The results are in! I rose to the Great Avocado Challenge and was a success! We ate all 12 avocados without having to throw any of them away. On the final night, I did have to scrape some dark parts off the last half avocado, but otherwise we used them all. Here’s the rundown:
Note: Pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.
Sunday, December 12
We’d had a party weekend with lots of eating, so by Sunday night I was ready for a big salad. I cut up half an avocado to top our salads. Avocado Count: .5
Monday, December 13
For lunch, I made a bean and cheese quesadilla and made a simple guacamole with the second half of Sunday’s avocado. Avocado Count: 1
Dinner was a Ham, Turkey, Avocado and Alfalfa Sprout Panini from 200 Best Panini Recipes. We really liked this sandwich; it had a very nice blending of flavors. Avocado Count: 2
Tuesday, December 14
For dinner on Tuesday, I went out on a limb and tried California Tomato Pasta from the California Avocado Commission’s website. This would be a good recipe to serve on a hot day in the summer, because the sauce is a cold one. I made a few modifications from the original recipe: I halved the recipe, and I substituted a can of drained chopped tomatoes for the fresh.
This one was met with mixed results. I liked it, but probably won’t make it again. My husband didn’t really care for it, but my daughter gobbled it down and had seconds and thirds. Avocado Count: 3.5
Wednesday, December 15
Wednesday started with a sandwich for lunch. I made something similar to Monday’s panini since I had leftover ingredients. I used sourdough bread, grainy mustard, ham, cheddar, sliced avocado and alfalfa spouts. Avocado Count: 4
Next up is another “experimental” recipe: Avocado-Banana Bread, also from the California Avocado Commission site. Although the flavors were good, I had some issues with this recipe. The amount of flour seemed off (I added some) and I should have done my “high altitude adjustment”, which I don’t normally have to do for quick breads. It was a very moist bread with a nice flavor and my husband really liked it. I didn’t take a picture, because it just wasn’t attractive. Avocado Count: 5
For dinner, I made a Southwest Black Bean Salad from Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers. I served it with Southwestern Cheese Soup, also from the same cookbook. This meal was a big hit that everyone enjoyed. Avocado Count: 6 (halfway there!)
Thursday, December 16
For breakfast I had sourdough toast topped with a fried egg, melted cheddar and sliced avocado. Yummy! Avocado Count: 6.25
Thursday’s dinner was good, old-fashioned tacos with guacamole. When my husband came home from work and saw what we were having, he said, “Finally!”. This was probably our favorite meal of the challenge. Avocado Count: 7.25
My daughter had a “taco bowl” with diced avocado. This is the first time we tried this, and she really liked it! Avocado Count: 7.5
Friday, December 17
Once again, I decided to try something a little different. I made avocado ice cream! Specifically, Avocado-Mango Ice Cream. This ice cream has a smooth, creamy texture and lovely green color. The flavor is fruity and not-too-sweet. In my opinion the mango is a must – I don’t believe I would like an “all avocado” ice cream. I really liked this, my husband wasn’t so sure about the unconventional flavor, although he did eat more another night. I would recommend it to those who like fruity ice creams. However, I don’t think I will make this again because there are so many other flavors of ice cream I like better! Avocado Count: 9
Dinner Friday night was “Supper Nachos” with more guacamole. The Supper Nachos were based off a recipe my Mom used to make. To make my version, I spread some leftover refried black beans on individual plates, topped that with leftover taco meat, and sprinkled shredded cheddar cheese on top. Bake in the oven at 425° until hot and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips for scooping the hot, melted yumminess. Avocado Count: 10.5
Saturday, December 18
We needed a break and didn’t eat a single bite of avocado!
Sunday, December 19
Sunday’s dinner was Chipotle Roast Chicken Tacos with South-of-the-Border Coleslaw with Cilantro and Jalapeno. The tacos were different from any tacos I’ve had before, but very delicious. They had these wonderful roasted onions on them that added a sweet flavor. Avocado Count: 11.5 (almost there!)
Monday, December 20
Our final avocado meal was leftover tacos from Sunday night. Avocado Count: 12!
Conclusion
I never want to eat 12 avocados in one week again, even though they were delicious. I did learn a couple of things: 1) I prefer more “traditional” ways to use avocados, and 2) I shouldn’t be afraid of having an extra avocado or two around the house. It’s easy to add them to a sandwich or breakfast. I usually buy single avocados even though sometimes a small bag of them looks appealing. I’ve been afraid they wouldn’t get used. Now I know I could find uses for them.
I hope you found my avocado challenge entertaining! It was fun trying to come up with different ways to use them all.
