat the avocado seed as well? Some swear by it, others advise against it.

Eating an avocado seed: It should be that healthy

The ingredients and health benefits of the avocado have been extensively studied – but only in relation to the pulp. The situation is different with the avocado core, where research is still in its infancy. However, previous nutrient analyzes sound promising: the avocado core contains many of the fruit’s healthy ingredients, even in a concentrated form.

The avocado seed provides the following nutrients:
vitamins,
minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron,
fiber,
Amino acids,
unsaturated fatty acids,
bitter substances,
phytochemicals such as phenolic acid, flavonoids, carotenoids.
These ingredients are all considered to be extremely beneficial to health. From a medical point of view, the unsaturated fatty acids, bitter substances and secondary plant substances are of particular interest. Because of these substances, the avocado seed is said to have many positive effects. Among other things, he should…

…protect cells from oxidation by free radicals,
…inhibit inflammation,
… prevent cardiovascular diseases,
… strengthen the immune system,
…prevent infections,
…stimulate the metabolism and
Prevent thyroid disorders.
Current research suggests that the avocado seed may lower cholesterol levels. It can also be used to treat high blood pressure, diabetes and inflammatory diseases.

The antioxidant properties of the seed have already been scientifically confirmed. Beyond that, however, there is a lack of further investigations and studies on humans. So far, only research has been done on how avocado seed extract can affect the body – but not the consumption of the seed.

Potential Risks: Is the avocado seed toxic?

Because of the current research situation, the consumer advice center NRW warns against eating the avocado stone. Based on the current information, it is not certain to what extent it is healthy to consume the seed. In this context, reference is also made to the bitter substance persine, which is toxic to humans in large doses and is also found in the pulp of fruit and other types of fruit. Therefore, some voices strongly warn against eating the avocado seed. But even these claims have not yet been sufficiently substantiated.

The ingredients and possible health-promoting effects of the avocado seed sound promising. Since the popular fruit has a bad climate balance, it makes sense from an ecological point of view to use as many parts of the avocado as possible. However, due to the lack of human studies and long-term studies, we advise against eating the avocado stone in large quantities and only occasionally using it very sparingly in the kitchen.

In general, however, avocados are problematic from many perspectives: cultivation requires an enormous amount of water, which is scarce in most growing areas anyway. The mostly long transport routes worsen the ecological footprint even more. Blood also sticks to avocados from Mexico in particular, since the avocado trade there is controlled by the drug cartels. That’s why we strongly advise you to buy avocados only rarely – and if you do, then buy organic avocados from Europe, such as Spain or Italy.

Preparing the avocado seed: This is how you can eat it

The best way to use the avocado seed is to let it dry first. You have the following options for this:
Remove the brown skin from the avocado stone. This works best if you soak the core in water for a short time beforehand or let it dry for a day. Then let the washed core dry for 1-3 days.
Alternatively, you can also cut the fresh avocado seed into pieces or thin slices with a sharp knife and then let it dry. The fastest way to do this is in the sun or in a dehydrator. You can also lightly toast the pieces in a pan.
You can then prepare the dried pieces as follows:

If you have a powerful blender, you can mix parts of the avocado seed into smoothies. Since the core has a relatively tart, bitter taste, you should combine it with flavorful ingredients such as cabbage, rocket, spinach or berries.
You can use a kitchen grater to finely grate the avocado seed and add it to both sweet and savory dishes. For example, you can sprinkle the fine pieces over muesli or add them to the salad.
You can also prepare a tea from the avocado seed. Pour hot water over a teaspoon of the fine shredded pieces and let the tea steep for ten minutes before straining.
Attention: Also because of the slightly bitter taste, you should only add the core sparingly.

Tip: If you don’t want to eat the avocado seed, you can also germinate it and grow your own avocado plant.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Freeze Avocado: As a Whole Avocado or as a Dip

Ripe avocados often spoil fairly quickly, but you can freeze them to give them a longer shelf life. We’ll show you how to properly freeze whole and pureed avocados.

Freeze avocados: use leftovers

Your avocado was just perfectly ripe and the next moment it’s already brown? To prevent this, you can freeze ripe avocados and use them later. This is how you actively counteract food waste and can use the leftovers in delicious avocado recipes.

Even if you spontaneously feel like having avocados, it is helpful to have a reserve in the freezer. This way, you don’t have to buy new avocados from the supermarket that may still be unripe and inedible.

You should only consume avocados in moderation anyway, since the long and energy-consuming transport route in air-conditioned ships and the high water consumption have a very negative effect on our environment. Therefore, when buying and consuming avocados, the following motto applies: only buy a little/rarely and always use everything!

The right time to freeze

Before you freeze your avocado, you want to make sure it’s fully ripe. To test the degree of ripeness, you can apply light pressure to the fruit with your fingers. If the avocado yields, it’s ripe.

If the avocado is not yet ripe, it is best to wrap it in newspaper and store it at room temperature. If you put the avocado in a paper bag with an apple, the fruit will ripen even faster. Apples contain the ripening gas ethylene, which causes other fruits to ripen faster. After about one to three days, an avocado should be ripe, now you can freeze it.

Freeze halved avocados

First, halve the avocado with a sharp knife.
Now take a tablespoon and use it to carefully remove the core. Here you can find out what else you can use the avocado seed for.
Now drizzle some lemon juice on the two avocado halves. This will prevent the flesh from turning brown.
Now wrap the halves in beeswax towels and put them in the freezer. You can also freeze them in a screw-top jar.
It’s best to label the bee growth or jar with a water-soluble pen to help you remember the date you froze the avocado.
To defrost the avocado, you can now simply place it on a plate at room temperature for an hour. And you’re ready to enjoy a ripe avocado!
Good to know: Avocados can be stored in the freezer for up to eight months. Don’t be surprised if freezing changes the texture of the avocado. This is completely normal and does not change the taste of the fruit.

Freeze avocado puree

If you puree the avocado before freezing, you can save yourself a step if you want to use it later for guacamole or a green smoothie.
First, cut the avocado in half again and remove the stone.
Now scoop out the fruit with a spoon and place the pulp in a blender. Add some lemon juice to keep the green color. If you don’t have a blender, you can also mash the avocado with a fork.
Mash the avocado until you like the consistency.
Now pour the avocado puree into a freezer container, e.g. a screw-top jar. Don’t forget to label it with the current date!
Off to the freezer!
Place the puree in the refrigerator at least 12 hours before you plan to use it. This allows the avocado to thaw slowly and gently.
Tip: For small portions that are quick to hand, simply fill the pureed avocado into an ice cube mold and freeze it.

Keep Reading
By
Lifestyle

Avocado as a Natural Home Remedy

The avocado plant is healthy. Hence our information on planting and storing avocados correctly. You will also get to know the valuable nutrients of the fruit and what you can use the avocado plant for. Because this offers many possibilities from consumption to skincare.

In the meantime, it has become indispensable in our supermarkets. The avocado is versatile. For example, you can promote your health and improve your complexion. But what should you pay attention to? We have collected all the facts for you.

Interesting facts about the avocado plant

The avocado fruit, hyped as a superfood, is actually a berry. This grows on trees and originally comes from Central and South America. Here it was already cultivated and used by the indigenous peoples living there. After Spanish conquerors conquered the continent, they also came across this valuable fruit. Thus, their global distribution began, with intensive trade starting later. Nowadays you can find a healthy avocado plant in every supermarket. And this can be used in different ways. So you can use them as a spread, make dips or enjoy them in salads. You can also use it to make delicious smoothies yourself or use them for your skin, hair, or effective hand care.

Is the avocado healthy?

Yes, this delicious fruit is healthy! Because it contains valuable nutrients for your body. It provides healthy unsaturated fats and vitamins such as vitamins E, C, K, and B vitamins. Potassium and magnesium can also be found in this superfood. It also contains little fructose and can therefore be eaten by people with fructose intolerance. Thus, you can promote your health by enjoying the avocado plant in good measure. In addition, note interesting facts about healthy oatmeal.

The avocado nutritional values

As already mentioned, depending on the quality, avocado is one of the healthy foods that you can have more often on your menu. In addition to the valuable nutrients, the avocado has the following nutritional values. Keep in mind that the numbers may vary depending on the size and weight of the fruit.

Plant your own avocados

However, you can plant an avocado yourself. For this, you need the core, which you can find in the middle of the pulp. But you need some patience. It doesn’t always work on the first try and it can take several months for the seed to germinate. If you want to plant avocado, you can use two different methods. Either you stick the core directly into the soil and keep it moist. Or you use the water glass method. To do this, fill a glass with water. Then wash the core and make a small cut in it. Then stick three to four toothpicks into the tip of the core and place the frame on the glass so that the core protrudes into the water. You should also note the following things:

  • Change the water regularly.
  • Choose a sunny location.
  • Make sure you have enough heat.

Store avocados properly

The avocado plant is delicious and very healthy. But surely you know the problem that avocados turn brown quickly in the fresh air. And even the beautiful salad quickly looks unappetizing. But lemon juice helps! To do this, sprinkle some lemon juice on the avocado pieces. Then they stay attractive longer.

You should also store this food properly. If you bought an unripe avocado and now want to speed up the after-ripening process, you should store it at room temperature. You can also put them in a paper bag with apples and bananas to speed up the process. If you have a ripe avocado, you can put it in the fridge. This will slow down the ripening of the fruit.

Delicious avocado recipes

Since the avocado is usually eaten raw, you can use it for salads, dips, or a spread. It has become indispensable in vegetarian and vegan cuisine and the number of recipes is endless. You can use the fruit in many ways, especially for brunch. So make a delicious avocado spread with a ripe avocado, a squeeze of lemon, and salt and pepper. If you like, you can refine the whole thing with cream cheese and delicious garlic. Also our avocado recipe for a hearty avocado and potato soup.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Coffee Smoothies – Avocado, Banana & Co in Your Coffee

Proper nutrition can be difficult, but thank God there are healthy smoothies! They taste good and provide our body many valuable nutrients. But what if we tell you that you can combine your favorite guard drink with it? Even better!

We want to help you find your new go-to coffee smoothie recipe. Of course, there are no limits to you and your imagination, but everyone has their taste preferences. There are so many options, be it smoothies with fruit, green smoothies, vegetables smoothies or low carb smoothies for losing weight – why not a coffee smoothie.

Coffee smoothie with banana recipe

1 large cup of coffee
1/2 cup of whole milk (or almond mich for vegan version)
2 bananas
2 tablespoons of peanut butter (optional)
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
2 TL honey (or natural sweetener)
Pinch
Ice cubes
Chia seeds

Avocado coffee recipe

1 ripe avocado
250 ml of almond milk
150 ml of coffee
1 tablespoon of honey
2 TL cinnamon

Coffee smoothie with coconut water – recipe

1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
125 ml coconut water
1 teaspoon almonds (ground)
1 espresso
All of these ingredients are mixed together in the mixer – and this delicious coffee smoothie is ready.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Plant Avocado Seeds and Grow Avocados

Did you know that you can plant the avocado seed and grow your own avocado? All you need is water, toothpicks and some potting soil – and of course the stone from which you want to pull the avocado.

The guacamole is ready and you still have an avocado seed left? The avocado stone is also the seed for an avocado tree – so you can easily grow a tree for your home from a leftover avocado seed by planting it. However, you cannot harvest an avocado from such a tree, since the male and female flowers are not open at the same time, which means that self-pollination and thus ripening into an avocado are ruled out.

Plant avocado seeds and grow avocados

To get fruit, you would need two different types of avocado trees, each with their flowers opening in opposite directions. Nevertheless, the evergreen tree from the planted avocado seed is a pretty sight, for example in the conservatory, as a houseplant or in a greenhouse. Also read: Grow your own vegetables: 8 foods that keep growing back.

Grow avocado as a houseplant – that’s how it works!

Use the following trick to grow avocados:

Remove the avocado pit from the avocado, wash it well and let it dry.
Before you can plant it, the avocado seed needs to form roots. To do this, poke three toothpicks about halfway down the side of the avocado stone.
Then hang the avocado stone with the pointed side up in a glass container with water so that the lower end of the avocado is in the water.
The toothpicks serve as a holder and lie on the edge of the glass jar.

Off into the ground: plant avocado seeds

After about three to ten weeks, several roots will have formed and you can plant the avocado seeds in normal potting soil. It is important that the pointed part that was above the toothpick is not covered with soil. The pot with the planted avocado seed is then covered with a clear plastic bag or glass bell jar to create enough humidity.

Watered regularly and placed in a bright place at over 20 degrees, the avocado seed will soon begin to sprout. As soon as the plant has a few green leaves, you can remove the cover and place the avocado tree in its final location. It’s that easy to grow your own avocado!

Keep Reading
By