A World Without Ag Wednesdays: Avocados–“Are They a Vegetable or What?”

I have recently learned to truly appreciate the yummy avocado vegetable/fruit/green thing. What is it anyway? Avocados are actually a fruit, and more specifically a berry. Blew my mind too. According to Huffington Post article, a fruit is defined as having a tough outer layer, soft middle layer that encompasses the seed. Sounds like a avocado to me. There is a lot more to avocados then you would think.

History

Avocados came from Mexico and surrounding areas and were used by the Aztec people. Over the centuries, the avocado has been called many different names including Alligator Pear. Horticulturists did not like this name as it was misleading and negative. So the name avocado was settled upon. Avocados have obviously spread from Mexico to a wide range of places.

Where are all the avocados?

In the USA, California is the largest grower of avocados followed by Florida and Hawaii. In 2011 the value of the avocado industry was $492.1 million, and the industry is growing.

Did you know?

There are over 1,000 varieties of avocados
Avocados can be different colors
Photo Cred: University of California
Avocados grow on trees.
There is twice as much potassium in avocados than a banana.
Avocados will ripen more quickly in a paper bag with an apple or banana thanks to the gases circulating.
You can use avocados as a substitute for butter in baking recipes, and no it won’t make them green.
Avocados are packed with protein!
They aren’t just for eating. They make great beauty products.

How I used them

I used avocados for the first time at home this week, and it was delicious. I made guacamole to accompany chicken enchiladas I made (enchilada recipe to follow soon). I had to learn how to tell if they were ripe or not. I learned that you look under the button at the end of the fruit. Pop that button off, and if it is brown, it is too ripe. If it is a nice green, it is good. Also be sure that the fruit is not super firm. A little give is important.

So… here is the recipe I used. Not only was it healthy and yummy, but it was pretty too. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

3-4 ripe avocados
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 large Plum or Roma tomato, deseeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeno pepper

You can also add onions to this or other type of peppers.

Directions:

avocado green — I accidentally matched the avocado…

Cut your avocados in half, and use a spoon to scoop out the seed. After this, spoon out the flesh and put in a medium bowl.
Add the lime juice to the avocado and use a fork to smash the avocado until creamy. Chunks are nice too.
Finally, add the rest of your ingredients and stir. Serve immediately or store in the fridge.