Tips, Tricks, And Hacks Every Avocado Enthusiast Needs To Learn
For many, avocados are a staple item in the kitchen. They are great additions to salads, salsas, smoothies, and are great to eat raw with a pinch of sea salt. The issue is, they tend to ripen and go bad within days, and people tend to get bored using them the same way.
Thankfully, we're here for you. Try freezing avocado slices for later use, or using half for an egg bowl to spice up your next breakfast. Then, if you're feeling crafty, use the pit for an art project, or as a "starter seed" to grow an avocado tree. And those tips, tricks, and hacks are just the beginning!
Use Other Fruit To Ripen Avocados
If you don't trust placing a rock-solid avocado in an oven to "insta-ripen," try this other hack. Get ready; we're about to drop some science knowledge. You're going to want to gather either bananas or apples to help ripen your avocados because the ethylene gas in both fruits helps naturally speed up the ripening process, boom.
So, you're going to want to grab a plastic bag and stick a banana or apple in it along with your hard avocado. After a day or so, your avocado should be substantially softer and ready to eat.
Freeze Purée For A Green Smoothie
If you're not a fan of raw avocados but enjoy using them for a good source of fat in smoothies, then you're going to want to remember this helpful little hack. Instead of waiting for the right moment to use an avocado, freeze some purée!
Once an avocado becomes ripe, throw it in a blender, sans skin and pit, with lemon juice. Then, spoon out some of the purée into an ice tray and stick the tray in the freezer. Now, you have "avocado cubes" to throw into a smoothie whenever you get a "green craving."
Check The Stem To Check The Ripeness
If you're like us, then you subtly squeeze avocados to test their ripeness. The only bad thing about this practice is that you are potentially bruising your lovely fruit. So, let's all make an effort to try out this "check to see if my avocado is ripe without bruising it" hack.
To check and see if your avocado is ripe, go to the stem. Peel back the little nub, and if the coloring is green, then the fruit is most likely ripe. But if the coloring is a bit on the brown side, then it's likely the rest of the fruit is overripe.
Avocado Is A Great Dairy-Free Butter Substitute
Baked goods such as cake, cookies, and brownies are great. But when you eat them in abundance, it can lead to some dietary issues. So, let's try this avocado additive out for size. Instead of using butter, oil, or a dairy substitute, think about using avocado!
All you're going to want to do is puree your avocado and measure it out like you would butter or oil, and add it to your batter. The avocado will give your baked goods all of the creaminess without any of the added calories!
Make A New Type Of Pasta Sauce
There's no reason to have a boring red sauce, Alfredo sauce, or even a meat sauce the next time you have pasta. Instead, try out a different type of sauce that is catching the internet world by storm. We're talking about some avocado sauce.
The recipe is quite easy. You're going to want to gather together two avocados, a clove of garlic, a bunch of scallions, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, with some fresh parsley as a garnish.
Make Some Healthy Avocado Fries For Your Next Cookout
The next time you go to a cookout or decide to grill in your backyard, think about using this trick as a healthier alternative to french fries, onion rings, potato salad, macaroni salad, or anything in the general realm of "unhealthy." Instead, make some avocado fries.
All you're going to need is a few avocados, lemon juice, almond flour, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and some cooking oil. With these ingredients, it's easy to fry or even bake the avocado fries!
Instantly Ripen A Rock Solid Avocado In The Oven
It's always a disappointment when you're craving an avocado, only to walk into the kitchen and realize all of the avocados you have are hard as a rock. The good news is there is a way to "instantly" ripen your rock-solid avocados!
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, tightly wrap your avocado in a nice piece of tin foil, place it in the oven, and bake it for around 10 minutes. The avocado won't be perfectly ripe, but it will definitely be soft enough to eat.
Freeze Perfectly Ripe Avocados For Later Use
There's nothing worse than having a bunch of avocados perfectly ripen at the same exact time. When that happens, your either in for a whole lot of guacamole or you're going to have to go through the disheartening process of throwing some away.
Thankfully, there is a way to save your ripe avocados from trash time. When an avocado is ripe, cut it in half, carefully remove the pit, coat it in lemon juice, placed it cut-side down on parchment paper, and stick it in the freezer. Once solid, stick the frozen halves in plastic bags for later use!
Ripen An Avocado In A Paper Bag
If you need a few avocados ripened for a party you're hosting in a few days, think about using this little hack to make sure they're ready in time. The best part is there are only two things you need to grab. Well, one, not including the avocado.
All you're going to need to speed up the ripening process of the avocado is a brown paper bag. Place your hard avocados in the bag for a few days and watch as they soften! This is because the bag traps the ethylene gas produced by the fruit, a natural ripening agent.
Brush Olive Oil On The Flesh To Reduce Oxidation
Isn't it great that there is more than one way to keep your prized avocados from browning? We swear there is nothing sadder than eating half an avocado in the morning only to come back to an icky-looking brown half at night. But olive oil is here to save the day.
To keep halved avocados from turning brown, brush a thin layer of olive oil over the flesh. The oil will reduce the amount of oxygen exposed to the fruit, minimizing any brown coloring in the process.
Wash The Skin So You Don't Push Bacteria Into The Fruit
Like other fruit, you're going to want to wash the skin of the avocado before cutting into it. Ironically, a lot of people don't think to do this, considering we eat the inside of the fruit and not the skin.
But because of pesticides and bacteria, you want to be sure you're not accidentally pushing bad entities into the edible portion of the fruit. So, be sure to run your avocado under some water before you cut into it.
Use Onions To Keep Your Sliced Avocado Fresh
Don't you hate when you leave one half of your avocado for later, only to come back to a totally browned piece of fruit? Thankfully, there is a nice little hack to avoid such a catastrophe. All you're going to need is an air-tight container, a red onion, and that sliced avocado.
First, you're going to want to chop up some of the red onion and place it on the bottom of your air-tight container, placing the avocado on top. The sulfur gases given off by the onion will stop the avocado from browning. Don't worry, no "onion taste" will seep into your avocado.
Use Pits For Arts And Crafts
Instead of throwing away the pit of your avocado, think about recycling it for some fun arts and craft projects. So, it's time to break out your artistic side with this little avo-pit trick. Gather together paints, carving tools, string, and whatever else you think you might need in order to create something marvelous.
Some things you might think about creating are unique beads for necklaces or bracelets, bobbles for wind chimes, or even stick it in some water to make red dye. Pretty much, the options are endless.
Save A Pit And Grow A Tree
Instead of throwing away your avocado's pit, think about using it for this little hack. Believe it or not, you can reuse the seed for something useful and money savvy. Stop buying pricey avocados and grow a tree instead!
First, get together a cup, three toothpicks, and your avocado pit. You're going to want to stick the toothpicks into the top of the pit in a triangle formation. Then, fill your cup with water and place the toothpicks gently on the lip, having the bottom of the seed in the water. Once you see a sprout, plant the pit in a pot of soil.
Mayo Or Sour Cream Makes For Extra-Creamy Guacamole
If you don't enjoy your guacamole chunky, then you're going to love this hack. Instead of leave chunks of avocado in the dip, think about using either mayonnaise or sour cream to make it extra smooth and creamy.
All you'll have to do is mix your favorite guacamole ingredients - ripe avocado, chopped tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper, lime juice, and some fresh cilantro. Once you mix everything, add a bit of mayonnaise or sour cream. Keep adding either ingredient until your guacamole is at your desired consistency.
Make A Nourishing Hair Mask
There's no reason to have dry hair, especially if you have a few specific ingredients at your disposal. For a hydrating hair mask, mix together an avocado, an egg, and some coconut oil. Not only will the mixture strengthen your hair and give it a nice shine, but it will also hydrate and replenish your locks.
Avocados are very moisturizing due to their natural oils, and because of all of the vitamins the fruit contains, the mask can help nourish your scalp while helping your hair look shiny, happy, and healthy.
Save Yourself From Dirty Dishes By Making An Avocado Bowl
Cooking is so much more fun when you don't have to worry about dirty dishes. And the only thing better than no dishes are edible dishes, so you're pretty much going to love this avocado hack. Instead of making an egg as a side to your avocado half, try baking it inside the avocado.
First, cut your avocado in half and remove the pit. Then, you're going to want to scoop out a bit of the pit's circle, making it wide enough to crack an egg. Bake your avocado egg bowl at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for around 20 minutes and say hello to a mess-free snack!
You've Probably Been Cutting Your Avocado Wrong
Did you know that there is a "right way" to cut an avocado? Well, we certainly did not! But there is, and you're going to want to test it out the next time you go to the store and pick up and avocado for dinner.
Instead of cutting the fruit horizontally and having to use a knife to get the pit out, try cutting the avocado vertically. This way, you're able to squeeze the pit out of the fruit instead of using a utensil to jimmy it into the trash.
Avocado Face Masks Are Always A Great Idea
If your skin is dry and scaley, stop buying expensive skincare products from the pharmacy. Instead, run over to your local grocery store and grab a few avocados and a bottle of honey to make your very own homemade mask.
Mashup your avocado (start with one and go from there) and mix in a few teaspoons of honey. Then, apply the mixture to your face. The vitamins in the avocado will hydrate your skin and give it a nice glow.
Place Avocados In The Refrigerator So They're Un-Ripe Longer
Since there are so many hacks to make avocados "instantly" ripe or at least ripe in a few days, it's only fair there is one to keep avocados un-ripe -- right? So, here we go. If you find yourself with a bunch of avocados and nowhere to bring them, have no fear, there is a way to slow down the ripening process.
If you don't want to freeze the fruit, think about placing them in the refrigerator. The cool temperature will significantly slow down the ripening, allowing you to go a week or so without worrying the avocado will go bad.
