Who doesn’t love a good avocado?
Whether it’s mashed up as guacamole or pureed into a summertime soup, these rich green fruits add pizzazz to any dish.
Avocado-Lime Chicken Pasta
4
servingsSweet tomatoes and zest lime juice play up the mild flavor of avocados in this healthy pasta dish.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces
medium shell pasta
- 1
avocado
- ½ cup
fresh cilantro
zest and juice of two limes
- 3 tablespoons
light mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt)
- 1 teaspoon
garlic spice paste
- 1 cup
grape tomatoes, halved
- ½
cucumber, sliced
- ½
chilled deli rotisserie chicken (2 cups), shredded
Directions
Cook pasta following package instructions and chill.
Place avocado, cilantro, lime juice, zest, mayonnaise, and garlic paste in food processor; blend to form creamy avocado sauce.
Place in refrigerator to chill. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Combine pasta with avocado sauce, tomatoes, cucumber, and chicken.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
- Calories—490 | Total Fat—22g | Cholesterol – 70mg | Sodium—410mg | Carbohydrate—51g | Dietary Fiber—7g | Protein—25g
Facts about Avocados
Storing Wisdom:
If you want your avocados to ripen slowly, stick them in the fridge – it’ll halt the ripening process. You can then let them rest on the counter to finish ripening when you’re ready. If you want to speed up the process, stick them in a paper bag with other fruits like bananas.
Did you know?
Avocados can be good for evening out cholesterol. They’re a source of monounsaturated fat, which may help raise levels of “good” cholesterol, while lowering “bad” cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association recommends that you get up to 15% of your daily calories from monounsaturated fats like those found in avocados.
Avoca-do’s and Avoca-don’ts:
Choosing avocados at the store can be tricky. Too ripe and you’ll only have a day or two to eat it before it turns to mush. Not ripe enough and it may seem like an eternity before it’s suitable to slice up. But the key seems to be checking under the stem. Peel back the small cap on top of the avocado – if the stem is too difficult to pull away, it’s not yet ready to be enjoyed. If it comes away easily and it’s green underneath, it’s ripe and ready. If a brown spot is revealed, you’re dealing with an overripe fruit.
Did you know? (#2)
Hass avocados are the most popular in the world and were discovered in the backyard of a California mailman named Rudolph Hass. He patented his tree in 1935, and all Hass trees trace back to Rudolph’s.
