audacious avocados

I live in a city now but I did not grow up in one.  I was born and raised in South Florida before it was converted into one big mini-mall.  In fact, it wasn't unusual to see our neighbors riding horseback around our little community.  Strawberries and tomatoes were procured from the local u-pick farm (we often ate as many as we picked - at least I did) and our trees were heavy with fruit year 'round.

One of the biggest and oldest trees on my parents' property is one that still provides an abundant crop of enormous avacados season after season.  I think it is kind of sweet that the avocados from the very same tree that used to supply me with produce for my weekend fruit stand (operated from my Radio Flyer wagon) laid the foundation for our little omnivore's insatiable appetite for this curious fruit.

Nutritionally speaking, avocados are undeservedly maligned.  While no one has ever gotten fat from eating avocados, they aren't exactly the go-to produce for anyone counting calories.  Lucky for babies, they need lots of fat and their daily caloric intake is nothing short of astonishing.  Avocados are high in monounsaturated fat ("the good fat") and contrary to popular lore they contain zero cholesterol (only animal products contain cholesterol).  Avocados do however contain a good dose of the plant sterol beta-sitosterol, a kind of plant cholesterol that may actually promote heart health.  In addition to loading baby up on healthy fats, avocados are incredibly high in fiber, especially soluble fiber, the fiber that makes you feel full and cuts down your cholesterol.  As it happens, this tasty, mellow fruit is also an excellent source of potassium, folic acid, and that eye-protecting antioxident lutein, all of which are important nutrients for baby.

Despite my clear Floridian bias, our daughter eats avocados from both coasts.  Florida avocados, generally less expensive and much bigger, are only available fall through spring while California (aka Hass) avocados are available year-round.  Both types are packed with nutrients, but there are some slight differences ounce by ounce, and when feeding baby, it is a game of ounces. In a 1/2 cup of pureed avocados (4 oz), the creamier California avocados contain 192 calories, 18g fat (11g monounsaturated), 8g fiber, 583 mg potassium, and 102 mcg folic acid, compared to the Florida avocados which contain fewer calories (138 calories), less fat (12g fat -- 6g monounsaturated), less fiber (6g fiber), less potassium (404 mg), and far less folic acid (40 mcg).

From the feeding-your-baby perspective, avocados are like bananas, clementines and kiwis, in that they are super portable, come in their own packaging and a 1/2 avocado sans seed can act as it's own "bowl" for a lunch or snack if you are on the go.  

To prepare an avocado you must be sure it is ripe.  Since avocados don't ripen on the tree, it is best to buy one that is under-ripe and let it ripen on your counter-top.  Hass avocados must be fully brown, while Florida avocados will be bright green but the flesh will "give" when you give it a squeeze.  The pit may rattle when you shake it -- if this is the case, that is an indication that the fruit is past-prime.

Slice your avocado in 1/2 from the top to the bottom, cutting completely around the pit.  Open the avocado and squeeze some lemon or lime on the fruit on the side that contains the pit.  Cover this 1/2 of the avocado with cling-wrap so that the fruit comes in little to no contact with the air and reserve in the refrigerator for later use.  Cut the other 1/2 in half again lengthwise and use your knife to score the fruit, taking the blade all the way to the skin but not puncturing it.  Invert the skin and cut the perfect avocado cubes away from the skin.  Mash with a fork until you achieve the consistency you want.  Mmmmmmmm.  Virgin guacamole.  If your baby doesn't like it, it will be tough to store the mash since it will turn brown quickly.  On the bright side, the mash is a terrific spread for mom or dad's turkey, tuna or veggie sandwich as a healthy, rich, cholesterol-free substitute for mayonnaise.  

 

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