AN AVOCADO WALKING TOUR OF L.A.
THE GREEN MACHINE THAT’S GOOD FOR YOU

I grew up with the saying, ‘an apple a day will keep the doctor away’ but now I’ve learned that the same can be said of the avocado. I recently learned that avocados can help people meet the heart-healthy diet goals of the American Heart Association, which include eating a variety of nutritious foods from all the food groups. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may help you control your weight, cholesterol and your blood pressure. Avocados can help boost fruit intake and are considered nutrient-dense.

I also learned that 95% of the avocados in the country are Hass avocado, named after Southern California mail carrier and amateur horticulturist Rudolph Hass. The Hass avocado, sometimes referred to as the Bilse avocado, is a cultivar of avocado with dark green-colored, bumpy skin. Avocados contain natural good fats and are cholesterol and sodium-free.

Is it a fruit or a vegetable?

The avocado is a fruit that helps reduce saturated fats in our daily diet. I love it in guacamole and I’ve learned to love it in smoothies and cocktails.

Recently I went on a walking food tour along trendy Third Street where I learned the benefits of avocados and enjoyed delectable dishes with the green machine.

Our first stop of A.O.C. Wine Bar where we were served the tasty avocado with escabeche, grilled spring onion, cilantro and tuna. Paired with a nice white wine, this was a fine example of the freshness that avocados can add to any dish.

Just down the street at the popular Joan’s on Third, I fell in love with the hearty Brown Rice Avocado Salad. This is a very filling and savory salad.

Not to be outdone, Chef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill at Farmers Market served a very refreshing Chilled Avocado Cream Soup. I’m no fan of gazpacho but this chilled soup has perfect on a hot day. The creaminess and richness of the avocado really shined through in this very simple dish. It was a crowd-pleaser.

Walking along Third Street savoring the goodness and richness of avocados provided me with knowledge and sustenance. I learned avocados contain more potassium than bananas and they’re loaded with fiber. That and the proof is in the pudding as I thoroughly relished some very outstanding avocado nutrient laden dishes.

Photography Courtesy Of Above