motd Wed Sept 28, 2011 - Avocados

[Guest guest]

IT BEGAN WITH A SEED

Wednesday, 28 September 2011

22 years ago, I ate an avocado. And no, it

wasn't the first one I'd ever had. In fact, I love

avocados and have enjoyed them for years. But oh

yes, this

one avocado was a

special one and let me tell you why.

After finishing my tasty avocado, I was

left with that giant seed you find at its center.

After finishing my tasty avocado, I was left with

that giant seed you find at its center. I had an

idea. I took some toothpicks, stuck them into the

seed then placed it into a glass of water. I sat my

avocado seed in the kitchen window where it got

plenty of California sun all day. It wasn't long

before I saw where the seed had begun to crack open

and was actually sprouting new growth. I was so

excited!

As it slowly began to outgrow its glass container, I

took the seed outside, removed it from the glass and

planted it in my backyard. Whenever I left town and

came home from a trip, I'd immediately run outside

to see how my little avocado seed was doing. Well,

let me tell you, it was doing pretty darned good!

My avocado bud had begun to emerge from the mud.

And yes, a tree was growing in Brooklyn. No, wait!

I mean Los

Angeles! LOL.

But seriously, my little avocado tree must have

loved the spot I chose for it in the back yard.

There, it got lots of Southern California sunshine

and I made sure it got plenty of water, too.

I have a magnificent avocado tree growing

in my backyard.

And now, 22 years later, I have a magnificent

avocado tree growing in my backyard. I'm telling

you, it bears hundreds of avocados every year. In

fact, I often share avocados with my neighbors. But

I always warn them that avocados contain a lot of

fat. (More about that later.)

Did you know that the avocado is actually a fruit?

(A lot of people mistakenly think the avocado is a

vegetable.) Sometimes, it's been referred to as the

"alligator pear" because of its slightly spiny

skin. This fruit loves warm climates and is grown

all over the world. To me, the avocado is almost

like "green butter"...only healthier for you than

regular butter.

Avocados are loaded with vitamins, minerals and have

been shown to help regulate blood pressure and

prevent other circulatory health problems. That's

the good news. Now let's get to the fatty news, shall

we?

One-eighth of an avocado contains five grams of fat

So half an avocado equals 20 grams of fat. Now

remember, they are good for you

but because of their volume of good-fat content,

avocados are still relatively high in calories,

compared to other fruits.

I like to use avocados as sort of an

"accessory" to other dishes I'm having.

I like to use avocados as sort of an "accessory" to

other dishes I'm having. When I have tortilla soup,

I take my eighth-of-an-avocado, dice it up and

sprinkle it on top of my bowl of soup. I do the

same when I make a salad. I love avocado with

fresh-ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon

juice. And oh my, when I think of all of the

guacamole I've eaten over the years, I just about

get scared! See, one whole avocado contains 40

grams of fat. So tell me, how quickly do you think

those calories add up when you're sitting there with

a warm bowl of tortilla chips and a big-old freshly

made batch of guacamole, huh?

Yesterday, we talked about cholesterol and how the

bad variety comes from animal fats. But the avocado

is a plant-based source of

fat and is actually good for

you. Avocados help build that good HDL

cholesterol in your body and keeps those arteries of

yours clean and clear! Just remember, watch

your portion sizes because of the calories in those

avocados, alright?

And oh yeah, now the sequel to my avocado story.

About 20 years, I had another avocado and did to

that seed what I did with that first one I told you

about. Well guess what, I now have a second avocado tree

growing in my backyard. Yep, I'm now the proud

father of "twins"!

Hmmm, maybe it's time to prick a toothpick

in just one more avocado seed. Then, when I have

triplets, I can set up my own avocado stand outside

Slimmons!

Love,