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8 Heart-Healthy Avocado Recipes (Besides Guacamole)

You may be most familiar with avocado for its starring role in guacamole. But this fantastic fruit is full of healthy monounsaturated fats, a staple in a heart-healthy diet. Here are 8 new ways to add it to your next meal

More than guacamole

Though avocados are known best as the creamy main ingredient in guacamole, they are high in healthy monounsaturated fats and a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Sample our 8 ways to bite, nibble, and spoon up this fantastic fruit.

ALT (Avocado, Lettuce, and Tomato) Sandwiches

This vegetarian take on the BLT makes for a lighter, equally rich lunch. The heart-healthy fats from the avocados fill you up, while providing a creamy texture.

Ingredients: Fat-free mayonnaise, whole-grain bread, romaine lettuce, tomato, avocado, cucumber, Swiss cheese

Calories: 305

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
• 8 (1-ounce) slices whole-grain bread with flaxseed, toasted
• 4 large leaves romaine or Boston lettuce
• 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
• 1 sliced peeled avocado
• 12 very thin slices cucumber
• 4 (.77-ounce) slices reduced-fat, reduced-sodium Swiss cheese (such as Alpine Lace)

Preparation

1. Spread mayonnaise on the 8 slices of bread.
2. Layer 4 slices with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice avocado, 3 slices cucumber, and 1 slice cheese; top with remaining bread slices. Cut sandwiches in half diagonally.

Cool Southwestern Salad With Corn and Avocado

This hearty salad combines fresh summer corn, protein-rich pinto beans, and buttery avocado. It's a decadent, filling dish for under 500 calories.

Ingredients: Pinto beans, fresh corn, avocado, red onion, cilantro, olive oil, limes, cumin, salt, pepper, baked tortilla chips, romaine lettuce

Calories: 466

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 (9-ounce) bag baked tortilla chips (optional)
• 2 small heads romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 12 cups)

Preparation

1. Combine lettuce and next 5 ingredients (through cilantro) in a large bowl.
2. Whisk together oil and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl. Drizzle over salad; toss. Serve with chips, if desired.

Health, JULY 2009

Grilled Chicken Salad With Avocado and Mango

This ultra-low-calorie salad is full of rich flavor. The tangy mango and subtly savory avocado combine to create a lighter lunch. Plus the mango-soy sauce dressing adds the perfect kick.

Ingredients: Olive oil, limes, mango chutney, soy sauce, ginger, chicken breast, cooking spray, salad greens, mango, avocado

Calories: 185

Prep: 15 minutes; Cook: 8 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons mango chutney
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves
• Cooking spray
• 8 cups mixed salad greens
• 1 cup diced peeled mango
• 3/4 cup diced peeled avocado

Preparation

1. Prepare grill.
2. Combine oil, juice, chutney, soy sauce, and ginger in a small bowl. Place chicken on large plate; spoon 2 tablespoons oil mixture over chicken, reserving the rest for the salad. Turn chicken to coat, and let stand 5 minutes.
3. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is done, brushing with oil mixture from plate before turning. Slice chicken crosswise into strips.
4. Arrange greens, mango, and avocado on 4 serving plates. Arrange chicken over greens. Drizzle reserved dressing over salads.

Andrea's Wine Pick: A California Fumd Blanc offers the perfect balance to complement the tangy dressing. Look for Dry Creek from California ($12) or Hogue from Washington ($8).--Andrea Immer Robinson

Health, MAY 2005

Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Tacos

This recipe uses the avocado's creamy texture as a replacement for cheese or mayonnaise-based sauces. Unlike these saturated fat-filled sauces, avocados are full of heart-healthy fats that may actually keep you slim.

Ingredients: Shrimp, black beans, scallions, avocado, black pepper, salsa verde, cilantro, tortillas, limes, red bell pepper

Calories: 453

Prep: 8 minutes; Cook: 2 minutes. Buy shrimp steamed at the market.

 

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cooked
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions
• 1 medium diced peeled avocado
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup bottled salsa verde
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 1/4 cups red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips (about 1 pepper)
• Lime wedges, for serving
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

1. Combine shrimp, beans, scallions, and avocado. Season with pepper. In a separate bowl, stir together the salsa, cilantro, and lime juice. Toss shrimp mixture with 1/4 cup salsa mixture.
2. Arrange tortillas on a microwave-safe plate in batches of 2. Place a damp paper towel over the tortillas and microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds.
3. Arrange 3–4 pepper strips in the center of each tortilla. Top with 1/2 cup of the shrimp-and-bean mixture. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the salsa verde mixture over each taco. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro.

Health, MARCH 2008

Zucchini and Avocado Soup With Cucumber Salsa

This smooth-textured soup has a delicious fresh taste, with a bit of a kick from the cumin and green onions. And all the veggies make this a chilled, antioxidant-packed appetizer.

Ingredients: Zucchini, green onions, vegetable broth, cucumber, cilantro, limes, salt, avocado, low-fat buttermilk, cumin

Calories: 123

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Other: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1/4 cup salsa)

Ingredients

• 3  cups  chopped zucchini (about 2 medium)
• 1/2  cup  thinly sliced green onions, divided
• 1  (14-ounce) can vegetable broth (such as Swanson)
• 1 1/4  cups  diced seeded peeled cucumber (about 1 large)
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh cilantro
• 3  tablespoons  fresh lime juice, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 3/4  cup  diced peeled avocado (1 medium)
• 3/4  cup  low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cumin

Preparation

1. Combine zucchini, 1/4 cup green onions, and broth in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat; cool 30 minutes.
2. While zucchini mixture cools, combine remaining 1/4 cup green onions, cucumber, cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; toss well. Cover and chill.
3. Place remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, zucchini mixture, avocado, buttermilk, and cumin in a blender, and process until mixture is smooth. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Pour soup into bowls, and top with cucumber salsa. Serve chilled.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 123 (54% from fat) Fat: 7.3g (sat 1.5g) Protein: 5.1g Carbohydrate: 13.0g Fiber: 5.1g Cholesterol: 2mg Iron: 0.6mg Sodium: 768mg Calcium: 76mg Oxmoor House Healthy Eating Collection, Oxmoor House , JANUARY 2006

Grilled Shrimp, Mango, and Avocado

Throw avocados on the grill—along with shrimp and mango—for a tangy treat. The spicy lime- and chile-based sauce is just what you're craving on a summer day.

Ingredients: Sugar, limes, fish sauce, garlic, carrot, serrano chile, shrimp, cooking spray, avocados, mangoes, Bibb lettuce, cilantro

Calories: 324

This dish features a Vietnamese-style sauce known as "nuoc cham" [noo-ahk CHAHM] that traditionally includes fish sauce, lime juice, chiles, and sugar. Your avocados should be ripe but still slightly firm so they'll slice easily and not break apart as they grill. Leaving the skin on helps them maintain their shape—remove skin before serving, if you like.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3/4  cup  water
• 1  tablespoon  sugar
• 6  tablespoons  fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
• 2 1/2  tablespoons  fish sauce
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1  tablespoon  finely grated carrot
• 1  tablespoon  thinly sliced serrano chile (about 1 chile)
• 36  large shrimp (about 2 pounds)
• Cooking spray
• 2  ripe unpeeled avocados, halved
• 2  peeled mangoes, each cut into 6 wedges
• 12  lime wedges
• 6  large Bibb lettuce leaves
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Reserve 3/4 cup juice mixture. Stir carrot and chile into remaining 1/2 cup juice mixture, and set aside.
2. Peel shrimp, leaving tails intact. Starting at tail end, butterfly each shrimp, cutting to, but not through, backside of shrimp. Combine reserved 3/4 cup juice mixture and shrimp in a large bowl, tossing to coat; cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Remove shrimp from bowl, reserving marinade.
3. Prepare grill for medium-high heat.
4. Place reserved marinade in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
5. Thread 3 shrimp onto each of 12 (10-inch) skewers. Place shrimp on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill shrimp 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until done, basting frequently with cooked marinade.
6. Cut 3 avocado halves in half lengthwise; peel and dice remaining avocado half. Brush cooked marinade over mango and avocado wedges; coat with cooking spray. Arrange in a single layer on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Coat lime wedges with cooking spray; place on grill rack. Grill fruit 2 minutes on each side or until marked but not soft, basting frequently with marinade.
7. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 6 salad plates; top each leaf with 2 mango slices, 2 lime wedges, and 1 avocado wedge. Place 2 skewers on each plate; sprinkle evenly with diced avocado. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired. Serve with carrot mixture.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 324 Fat: 11.8g (sat 1.8g,mono 6.1g,poly 2.1g) Protein: 33.1g Carbohydrate: 23.7g Fiber: 5.9g Cholesterol: 230mg Iron: 4.5mg Sodium: 811mg Calcium: 109mg Bill and Cheryl Jamison, Cooking Light , JUNE 2009

Avocado and Shrimp Sushi

Using mashed fiber-rich avocado makes this California-style sushi easy to roll. If you want a boost of fiber, switch to brown rice, and be sure to serve the sushi with the typical low-cal accompaniments of wasabi, low-sodium soy sauce, and pickled ginger.

Ingredients: Short-grain white rice, rice vinegar, wasabi, avocado, cilantro, shrimp, nori sheets, chives, cucumbers

Calories: 365

Using mashed avocado makes this California-style sushi easy to roll. Use precooked shrimp for an easy shortcut. Serve sushi with the typical accompaniments of wasabi, low-sodium soy sauce, and pickled ginger.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 8 pieces)

Ingredients

• 2  cups  uncooked short-grain white rice
• 1/4  cup  seasoned rice vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  wasabi (Japanese horseradish)
• 1  avocado, peeled and mashed
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 24  large shrimp, cooked, peeled, and halved crosswise (about 8 ounces)
• 6  nori (seaweed) sheets
• 12  chives
• 12  (7-inch-long) julienne-cut seeded peeled cucumber strips

Preparation

1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Stir in vinegar; cover and cool to room temperature.
2. Combine wasabi and avocado in a small bowl, and set aside. Combine cilantro and shrimp in another small bowl; toss well.
3. Cut off top quarter of nori sheets along short end. Place 1 nori sheet, shiny side down, on a sushi mat covered with plastic wrap, with long end toward you. Pat 3/4 cup rice mixture evenly over nori with moist hands, leaving a 1-inch border on one long end of nori. Spread 1 tablespoon avocado mixture over rice.
4. Arrange 8 shrimp pieces, 2 chives, and 2 cucumber strips along bottom third of rice-covered nori.
5. Lift edge of nori closest to you; fold over filling. Lift bottom edge of sushi mat; roll toward top edge, pressing firmly on sushi roll. Continue rolling to top edge; press mat to seal sushi roll. Let rest, seam side down, for 5 minutes. Slice crosswise into 8 pieces. Repeat procedure with remaining nori, rice mixture, avocado mixture, shrimp mixture, chives, and cucumber.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 365 (16% from fat) Fat: 6.5g (sat 1g,mono 3.4g,poly 1g) Protein: 13.2g Carbohydrate: 60.3g Fiber: 3.9g Cholesterol: 57mg Iron: 4.3mg Sodium: 311mg Calcium: 35mg Maureen Callahan, Cooking Light , JANUARY 2006

Avocado Fries

Crunchy on the outside, creamy and nutty inside, these fries are totally over the top. Serve them with burgers, or any of your grilled favorites.

Ingredients: Canola oil, flour, kosher salt, eggs, panko, avocados

Calories: 271

Time: 30 minutes. Crunchy on the outside, creamy and nutty inside, these fries are totally over the top. Chef Trey Foshee, at George's at the Cove restaurant in La Jolla, California, serves them with grilled steak.

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

• Canola oil for frying
• 1/4  cup  flour
• About 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 2  large eggs, beaten to blend
• 1 1/4  cups  panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 2  firm-ripe medium avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-in. wedges

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 200°. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 in. oil until it registers 375° on a deep-fry thermometer.
2. Meanwhile, mix flour with 1/4 tsp. salt in a shallow plate. Put eggs and panko in separate shallow plates. Dip avocado in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, then panko to coat. Set on 2 plates in a single layer.
3. Fry a quarter of avocado slices at a time until deep golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer slices to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining avocados. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 271 (70% from fat) Protein: 5.5g Fat: 21g (sat 2.6) Carbohydrate: 16g Fiber: 2.1g Sodium: 119mg Cholesterol: 71mg Trey Foshee, Trey Foshee, Sunset , APRIL 2009

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