Our avocado obsession has us excited right down to the pip! Take advantage of avo season with these fresh & fabulous recipes! 

Spring onion with avo crema 

Serves 4  

This pancake dough works best with as much rest as possible, so consider making the dough the night before, then rolling and frying off for breakfast in the morning. 

Ingredients

For the dough 

2 cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
½ cup scalding water
½ cup cold water 
Canola oil, for frying  

For the filling  

3 Tbsp flour 
1 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder 
Salt and milled pepper 
8 spring onions, finely sliced
½ cup peanut or canola oil  

For the avo crema 

2 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped
⅓ sour cream
2 Tbsp lime juice
½ tsp salt 
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, chopped  

For serving  

50g trout ribbons, smoked ham or bacon strips 
4 poached or fried eggs 
Chilli oil 
Petite herbs or fresh greens  

Method

1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl. 
2. Add the hot water and stir to mix, then add the cold water. 
3. Mix properly to create a rough dough. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
4. Knead the dough for another 2 minutes until smooth, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours for optimal soft texture. 
5. Add filling ingredients (except the oil) to a heatproof bowl. 
6. Place oil in a small pot and heat until scalding. Carefully pour hot oil over filling ingredients, then mix to combine. The spring onions will sizzle and start releasing flavour. 
7. Divide dough into 8 equal portions (about 55g each). 
8. Cover the remaining dough portions and place one on a floured working surface. 
9. Using a rolling pin, work the dough into a rectangle as thin as you can without breaking the dough. 
10. Using a pastry brush or spatula, spread 1-2 Tbsp filling over the surface of the dough.
11. Fold dough into a long coil by rolling both long sides inward towards each other, meeting them in the middle. 
12. Pinch the seam where they meet to seal.
13. Coil the left end of dough towards the middle, doing the same with the right end of dough but rolling it upside down, creating two coils mirroring each other horizontally. 
14. Twist the bottom coil over the top and smash down with the palm of your hand. 
15. Repeat with remaining portions of dough to make 8 pancakes. 
16. Roll each pancake portion into a 12-15cm disk, add 1 Tbsp oil to a hot pan and fry one at a time for 4 minutes a side until golden and crispy.
17. For the avocado crema, place ingredients into a jug and blitz with a stick blender until smooth and creamy. Season. 
18. Serve spring onion pancakes topped with a lathering of avocado crema, followed by a ribbon of trout and cooked egg of choice. Drizzle with chilli oil and garnish with fresh herbs.

Cheesy BBQ Chicken quesadillas with guacamole 

Serves 4 (as a side)  

For extra spice, add 2 tsp of cayenne pepper to the BBQ sauce instead of paprika. 

Ingredients

2 skinless chicken fillets
1 Tbsp paprika
Salt and milled pepper 
2 Tbsp canola oil 
10g parsley, chopped  

For the barbecue sauce 

1 tsp canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced 
2 tsp mustard powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 cup tomato sauce
¼ cup packed treacle sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup water  

For the guacamole  

3 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
½ small red onion, finely diced
20g finely chopped coriander
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced 
2 limes, zested and juiced
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground cumin  

To serve  

1 pack (6) medium-sized white flour tortillas 
1½ cup sriracha mayo
200g mature Cheddar  

Method

1. Season chicken fillets, drizzle with oil and fry in a hot pan for 4-5 minutes per side until cooked and golden. Remove and cool for 15 minutes. 
2. Use a fork to shred chicken into fine strands, place in a bowl and scatter over parsley. 
3. For the BBQ sauce, add oil to a pot over high heat. Add garlic and fry for 1 minute until golden. 
4. Add the spices and fry for another 30 seconds. 
5. 5. Place remaining ingredients into the pot and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. 
6. Add sauce to the shredded chicken and toss through. 
7. Add guacamole ingredients to a bowl and mash using a fork until chunky. Season. 
8. Place 1 tortilla on a work surface, lather on some sriracha mayo, then top with a portion of BBQ chicken. 
9. Sprinkle some Cheddar over the chicken, season, then place a second tortilla on top and press down to seal. Repeat to make 3 quesadillas. 
10. Turn the oven onto grill and cook two at a time until lightly charred and the cheese has melted. 
11. Slice quesadillas into triangles and serve with chunky guacamole.

Savoury avocado loaf  

Makes 1 loaf  

Soft and cheesy, this loaf is perfect as a side to a braai or meaty main. 

Ingredients

For the avocado loaf  

2 cups cake flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt 
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, whisked
¼ cup canola oil 
2 ripe avocados, mashed until smooth 
10g parsley, finely chopped
100g Cheddar  

For the nutty topping  

1 Tbsp each pumpkin- and sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts and almonds 
1 Tbsp soy sauce 
1 Tbsp honey + extra for brushing 
1 sprig thyme, leaves picked
½ tsp smoked paprika  

Method

1. Grease and line a 20x12cm loaf tin. 
2. Sift together the dry ingredients. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until frothy, about 3 minutes. 
4. Whisk through the oil.
5. Add the avocado and parsley and combine thoroughly.
6. Pour the dry ingredients over the wet, along with the cheese, and fold through until no flour streaks remain. 
7. Pour batter into prepared tin, bake for 1 hour 10 minutes until risen and lightly golden. 
8. Place seeds and nuts into a pan over medium-low heat and toast until lightly golden and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. 
9. Add remaining ingredients, stir to coat evenly then remove from the heat and decant into a bowl. The topping will form into little clusters.
10. Remove loaf from the oven, brush all over with honey and gently press topping over the surface to secure. 
11. Slice and serve warm.

Avo lime tartlets 

Makes 2  

These tarts are tangy and oh so creamy! Omit the honey and simply use syrup for a vegan treat. 

Ingredients

For the crust  

½ block (125g) pitted dates, finely chopped
¼ cup boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup coconut oil, melted  

For the filling 

4 avocados, chopped
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 6-7 limes) 
⅓ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract  

For the coconut cream frosting  

1 can (400ml) coconut cream, refrigerated overnight 
¼ cup icing sugar 
Lime slices, for serving 
Honey, for serving  

Method

1. Combine dates and water in a bowl and set aside to soak for 5 minutes. 
2. Add dates and water to the bowl of a food processor along with the oats, coconut and coconut oil. 
3. Blitz until the mixture is combined. It should easily form a crust when pressed together with your fingers. 
4. Grease and line a 22x13cm tin with clingfilm, followed by baking paper. 
5. 5. Press base into the tin, bringing the mixture up the sides by 1cm. Refrigerate. 
6. Blitz filling ingredients with a stick blender until smooth. 
7. Spoon filling into tin and smooth over. 
8. Cover with clingfilm and freeze for 4 hours. 
9. Spoon the top layer of coconut cream from the tin and place into a cold metal bowl with the icing sugar.
10. Whip for 1-2 minutes until stiff and fluffy. 
11. Remove tart from the tin and slice into 12 bars. 
12. Lather or pipe dollops of coconut cream frosting onto the bars and garnish with a lime slice and drizzle of honey. 

Green scene pasta salad 

Serves 6  

This hearty pasta salad is perfect eaten cold or at room temperature. 

Ingredients

For the roasted veggies  

500g butternut
1 head broccoli
2 Tbsp olive oil 
1 tsp cumin 
Salt and milled pepper  

For the crispy croutons  

¼ cup canola oil 
1 tsp garlic powder 
1 tsp paprika 
¼ loaf day-old bread (about 2 cups), torn into small chunks  

For the green scene dressing 

2 large avocados
½ cup double cream yoghurt 
20g parsley, chopped
10g dill, chopped
10g chives, chopped 
10g mint, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar 
3 Tbsp olive oil 
Salt and milled pepper 
Water, for thinning (optional)  

For serving  

500g orecchiette or pasta of choice, cooked 
Pickled red onion 
1 disk feta, crumbled  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
2. Cut butternut into small, even cubes and slice broccoli into small florets. 
3. Toss veggies with oil and cumin. Arrange on a baking tray, season and roast until soft and caramelised, about 30 minutes. 
4. For the croutons, mix together oil and spices. Drizzle over the bread and toss to coat evenly.
5. 5. Arrange croutons on a tray and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy. 
6. Place dressing ingredients in a jug and blitz with a stick blender until smooth, adding a few tablespoons of water to thin the dressing if needed. 
7. Scoop cooked pasta into a serving bowl, pour over dressing and toss to coat. 
8. Top with the roasted vegetables, red onion and feta.

By: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine

Also read: Here’s why you need more avocados in your life

The post 5 Unexpected ways with avocado  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Get your daily dose of complex carbs and healthy fats all at once with these nutritious sweet potato and sardine-stuffed avocados. For a more budget-friendly option, swap the sardines with tinned pilchards.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
1 sweet potato, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp garlic powder
4 tsp lime juice
3 avocados, halved and pitted
1 tin sardines, deboned and flaked
12 baby tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp sunflower seeds, toasted
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
½ wheel feta, crumbled
⅓  cup coriander

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
2. Spread the sweet potato out on a roasting tray and toss with the olive oil, cumin, garlic powder and half of the lime juice.
3. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until soft.
4. Brush the avos with some of the lime juice and fill with sweet potato, flaked sardines and baby tomatoes.
5. Sprinkle with the seeds, feta, leftover lime juice and coriander.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Jotham van Tonder // HMimages.co.za

Sweet potato rösti with yoghurt and creamy tuna is another great healthy combo if you’re looking for a snack that will keep you going throughout the day.

The post Sweet potato and sardine-stuffed avocados appeared first on MyKitchen.

If you’re like us, one of the highlights of your day is probably what you’re going to eat next. And there’s no reason you can’t keep it as healthy as possible by always adding an avo for extra nutrition. Whether you’re preparing your own food at home (hello green avo sauce!) or ordering in, perfect your meals by topping them off with thick slices of avocado!

Avos are a source of potassium and are high in copper. They are also a source of fibre and antioxidant nutrients, such as lycopene and beta-carotene. Together, these powerful components can help you maintain and regulate immune function. The high monosaturated fat content in avocados may also help to reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease, when used to replace saturated and trans fats, of course.

Here in South Africa, we are really lucky to have avocados available year-round, thanks to our local farmers growing both green-skinned and dark-skinned avos. That means we have almost a year-long supply of these equally delicious (and slightly addictive) fruits!

Buttery, creamy green-skinned avocado varieties include Fuerte, Edranol, Ryan, Reed and Pinkerton. These beauties are available from March until October. Hass, Maluma Hass and Lamb Hass are our rich and nutty dark-skinned locally grown avocados that are available from March until November.

Green-skinned avos remain green when they are perfectly ripe, but the dark-skinned varieties turn a purple-black when they are ready to eat, so keep a close eye on them. Although beautiful avocados may vary in colour, shape and size, they are all beneficial to your health and versatile to cook with.

When it comes to getting creative in the kitchen, we all know that there is no end to their use in snacks, light meals, main dishes, and even desserts, bakes and sweet treats.

To try something a little different, treat the family to a beautiful Mexican meal. These super tasty tacos with green avo sauce and charred pineapple are sure to go down a treat!

For more information, follow the South African Avocado Growers’ Association on Facebook and Instagram, and don’t forget to hashtag #addanavo

The post Try these tacos with green avo sauce and charred pineapple appeared first on MyKitchen.

With this stuffed dish, you get the perfect blend of flavours! Treat the fam to these avocados stuffed with curried samp and beans for a fun and healthy twist on their favourite.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 40 min, plus soaking overnight

INGREDIENTS
2 cups samp and bean mix
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp chilli flakes
Pinch salt
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
½ cup water
½ cup finely chopped spinach
2 avocados

METHOD
1. Soak the samp and beans in plenty of water overnight. Then drain and cook until nearly soft, about 30 minutes. Drain again and rinse.
2. Heat the oil in a pot and fry the onion until soft. Add a little more oil, along with the garlic, peppers, curry powder, chilli and salt. Fry for 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the water and simmer until the mixture thickens.
4. Add the samp and beans, and spinach. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
5. Slice the avocados in half and remove the pips. Spoon curried mixture into the avocados.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

The post Avocados stuffed with curried samp and beans appeared first on MyKitchen.

Avocados are back on the forefront of fashionable foods! The good news is that they fit into so many categories of the hottest food trends predicted for 2019.

The plant revolution wave that’s sweeping the world has special days, weeks and even months dedicated to eating less meat. Think Meatless Monday, Flexitarian Friday and Veganuary. Once again, avocados are right up there, dominating meat-free dishes like veggie bounty bowls, meatless makeover meals like tacos, and nosh platters, the trendy newcomers to the block. No matter when, where or how – just add an avo!

It’s not only in the kitchen that avocados are shining on the trend forecasts; they’re also turning heads on the wellness A-list. The popularity of keto, paleo, grain-free and ‘pegan’ (paleo + vegan) diets, as well as neurotrition (which suggests a strong connection between gut health and cognitive function), have put good fats back on the menu. This is also supported by the current move towards embracing healthy fats for healthy ageing (which is fast replacing the old ‘anti-ageing’ idea).

With avos boasting high amounts of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which has been linked to good HDL cholesterol, and being naturally cholesterol-free, it’s no surprise that they tick all the right boxes when it comes to these dietary and lifestyle choices.

One of the biggest food trends this year is convenience: on-the-go food, nutrient-dense snacks, bite-size surprises and hassle-free, healthy meal replacements that provide satiety and nutrition for time-strapped consumers. Eaten straight out of the skin, avocados offer a quick, easy and fully mobile meal option for breakfast, school and office lunches, and supper.

For avo-licious recipes visit avocado.co.za and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The post Always-fashionable avocados make the foodie trends A-list for 2019 appeared first on MyKitchen.

Replacing processed ingredients with healthier options is way easier than you think! Just look at these amazing avocado brownies – they’re divine!

MAKES 16 // COOKING TIME 35 min, plus cooling time

INGREDIENTS
For the brownies
75 ml coconut oil, plus extra to grease
100 g dark chocolate, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
120 g soft, pitted dates, chopped and soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
½ cup coconut milk
2 tbsp honey
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup coconut flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
50 g walnuts, chopped
For the icing
1 cup puréed avocado
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup coconut milk
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp honey

METHOD
For the brownies
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 22 cm baking tin with baking paper and brush with oil.
2. Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave, using 30-second blasts.
3. Blend the avocado and dates. Add coconut milk, honey, eggs, vanilla and choc-oil mixture. Blend well.
4. Sift together coconut flour, cocoa powder and bicarb, then add to the batter.
5. Blend to combine, then stir in nuts (reserve some for topping).
6. Spoon into the baking tin and bake for 15–18 minutes, until firm but still springy. Leave to cool in the tin.
For the icing
1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor.
2. Spread over cooled brownies and decorate with the extra nuts.

Recipe: Julieta Hirner
Styling: Anna Carolina Alberts
Photography: Gareth van Nelson

The post Fudgey date and avocado brownies appeared first on MyKitchen.