Recipes: Make avo the hero at breakfast

Adding avos to your rise-and-shine menu is a great way to start your day. They boost your daily intake of monounsaturated fats and essential nutrients such as potassium, folic acid and vitamin C – they’re proven to be heart-healthy and effective fighters against ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol; and they may be associated with improved diet quality and beneficial nutrient intakes. We love these fabulous avo breakfast recipes so much, we decided to share them with you all.

Avocado and French toast – served with crispy bacon and maple syrup
Add some glam to your French toast by topping it with avo and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

Avo, Greek yoghurt, muesli and honey layered breakfast parfait
Puree half an avo with a couple of tablespoons of plain yoghurt, spoon over muesli and drizzle with honey.

Avocado and haddock kedgeree – breakfast classic Avo’d up
1. Cook 1 cup of brown basmati rice in 2 cups of water, until tender, drain and rinse.
2. Poach approximately 200 g of haddock in milk until it flakes with a fork.
3. Fry the rice in a tablespoon of avocado oil (or olive oil), add the haddock, 6 spring onions sliced and a tablespoon of curry powder
4. Gently toss the fish into the rice.
5. Slice in one whole avo and serve with hard-boiled egg quarters and garnish with fresh coriander, a grinding of black pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice.
(Serves 4)

SMOOTHIES

Avo, banana and turmeric lassi
Puree 1 avocado, 1 banana and 1 cup of plain yoghurt until smooth. Sprinkle with turmeric and serve. (Serves 2)

Avo and chocolate peanut butter smoothie
Puree 1 avocado with 2-3 tablespoons chocolate peanut butter and 1 cup of milk or plain yoghurt. (Serves 2)

Avo merry-berry smoothie
Puree 1 avocado with a handful of fresh or frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or black berries). Add 1 cup of yoghurt and sweeten to taste with maple syrup – depending on the tartness of the berries.

Avocado yoghurt with toasted nuts, omega 3 seeds and “superfruit” berries
Serves: 2

Ingredients
• 20 g flaked macadamias
• 20 g pecan nuts
• 1 avocado, stone and skin removed
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup Bulgarian or Greek yoghurt
• 20 g sunflower seeds
• 20 g sesame seeds
• 20 g pepitas ( pumpkin seed)
• Assorted super fruits, raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 120°C.
2. Place the nuts onto an oven tray and bake for 5-10 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
3. In a blender place the avocado, honey and cinnamon and blend until smooth.
4. In a glass layer the nuts, yoghurt, avocado puree and top with the berries and seeds.

Avocado Cajun scrambled eggs

Serves: 4
Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil
• 2 avocados, thickly sliced
• ½ teaspoon Cajun spice

Preparation

1. Beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl.
2. Pour avo oil into a large non-stick frying pan, heat on medium.
3. Add the egg mixture and stir gently until starting to set.
4. Stir through sliced avocados and sprinkle with Cajun spice

Avocado frittata with sundried tomatoes, feta & olives

Serves: 4
Ingredients

• ½ cup chopped spring onions
• 2-3 teaspoons avocado oil
• 6 large eggs
• 125 ml milk
• ½ teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1  avocado, diced
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 100 g crumbled feta cheese
• ⅓ cup chopped Kalamata olives
• ½ chopped sundried tomatoes
• Rocket leaves to serve

Preparation

1. In a non-stick pan with an ovenproof handle sauté the onions in the oil until soft – about 5 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. Heat the oven to 180º C.
4. Beat together the eggs, milk, mixed herbs and salt.
5. Gently toss the avocado with lemon juice.
6. When the oven is hot, evenly scatter half the avocado, cheese, olives and
   sundried tomatoes over the sautéed onion.
7. Pour egg mixture into the pan taking care not to disturb the other ingredients.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the frittata is set firm and the top lightly browned.
9. Scatter the remaining ingredients over the top and bake for a further 10 minutes.
10. Cut into wedges and serve with rocket leaves.