Baked Sweet Potato with Coconut Oil + Avocado Mash

"If you don't take care of your body, then where are you going to live?"

**Another post I did for Sakara Life...enjoy!**

Like many of you, I'm sure, the more I learn about food, the more my diet evolves. I'm at a place now, where if it doesn't make me feel good and look good, I really don't want anything to do with it. As someone who has dealt with skin issues for the entirety of their existence, learning about all of the amazing beauty benefits that go hand-in-hand with a whole foods diet has been incredible, and really encouraging in those "I might just eat an entire pizza" moments. For the reasons I wouldn't be caught dead smoking a cigarette, are the same ones keeping me from a "happy meal." Because I like myself way too much to deal with premature aging, even if it requires a lot more time in the kitchen. Lucky for me, time in the kitchen is my favorite time of all, but for those of you who feel the exact opposite, this one's for you. If you're running on empty, and you don't know a carrot from a turnip, eating a healthy meal can take as much or as little effort as you like. This recipe (if you can call it that) is for those days when you can't be bothered to do anything more than to turn the oven on, because Mondays are hard for me too.

If you can wait the hour it takes to bake a potato, and not devour the leftover cake on your counter, then cheers to you, you're halfway there. Grab an avocado (because seriously, what doesn't taste better with avocado), and some coconut oil, and you've got yourself a facial in the form of dinner. And because we're really into ourselves, of course we went with a sweet potato. The candy-like cousin to your standard Idaho is packed with vitamin A and betacarotene, the same ingredients your probably paying an arm and a leg for in your fancy night creams. The coconut oil you've replaced the butter with is a solid pat on the back, for these 75 reasons and more. Finished with a healthy spread of mashed avocado, and you're wondering who invented sour cream anyways.     

Baked Sweet Potato with Coconut Oil + Avocado Mash

I found these incredible purple sweet potatoes at my local health food store. 

They just scream superfood to me. 

1 sweet potato

1 tablespoon coconut oil (organic, unrefined)

1/2 ripe avocado

juice of 1/2 a lime

pink himalayan salt (or sea salt)

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Make a few slits in your potato to let steam escape, and toss it in - I like to cook mine on a baking sheet, to catch any drips. Depending on the size of your potato, it should take about an hour to be cooked through. 

Once cooked, slice your potato open, sprinkle with salt and stir in the tablespoon of coconut oil. On a separate plate, mash up the avocado half with some more salt and the lime juice. Spread the avocado mash onto the potato, and dig in. 

Avocado Hummus

So I guess it's avocado month here on the blog. I hope you love them as much as I do, otherwise, sorry about that. I mentioned before that come summer the amount of guacamole I make must quadruple, and although I could never get sick of it, sometimes I don't always have a number of ripe avocados, nor do I feel like chopping, or consuming an entire bag of tortilla chips for that matter. And if you know me the slightest, you know I'm lost without hummus. Just like avocados, it's really great at bumping up the volume of most meals. Whether it's served on the side of a plate of grilled vegetables and garlicky grains, or thrown right into the mix, you're guaranteed some creamy deliciousness. It's nice to switch things up every once in a while, and instead of tossing your plate with some beans or lentils, why not make some gourmet hummus. The flavor profiles are endless, and a mix of textures is always a good thing in my book. 

I spotted avocado hummus a few years ago at Trader Joe's, and was pretty floored by such an ingenious creation. I've consumed numerous tubs of the stuff, but had never made my own - why is that always the case with me? I always have been one to come around at my own slow pace, but blending a can of chickpeas with an avocado is a no brainer. Hummus is creamy on its own, but throw in a buttery avocado, and you have real food magic on your hands. I'm somewhat addicted to lemon juice, so that's what I used here, but I know lime juice would also be wonderful. I also tend to add cumin to most avocado and/or Mexican based recipes, but I've left it out, and it's still just as tasty. A good amount of sea salt is essential here, but the spinach I might skip next time. I was going for a bright green color, and some added nutrients, but it sort of took away from the simple deliciousness of the avocado. 

Avocado Hummus

lemon or lime juice would work well here

15 oz can of chickpeas, drained + rinsed

1 ripe avocado

juice of 1 lemon (I used 1 1/2)

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

1 tablespoon olive oil

handful of spinach

Peel the skins off of the chickpeas before beginning. I sometimes boil them for about 10 minutes to get them really soft, but it's not a must (warm hummus is pretty phenomenal though). Add all of your ingredients to a blender (I used my Nutri-Bullet), and give it a whirl. Taste for seasoning, and scoop away. If you want more of the avocado flavor to come through, I'd leave out the spinach. As I mentioned above, I was going for color and nutrition, but I've made it both with and without spinach, and I think I prefer it without. I've also left out the olive oil without any problems, and the chia seeds are just a superfood bonus, totally not necessary.  

Avocado Toasts

Here's a quick, healthy, and delicious snack or lunch option if you're looking for either. Not so much a recipe, as what you see is what you get here, but it's a favorite of mine, so I thought I'd share. And, if you read my previous guacamole post, you would know all about my unconditional love for avocados. I'm sure you've all eaten toast this way anyways, so I'm not sitting here thinking I've discovered smeared avocado on some sort of carb or anything, mostly I've never eaten it so plainly before. I usually add beans, cheese, and tomatoes, and make some sort of Mexican fiesta when I get my hands on these ripe beauties. But as is typically the case, keeping things simple is a good idea in life. So if you find yourself the proud owner of some perfectly soft avocados, add some lime and salt, and call it a day. 

Avocado Toasts

also pictured is toast with tomato basil hummus and diced tomatoes

toasted bread or crispbread

1/2 an avocado

sea salt

1/2 lime, juiced

Mash up the avocado with some salt and lime juice and spread on some bread (I use GG Bran Crispbread). Dice up some cucumber and tomato to scoop up any extra avocado mash. 

I promise a more substantial recipe soon.

Guacamole

Guacamole could be my most requested dish. Whether I'm going to a cookout, a hangout, flopping with some friends, or throwing a party, I'm usually asked to make guacamole. And not to toot my horn or anything, but (toot toot) it's good. I'm actually not sure why I can't find great guacamole anywhere except my own kitchen, and I'm sure everyone else here on the east coast has had similar experiences. I'm always so jealous of the Mexican food that must be served closer to the border (and in the country itself) . The one and only time I visited California, I couldn't get enough of San Francisco's Chinatown, and basically survived on sushi. I need to go back to the west coast dreamland to give my food consumption another shot. I seriously have had maybe one successful experience with ordering this creamy dip at a restaurant. It's always the same...avocados, onion, and the tiniest amounts of lime and garlic, if any. My favorite part, tons of cilantro, is usually left out. For some reason, restaurants aren't into adding fresh herbs and spices. It's always so bland, and usually more like an avocado hummus, than a chunky guacamole. 

How good are avocados, by the way? I mean basically a butter substitute, right? Pretty much any dish can be escalated with the addition of some sliced avocado - stir-fry, curry, eggs, toast, chili, soups in general, salad, smoothies, pasta, and my most recent experience, chocolate mousse. A good rule to follow in the kitchen might be this: always add avocado. I'm trying to think of something that would be totally gross with avocado added to it. I was going to say maybe oatmeal, but scratch that. I used to eat my oatmeal (and yogurt) every morning with some mashed up banana, avocado, and cinnamon mixed in. I think I might get back into that like right now. Or maybe I'll make some avocado banana bread. That sounds incredible. Add chocolate? I mean I guess. And while you're dreaming up all the different things you can add this creamy, green superfood to, make some guacamole to feed your brain...

Guacamole

4 ripe and ready avocados, pits removed

1/4-1/2 small onion, diced

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup (or more) chopped cilantro

2 limes, juiced

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 tablespoon cumin

sea salt, to taste

Mix and mash everything in a medium size bowl. Taste for seasoning (my favorite part). It's better when the flavors have a chance to meld, so I'd recommend letting it sit in the fridge for an hour or so - room temp is fine too. I add a good amount of lime juice, so if I put some plastic wrap directly onto the guacamole before sticking it in the fridge, it usually lasts me a couple days. Just give it a good mix, and any brown spots should go away. 

We ♥ Guacamole!