A Is for Avocado

...B is for banana, C is for cucumber. Now that Jake knows the ABCs tune, we love to make up silly songs. With avocados singing in my head, I decided to revisit this super fruit. Even though it's not sweet, it's classified as a fruit looking like one big berry with a really big seed. The fat content scares off some but it contains a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, like in nuts, that studies show helps lower cholesterol, especially the "bad" LDL cholesterol. It has more potassium than bananas and is a great source of fiber. Avocados also contain a disease-fighting carotenoid called lutein that may help promote eye health. Diced onto salads, they add a creamy and satisfying richness, but the fat in avocados also improves the absorption of nutritious carotenoids found in other common salad ingredients like carrots and tomatoes.

Avocados pair well with citrus flavors, so I came up with this fresh colorful salad recipe. For protein, I added shelled edamame but you can use other protein sources like beans, nuts, eggs or lean meats.

Avocado Citrus Salad

Ingredients

11⁄2 T olive oil

1 T lemon juice

3 T orange juice

1 T honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Dash salt and pepper

1 10 oz can mandarin oranges, drained

1 ripe avocado

1 10 oz bag Spring Salad mix

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 cup edamame

Directions

Dressing: Whisk oil, lemon juice, orange juice, honey, mustard, salt and pepper in a large serving bowl to blend.
Remove avocado flesh from the pit and cut into small chunks or slivers.
Add avocado and oranges to bowl and mix well with dressing. Add the salad mix, red onion, and edamame and toss gently to combine.
If desired, garnish with a sprinkling of almonds or tortilla strips for extra crunch.