Florida Avocados (That Big Avocado!)

Florida Avocados a.k.a. Big Avocados!

Well, I don't really know if other people call them 'Big Avocados', but that's pretty much what they are, Dearies. A Florida avocado is a large variety of avocado grown in Miami-Dade and Collier counties for commercial production. Although one can easily find one of these trees just walking through a neighborhood here in Florida. Indeed, I have one here in my subtropical hollow right outside my front door! But despite the abundance of these trees here in the sunshine state, Florida Avocado trees are indigenous to Mexico and parts of South America.

Either way, the fruits of this tree are delicious and so very healthful. There are a few different cultivars of this fruit, but on average a Florida avocado has about 50% less fat than its very popular cousin, the Hass avocado. They are also super rich in Fiber, as one of these lovelies has about 17 grams of crude fiber. That's impressive if one considers that the daily recommended value of fiber for one person is between 20-25 grams.

How to use: A Florida avocado is usually ready to be placed on sandwiches and/or wraps and mixed into guacamoles when they darken in color. Though I have had one that stayed quite green-I realized it was ready only due to touching it and feeling a softness in the flesh below the skin. So place them on a sunny window seal or next to some ripe bananas (the gases from the bananas will cause ripening). Feel them once or twice a day to see how they are coming along. I almost always notice mine seem to be somewhat dark and soft to the touch about 2 days after purchase.

Here's a recipe:

Florida Avocado Guacamole-Serves 3-4

1 Large Florida Avocado (fleshed)

1-2 Tbsp. Organic Mayo or Vegenaise

2 Tbsp. Red Onion (minced)

1 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro (chopped)

1 Clove Garlic (minced)

1-1 1/4 Tsp. Cumin

1/2-1 Tsp. Sriracha or Chili Garlic Sauce*

1/2 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

1/4-1/2 Tsp. Salt

*One can also just use red and black pepper to taste in order to add spice...

Place all of the ingredients above in a large mixing bowl. Mix with a fork and use the fork to break down the avocado flesh to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Eat immediately! If some is leftover, be sure to place plastic wrap immediately up against the guacamole in addition to covering the container with a lid and/or plastic wrap.

Enjoy!

p.s. Florida avocados are in season now and through the winter here in the states!

Corn Quesadillas w/ Summer Veg

This post is probably just as much a confession as it is a recipe idea or reminder for quick summer food. This might sound a bit odd until you are made privy of the guilt I have over eating so much non-organic corn product. And you now might be confused at what issue one could possibly have over typically grown corn. However, if you've seen the movie Food Inc. or read any of the many books on this topic, you know exactly why I want to kick myself over my addiction to cheap corn tortillas.

Yes, Dearies, corn tortillas are so inexpensive, often vegan, and just plain practical. So if you know of a company that makes organic corn tortillas, please do let me know. I'd be interested despite a sneaking suspicion that they might be pricey.

Back to the food. These are corn tortillas stuffed with Galaxy Vegan Cheese, grated zucchini, red bell pepper and garlic. I obviously make up for the tortilla by stuffing these with organic vegetables and vegan cheese made with organic soy. The result is a delicious snack or meal when paired with salad or soup. Making them also does not involve firing up the oven or letting a soup roar for an hour. Nope, just a quick sear in earth balance or butter on both sides and you're done. No hot, steamy house to exacerbate the existing heat of summer!

Summer Veg Corn Quesadillas for 2

8 Corn Tortillas

3/4 Cup shredded Zucchini (arugula is great too)

1/3 Cup diced Red Pepper

1-2 Tbsp. minced garlic

8 Slices Galaxy Vegan Cheese (or your favorite cheese)

Earth Balance Buttery Spread

Red Pepper Flakes

Salt

Black Pepper

Garnish-fresh cilantro, scallions, lime, salsa, hot chilis, etc...

Place about 3/4 Tbsp. of Earth Balance in a pan and bring it to medium heat.

Once the heat is at medium, place a tortilla in the pan. Place a cheese slice, an even distribution of the veg, some garlic, salt and pepper. Put the top on and watch for the bottom piece to become a bit golden (1-2 min). Turn carefully and give the other side 1-2 min. Continue this till you are done. Turn your heat down if your pan starts to smoke. This happens usually on electric stoves, but can happen on any stove that does not maintain constant temperature.

Note: *Do not place tortilla in butter that is not fully heated. *Add more earth balance or oil in small amounts or as needed while making these!

Enjoy!

El Queso De Marly

This is Marly's cheese, Dearies!

If you don't know Marly, then you really need to visit her. She is a super interesting and, I must say, thoughtful lady that also happens to be a blogger. Her blog is about names, Marly's love of names, and all of the mystical things that a name can be, mean, and even create for us in our lives.

In addition to this charming preoccupation with names, Marly is also a vegan. So sometimes she shares some vegan deliciousness on her blog. This cheese is one of those things, and I must say it is quite rich and delightful. It also smears well on chips, carrots, apples, and celery without guilt, which I really like a lot. Cauldron Boy also liked it and kept swooning and breathing heavily while eating and grumbled a bit to himself about 'good hummus'. I don't know that Marly would appreciate this 'good hummus' comment or maybe I should say name. For those of you that don't like the idea of vegan cheese though, this could be considered somewhere in the realm of 'good hummus'. Kind of....

Marly's recipe is here. The only thing I did differently was to add a tsp. of paprika for color and only 1/2 Tbsp. Agave (my cashews were sweet enough). Next time, I'm going to throw a chipotle pepper and maybe some smoked paprika onto the scene to see how that is.

Thanks for a delicious and healthful snack, Marly!

*Ooh, and this recipe contains nutritional yeast, Dearies. I don't know if you all are familiar with it, but, as the name describes, it is very nutritious. Especially in the realm of B-Vitamins, which is very helpful to vegans!