This holiday season, I’ve partnered with Avocados From Mexico to create three fairly simple and very healthy dishes that will surely impress your guests. Avocados From Mexico are a great choice to add some creamy texture and colour to your appetizers or mains because they are produced in Mexico year-round in an ideal climate, making anytime of year, avocado season! Here are my favourite go-to recipes using avocados:
Guacamole with Nachos
- 3 ripe avocados
- 1-2 cloves of garlic (I prefer not to put onions in my guacamole, but it would be pretty bland without garlic)
- the juice of 1 lime
- salt, pepper & paprika to taste
- fresh cilantro
- diced tomatoes or pomegranate seeds for garnish
Method: use a fork or mortar and pestle to mash up the avocado but not too fine, I like to leave some chunky bits. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, season with salt, pepper & paprika and then garnish with cilantro and pomegranate seeds or diced tomatoes for the red & green holiday finish. Serve in a nice bowl with good quality nacho chips.
Winter Salad with red apples & candied pecans
- mixed greens & slices of Radicchio
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 large red apple sliced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 thinly-sliced red onion, pickled in vinegar
- maple-glazed pecans
- steamed & halved Brussels sprouts (optional)
Method:
For the pecans; make ahead using the following ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups pecans
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- ground pepper
- pinch of cayenne
- fresh rosemary
Bake in the oven for 20 mins at 325°F (stirring once), let cool.
Place your washed, mixed greens in a large bowl, spread Radicchio slices over top. Drizzle avocado and apple slices with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice so they don’t brown. Arrange the Brussels sprouts, apple & avocado slices on top of the salad. Garnish with pecans, red onion and pomegranate seeds. Add the citrus vinaigrette just before serving.
Citrus Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 TBSp of white wine vinegar
- ground pepper
- pinch of salt
- juice of one lemon
- 2 tsps of honey
- finely-chopped cilantro or parsley
To combine: shake all the ingredients in a mason jar
Avocado and salmon tartar or gravlax
- prep salmon in advance (I used my partner’s beetroot & salmon gravlax, which he found on Jamie Oliver’s website here or you could also try this Jamie Oliver Sloe Gin Gravlax recipe)
- chop both the salmon and the avocado into cubes, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper
- Place a cake ring in the center of an appetizer plate and start filling it with half of the avocado and make it level by gently pressing down with the back of a tablespoon. Then add half of the salmon, and gently press down.
- Slowly remove the cake ring and repeat with the second tower.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and pomegranate seeds for a festive finish.
- Serve immediately
There you have, three fairly easy recipes to serve and impress your guests with over the holidays!
Don’t forget to choose Avocados From Mexico for ultimate freshness and quality avocados.
