Produce of the Week Challenge - Avocado

Each week,we feature one item from the produce section and provide information on buying, storing and preparing that fruit or vegetable. Your challenge is to eat the produce of the week at least one time in the next seven days. If you are already eating this weeks item on a regular basis, then your challenge is to prepare it in a different way. 

Avocado

Here's a little trivia for you:  An avocado is a fruit, not a vegetable.  It is actually a member of the berry family!  The two most widely marketed avocado varieties are the rough-skinned, almost black Hass and the smooth, thin-skinned green Fuerte. The Hass has a smaller pit and a more buttery texture than the Fuerte.

Buying:
For immediate use, look for avocados that are without soft spots, that are firm but yield to gentle pressure, showing they are ripe. (Do not squeeze the avocado, as this will bruise it.).  For later use, choose hard avocados that are still slightly green. Avoid soft avocados and those that are scarred.

Seasonality: All year

Storing:
Store unripe avocados on the counter, or to speed ripening, in a paper bag. Refrigerate ripe avocados a maximum of five days.

Preparing:
No need to waste your money on the fancy tool used exclusively for avocados.  It's really very simple.  Grip the avocado gently on one side with one hand. Use a large, sharp knife to cut the avocado lengthwise around the pit. Twist to open the halves and expose the pit, then make another lengthwise cut on the half that has the pit, making it easier to remove the pit. Remove the pit and scoop out the flesh with a spoon or slice avocado flesh. Throw away the peel.

For avocado recipes, click HERE

Remember to email a picture of your dish to eciwellness@gmail.com