1. Spicy Crab and Avocado Salad
You’ve undoubtedly seen the grapefruit-avocado combo before. You get the creaminess of the avocado and the tart sweetness of the grapefruit — pretty fantastic. One way to take it to the next level is to add heat and textural variety. Doing that with fresh hearts of palm and finely-diced jalapeño accomplishes both. If you can’t find fresh hearts of palm you can use the canned stuff, but it won’t have the same crunch — that added contrast we’re looking for. Adding fresh lump crab meat makes it a refreshing salad, or even something you could eat by itself as a light meal. Except for separating thegrapefruit suprêmes, it’s easy and quick too.
Click here to see the Spicy Crab and Avocado Salad Recipe
2. Avocados Stuffed with Chicken Salad
Queen avocado, or palta reina, as this popular dish is called in South America, is royally rich but perfectly simple. It’s a great summer lunch and a real crowd-pleaser. I like to make mychicken salad with plain yogurt (not Greek yogurt, which is too thick) instead of mayonnaise to make it lighter.
Click here to see the Avocados Stuffed with Chicken Salad Recipe
3. Avocado and Prosciutto Crostini
We’ve all been there — you need an appetizer that will make a great impression but doesn’t require you to slave away in your kitchen. This crostini is sure to deliver on both accounts. The creaminess of the avocado, saltiness of the prosciutto, and nuttiness of the Parmesan combine to create the perfect bite.
Click here to see the Avocado and Prosciutto Crostini Recipe
4. Avocado Pizza with Caramelized Onions
Instead of tomato sauce, creamy chunks of avocado and gooey melted mozzarella make the base for this easy and delicious California-inspired pizza. While you’re welcome to experiment with making your own pizza dough, I bought mine at my local pizza shop. Because of the creaminess of the avocado and mozzarella mixture, the pizza benefits from having a somewhat thick crust so that the juices don’t soak through.
Feel free to add other ingredients like grilled chicken or Monterey Jack cheese to the pizza to make it even more California-esque.
Click here to see the Avocado Pizza with Carmelized Onions Recipe
5. Avocado Toast
This is one of the simplest and most flavorful recipes I know. Mashing avocado to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon makes for a healthy and delicious breakfast when served on toast or a Ryvita cracker. I first tried this at a café while traveling (the location of which escapes me) and when I got home, I was pleasantly surprised to see just how easy it was to recreate. Every time I make it, I get re-inspired to make it more often!
Also, I was surprised to find how well this actually pairs with your morning coffee — fear not!
Click here to see the recipe for Avocado Toast
6. Kale Avocado and Ricotta Pie
This is a very simple dish, as good for dinner as it is for brunch. You can play around with the ingredients a bit, adding more artichoke or avocado, or substituting spinach for kale or sausage for bacon. You can’t go wrong — unless you forget to garnish with a delicious ripe avocado.
Click here to see the Kale Avocado and Ricotta Pie
(via The Daily Meal)
