Learning from Avocado trees

A few weeks ago, Hurricane Fiona caused many losses here in Puerto Rico, and brought with it challenges and difficulties. In these challenging times, I feel like I am learning the virtue of having tolerance, from my friends the avocado trees. These avocado trees endured 85 mph winds for hours during Hurricane Fiona with no shelter. They flowed with the wind, releasing all the fruits that they had been caring for for 8 months on their branches, ever since their flowers became avocados. Trees are living beings like us, and they can also feel! The tolerance of accepting the circumstances that life brings us is such an important virtue, because as much as we want to be in control, we cannot be. By tolerating, we can grow as human beings, and we can have more compassion for others. 

To be honest, in addition to feeling grateful for this great lesson in tolerance that I am learning from the avocado trees, I am super excited about sharing this abundance of avocados that we have right now in Borinquen. To respond to the emergency and support the community, we were making an average of 150 plates of healthy lunches daily, and avocado was present almost every day. We made everything from stuffed avocados, avocado salsas and dips, avocado popsicles, brownies and much more. This has also been a way of supporting local farmers by buying their avocados.

Did you know that avocado is known as a superfood?

This is because they are full of fiber, potassium, vitamins K, C, E, B5, B6, as small amounts of magnesium, iron and zinc. They are also rich with the heart-healthy fats your body needs to lower inflammation, lower “bad” cholesterol, and raise good cholesterol. This type of good fat is known as "monounsaturated" fat, and it is important to consume it frequently to stay healthy. For example, studies published in the Journal of Nutrition show that in both men and women, daily consumption of avocados has reduced triglycerides by 20%, and "LDLs" or bad cholesterol by 22%, but increased "HDL" or good cholesterol by 11%. Avocados are an excellent option for natural, preventive medicine!

Don't these avocado facts inspire you to try them out? Here we share a couple of recipes to take advantage of this abundance of avocados that we have, and to remind us to be a little more tolerant in life. P.S. If you make any of these recipes, please be sure to take a picture, post it on social media, and tag us @PlenitudPR so we can see your delicious creations!

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Avocado Salsa

Recipe by Laura Sofía García Canto

“Expand the use of avocado in its season with this rich and nutritious sauce for your heart.” This avocado salsa is surprisingly easy to make, delicious and very nutritious because it has avocado in it. You can play around with it and add species of your choice to give it different flavors. It goes well with wraps, sandwiches, salads, quinoa, among others. It can last in the fridge 3-5 days.

Preparation: 15 minutes, Serves: 10 servings or 2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 small yellow onion

• 1 cup of chopped cilantro

• 1 large avocado (RIPE)

• 4 leaves of lettuce

• ½ cup lemon juice

• ⅛ cup olive oil

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon smoked red pepper (optional)

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• Salt to taste

• Black pepper to taste

Steps

1. Cut the onion into quarters and place them in the blender. Remove the seed from the avocado, and with a spoon remove all the pulp to place it in the blender.

2. With your hands, cut the cilantro and lettuce leaves into pieces to place them in the blender.

3. Squeeze the lemon juice, and add it together with the oil, spices and salt.

4. Blend all the ingredients until you reach a creamy consistency. If necessary, you can add water, little by little to help mix all the ingredients.

Avocado Hummus

Recipe by Paula Paoli and Jessica Jones-Hughes

“The creamiest hummus we've ever tasted.” Hummus is one of our favorite protein sources because it is very versatile and you can prepare it with different spices, legumes and even vegetables. In this recipe we are using chickpeas and avocados. This combination creates a very creamy, delicious and nutrient-packed hummus.

Preparation and cooking time: 30-45 minutes + 8 hours soaking, Serves: 3 ½ cups

Ingredients

• 3 cups chickpeas, softened (soak 1 cup dried chickpeas)

• 2-4 cloves of garlic

• ¼ cup of tahini

• ½ teaspoon cumin powder

• 1½ teaspoons of salt

• ½ cup coriander

• 2-3 avocados depending on size

• Zest of 2 lemons

• juice of 2 lemons

• ¼ cup of the water in which the chickpeas were cooked

Steps

1. Soak the chickpeas for 8 hours (overnight), then wash and cook them using your favorite tenderizing method until they are soft and break easily with your fingers. While the legumes are cooking, you can add bay leaves, cumin, smoked paprika and/or coriander to give them more flavor, nutrients and digestibility while they cook. If you use canned chickpeas remember to wash them well to remove preservatives.

2. First add the garlic, herbs, and tahini to the food processor and blend for a few seconds. Then add the rest of the ingredients except the liquids to the food processor and blend until smooth. With the machine on, add the liquid little by little until it reaches a smooth and creamy consistency.

3. To serve it add a little olive oil on top and smoked paprika. Share it with lots of love. Store it in the fridge for 4-6 days.

Avocado Key Lime Pie

Recipe by Paula Paoli and Jessica Jones-Hughes

“A healthy, natural alternative to Key Lime Pie.” Avocados are a go to option here at Plenitud PR because they are filling, nutritious, easy to use, and tasty. They are great in savory and sweet recipes and can be used in place of fat and oils 1:1 in recipes when cooking and baking. Key Lime Pie typically is made with canned sweetened condensed milk. This recipe uses a combination of agave, avocado, and cream cheese (or coconut oil for a vegan version) to create the same texture and flavor as sweet condensed milk but a natural, unprocessed alternative. The crust is from our friends at Polliniza, a local raw vegan dessert chef in Puerto Rico. The crust is simple and easy to use different nuts and dried fruits based on what you have available at home. Enjoy this simple and vibrantly colored pie. If you find yourself with an abundance of avocados and without power, you can skip the overnight chill and enjoy it at room temperature, the filling will just be less solid. 

Preparation time: 20 minutes prep + 4 hours to chill overnight, Servings: 1 8-9 inch pie

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 cups dried nuts or shredded coconut (We use 1½ cups pecans, almonds, or walnuts with ½ cup shredded coconut)

• 1 cup dates or raisins, pitted

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon cardamon (optional)

Filling

• Juice from 3 limes

• Zest of 3 limes

• ½ (4oz) cream cheese (or ½-¾ cup coconut oil for vegan option)

• 3-4 avocados

• 1 cup agave

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

Steps

Crust

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. 

2. Blend until the ingredients become a ball and form a sticky consistency. 

3. Push the crust into a pan to form the crust with a thickness of 1/4-1/2 inch on the bottom and all sides. You can use a fork to press the edges and create a nice edging. 

4. Place in the refrigerator while making the filling. 

Filling

1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth. 

2. Pour into the crust and smooth top with spatula.

3. Chill for 3-4 hours or overnight. 

4. Garnish with lime or shredded coconut. Offer the dish with love and enjoy with friends. 

¡Buen Provecho!

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