Avocado alternatives that taste delicious and are easy to find

What comes to your mind when someone says delicious creamy dips to accompany tortilla chips, fajitas or tacos? Guacamole is the perfect dip that serves as a base for salad dressing and goes well with different kinds of chips as well. The key ingredient in it is avocados apart from fresh lime juice, coriander or cilantro, jalapeno or serrano pepper and salt.

Avocado is a large berry native to the regions of south-central Mexico to Guatemala; It has green, brown, purplish, or black skin, depending on the variety of the fruit. The fruit is not sweet but has a subtle and distinct flavour, with a creamy smooth texture. Moreover, it is used as a substitute for meats in sandwiches and salads, making it a common vegetarian cuisine.

You must’ve seen nutritionists and fitness enthusiasts raving about the benefits of avocados; moreover, it is a powerhouse of nutrients. But evidently, it is not the most affordable fruit in the market, especially if you live in countries where the fruit is not usually found. Therefore, written below are a few inexpensive and easy alternatives that provide similar texture and nutrition:

Mashed Banana

You can eat bananas by themselves, but mashed bananas are a perfect option if you want to replace avocados. As the fruit is soft, you can mash it with a fork or blend it in a grinder. Then, you can put it over a toast and sprinkle some cinnamon powder; banana toasts go well with all beverages, like tea or coffee. Also, it makes a healthy and delicious choice for kids’ school lunches.

You can try banana dosas or pancakes, which entails combining dosa batter, mashed bananas, and sugar in a bowl. Next, heat a little ghee or butter in a pan, then spread a medium-sized spoonful of the mixture on the pan. Drizzle a little more ghee and cook it till it is light brown from both sides. Serve it hot with some maple syrup or chocolate sauce.

We all have those early morning meetings, or maybe the kids are getting late for school; you don’t have time to prepare breakfast. So, this is the perfect time to make a banana milkshake or smoothie – a quick, easy and nutritious breakfast.

Nut butter

We have all eaten store-bought peanut butter; ever wondered what a homemade one tastes like?

Put a handful of peanuts in a food processor and let it run for 4-5 minutes; you will see that the peanuts progress from crumbs to dry ball and finally to smooth and creamy ‘liquid” peanut butter. You can add honey or powdered sugar and a few pinches of salt as the last ingredient. You can put it on bread and serve it as breakfast or mid-day snacks. Also, a popular combination of the peanut butter sandwich involves putting jam on one bread and the butter( peanut butter) on the other bread.

Hummus

If you have eaten middle eastern dishes before, you would know that hummus is one of the common dip and savoury dishes. Moreover, the rich and garlicky consistency of the dip simply melts in your mouth, and the taste continues to linger in mind and tongue till you have had your fill.

How to make homemade hummus that tastes like the one they serve in restaurants?

You can use canned chickpeas, but dry whole chickpeas are the best if you want the authentic taste. So, soak the whole chickpeas overnight, then boil them for twenty minutes until they are soft and tender. Peel the skin after completely cooling it off, then put a handful of chickpeas in a food processor run it for four to five minutes until it turns smooth texture. If the consistency is too thick, add water.

While the food processor is running, add two ice cubes, tahini, salt and lemon juice; drizzle a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil. Store it in the refrigerator and serve it with pitta bread and favourite veggies.

Chia seeds

Chia seeds are very healthy as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, antioxidants, and fibre. Hence, the next time you are looking for an avocado alternative, buy chia seeds. Also, you can prepare different kinds of food using the ingredient.

For instance, chia seeds pudding is a popular dish you can cook, which has a simple and tasty recipe. The first step is to pour almond or coconut milk ( any milk of your choice) into a cup add 3-4 tablespoons of chia seeds. Stir it well, let it sit for 5 minutes, give another shake or stir, and put the mixture in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or overnight.

The chia pudding should be nice and thick; if it is watery, you need to add more seeds. After taking it out of the refrigerator, add vanilla essence honey and serve it chilled.

Pesto

We can use pesto sauce for other dishes besides pasta. For instance, the next time you host a brunch or dinner party, try serving with appetisers and garlic bread.

Put a few fresh basil leaves with a handful of pinenuts in a good processor and let it run for a few minutes. Add the garlic and Parmesan or Romano cheese and pulse several times more. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.

While the food processor is running, add olive oil occasionally scrape the sides. Next, add salt and freshly ground black pepper. Finally, you can mix the sauce in pasta, spread it over roasted potatoes, or use it as dips for crackers and toast.

Edamame

Edamame is young soybeans that are harvested before they ripen or harden. They are boiled or blanched whole with salt without taking off the green shell. Also, it has a mild, buttery flavour that pairs well with many dishes such as soups, stews, salads, rice dishes, or casseroles.

If you want to prepare a dip with an avocado alternative, edamame is an appropriate choice. The first step is to boil two cups of water and add the beans; after boiling it over high heat, reduce it for 3 minutes. Next, turn off the heat and cover the pot; let it sit for 7-9 minutes until the beans get soft, then drain them.

Put the boiled beans in a blender with coriander leaves, lime juice, chopped onions, vegetable oil, two cloves of minced garlic, one tablespoon jalapeno pepper, salt, ground cumin, ground coriander seed. Finally, add ¼ cup of water blend until smooth.