The Gourmet Mama

Avocados are a true slice of heaven, rich and creamy and jampacked with nutrition. But if you don´t know how to pick one that is actually in good shape, you´ll probably be sadly disappointed. Don´t worry, I´m here to tell you exactly how to select that perfect avocado.

First of all, the best time to buy an avocado is before it´s ripe. Look for very firm fruit with uniform skin. Depending on the type of avocado, it may have a dark green, almost black, pebbly skin or a lighter green, smooth skin. This isn´t important. What matters is that there are no cuts or blemishes on the fruit.

Take the avocados home and wrap them in newspaper and store in a cool dark place (not the fridge) to let them ripen. This will give you the absolute best quality, since you can check them each day and use them just when they hit that point of ripeness that is perfect for eating.

A ripe avocado should give under your fingers when squeezed, but it shouldn´t be squishy. If you do need a ripe avocado directly from the store, look for one with the stem still attached and flick this off. The flesh under the stem should be light green and healthy looking. If it is brown or spotted with mold or rot, don´t buy the avocado since it will be rotten inside.

Use a knife to cut the avocado open lengthwise and then whack the pit lightly to stick the knife into it. Give a quarter twist to loosen the pit and it should pull right out. You can then either slice the flesh or scoop it out with a spoon. Avocado begins to brown once it is exposed to the air, so either serve right away or rub a cut lemon over the exposed surfaces to delay browning.

Avocados contain a healthy type of fat that makes them an excellent snack for kids, as well as over 20 nutrients and vitamins. This handy fruit can also help lower cholesterol and boost absorption of fat soluble vitamins if taken at the same time.

We´ll be featuring several avocado recipes over the next few days, but here is a nice simple one to start you off.

Super Veggie Guacamole

2 large avocados

juice of 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon)

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 large tomato, diced

2 green onions, minced

1 small onion, minced (optional)

dash of salt

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

Scoop the flesh of the avocados into a bowl and mash until mostly smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Let sit for 30 minutes in the fridge before removing the clove of garlic.

Serve with nacho chips, pita bread, or spread on bread as a yummy sandwich base.

Makes about 2 cups.