There are plenty of other healthy things to eat. Don't try to force yourself to eat avocados or any other thing just because it's good for you. It won't do you any good if you won't eat it.

I agree. No need at all to eat something you don't like. Many things are just as healthy as an avocado and, they are expensive. Those of us that cherish and like the flavor, buy them when on sale or at the peak of season. I have them at 4 for 5 dollars now, and still hesitate but love them.

I never used to buy avacados, but now I have 1/4 on a salad for a good source of potassium & healthy fat. If it is ripe, you should be able to mash it up and you might not even notice it blended in the salad. I use olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, fresh ground pepper, and some delicious freeze dried shallots, maybe some Italian herbs, as well as whatever else I feel like adding - 1/2 cup of chick peas & 1 oz goat cheese would be a good compliment to the avocado for vegetarian lunch protein, or 2tbsp each of pumpkin & hemp seeds. A little cut up fresh red bell pepper, a little sundried tomatoes - one of my favorite lunches!

I was thinking the same thing as Theresa. There are enough other good foods around not to have to eat ones you dislike.

I do like avocados and most often cut them in half and stuff the centers with crab or poached salmon salad.

Sorry for the poor pic quality but a favorite vegetable salad is black beans, tomato and avocado cubes, parsley, red onions and a vinaigrette dressing.

My first choice for tempting avocado use would be to add a couple of slices to a perfectly made classic BLT sandwich.

(Spelling edit)

This post was edited by ruthanna on Wed, Jan 22, 14 at 10:47

I don't particularly like them either. I never buy them for me. Ditto what Teresa said.

Agree with everyone else if you don't like them don't force yourself to eat them. It is always a waste of calories to eat something you don't like. I personally love avocados. Generally I will put them on a salad with lots of onions (white and green) some cucumber, romaine lettuce, and sometimes chicken. Dressed with lemon and olive oil. Or sometimes I will just eat them alone with lots of fresh lemon juice, salt, oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil. Of course there is guacamole, which I love but then you have to eat it with chips which kind of defeats the purpose. My SIL mixes them in when she makes green smoothies. I couldn't really taste that they were in there.

I agree about not forcing yourself to eat something you dislike, but if you are still determined to try them, you might like them sliced in a wrap with lettuce, shredded cheese, beans or meat and salsa. Or guacamole with veggies or chips. I love them on a hamburger or any meat sandwich, as a topping on a lettuce salad, but my favorite is a slice of good bread, buttered and covered with sliced avocado, then topped with shredded cheddar cheese and a good shake of black pepper!

This post was edited by lizbeth-gardener on Wed, Jan 22, 14 at 1:32

I agree with the rest that if you really dislike something, don't force it. But when was the last time you tried it and was it only that one time? When I was young it gagged me, too and then later in life I tried again and it was delicious. Also, the time you did try it might have been when you got a bad one, this happened to us last year. The Avocado appeared to be ripe but tasted horrible, I had to throw it out.

You might want to investigate some raw foods web sites, or raw foods cookbooks. They have the most wonderful, and unexpected, uses for avocados. Avocados were a challenge for me too, other than guacamole or sliced on a salad or sandwich, but now I've gleaned several new recipes from raw foods.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Yummly - raw vegan avocado recipes

I'm not at all nuts about avocados but find guacamole quite tasty.

You'll never change your eating habits by choking down foods that you dislike. Avocado is not a magic elixir.

I happen to love avocado but my husband does not. He does reap the benefits in a green 'smoothie ', where the strong flavors of pineapple, strawberries, apples, and other fruits do a fabulous job of disguising the taste of kale, spinach, and nasty avocado.

I couldn't believe my eyes, so I checked and lo and behold - plenty of avocado-based chocolate mousse recipes on the net:

Avocado based chocolate mousse

Rolene from RAWlean shares a recipe for a decadent vegan dessert

Vegans deserve dessert too...
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
ý cup organic raw cacao powder (most health stores will have this)
ü cup agave nectar (check sweetness to taste)
ý vanilla pod or 2tbs vanilla extract
1tbs coconut oil
Seasonal berries
Method:
Blend all ingredients in a food blender until smooth. Allow to set in the fridge for one hour. Serve in a wine glass with seasonal berries for garnish.

If I tend to gag on anything it's... chocolate. So I'll stick to avocado, and you Barb Roselover, enjoy the choc mousse! Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Avocado-based chocolate mousse

I enjoy avocados but am not sure how to always use them before they get too soft.

This is a nice creamy salad dressing. We've also put it on fish.

Avocado dressing

1 large avocado peeled, mashed
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. garlic salt, up to 1/4 tsp. (I used 1/4)
2-3 drops hot sauce

Blend in a bowl until smooth.

"I enjoy avocados but am not sure how to always use them before they get too soft.------"

Try these suggestions, see link below.

dcarch

Here is a link that might be useful: more avocado enjoyment

I'm with ritaweeda here. You may have run into far more than one bad avocado. They are only good when just slightly soft which is a two day window. And then there is the problem of bruised or 'root' infested ones. If you don't know what you are looking for, it could be possible to never find a good one.

If you find a good one, squeeze a little lemon on it and see if that does it for you. Otherwise fergeddabouddit and leave them for the rest of us.

I found a recipe today for GF Coconut Lime Cupcakes with Avocado Lime Frosting. Not sure if I'll make the cupcakes, but the frosting looked "interesting". -Grainlady

Avocado Lime Frosting
(makes about 10-oz.)

2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
juice of one large lime
splash vanilla extract (optional)
1/4 c. agave nectar or brown rice syrup [Grainlady note: coconut palm nectar, maple syrup or raw honey would probably also work.]
1/4 c. coconut oil, melted

Blend the avocados, lime juice, vanilla and sweetener in food processor or blender until smooth. With the machine on, slowly add the melted coconut oil and process until combined. Transfer to a bowl or container and chill in the refrigerate until set. To decorate the cupcakes, frost or pipe the frosting and decorate with flaked coconut if desired.

Here is a link that might be useful: Swell Vegan and Raw Food Blog

Living in the land of the avocado tree like I do, I was shocked at the mention of the 4 for $5 price. ACK! I've seen them at $1 apiece during "the season" but that's at places like Vons. If I watch sales, it's pretty easy to find them 3 for $1 at the grocery OR the guy that sells bags of 20 for $5 on my way home from work (on the side of the road). But if I'm really patient and lucky, I just wait until my neighbor's two avocado trees start bearing fruit. Sooner or later he brings me a bag!

Guacamole came to my mind. The other thing that came to my mind: I didn't like avocado either on my first try. I got a not-so-good one. Wait until they are soft, cut in half, remove the pit, scoop out the soft part. Yum.

Guacamole recipe that I like:

3 ripe avocados
3 tbsp lime juice
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can diced green chilis
1 medium sized tomato

Puree the avocados, lime juice and salt. Pour into bowl and add onion, chilis and tomato. Mix, cover, chill. Can be used as a garmish for tacos, enchiladas, burritos.

If you have a choice, we like Ortega or one of the Mexican brands of green chilis. Like the ad used to say, PHTHTHTH on Old El Paso brand!

Donna in SoCal