(This post is sponsored by Hass Avocado Board in partnership with American Heart Association through Kitchen PLAY.) Let me start this post by getting something out of the way: I am pregnant! Woohoo! The truth is I’ve been planning an announcement post soon, so if you’re reading this post you are one of the first to know. ? I am blaming it on my lack of blogging organization, where sometimes I write posts in a certain order and they end up getting published at different dates. Oh well… now you know! But holy cow, I’ve been so tired lately! This pregnancy is definitely kicking my ass in ways I never imagined were possible. So even though I woke up at 10 am (Don’t judge me! It is a crime to judge a poor pregnant lady. ?), I ended up taking a nap in the afternoon. ??? The thing is, every time I take a nap, I wake up craving something sweet. That’s when the monster in me comes out and proceeds to open every single cabinet, searching for things that are not so good for you, like all the chocolate I bought in Italy last Fall. Well, now that I have a little human being growing inside of me, I try to be a little more conscious regarding what I eat. So today I kept the monster at bay and I whipped myself some of this delicious Raw Avocado Lime Mousse.
This recipe is a spin off version of this dessert/snack my grandma used to make whenever she hadn’t had the time to prepare something elaborated. She would simply mash an avocado, add some sugar and some lime juice so the avocado wouldn’t turn brown, and voilá, dessert was served. I decided to be a bit fancier and blended everything in the blender, because I was looking for a smoother consistency. After all, if I’m going to call something “mousse”, this something better be creamy and lump free. I was also really tempted to add sweet condensed milk instead of sugar for an even creamier mousse. But I thought of my little gummy bear (and of my gestational diabetes test which is fastly approaching) and decided to substitute the sugar for agave nectar. Honey would also work, but I find agave to have a milder flavor.
Apart from the occasional guacamole and vegetarian sushi, I still consume avocados as a fruit (as opposed to a vegetable, like most Americans see them), because that’s how I grew up eating them. I’m still working on accepting the idea of a savory avocado, like in soups, sandwiches, avocado toasts, etc. I’m sure I’ll get there eventually, but an avocado dessert will always have my heart! However, there’s no debate. Whichever way you eat them, avocados are amazing for you and your heart! Fresh avocados are a heart-healthy fruit. They provide naturally good fats, are low in saturated fat, and are cholesterol – and sodium – free. In October 2016, Hass Avocado Board (HAB) and the American Heart Association (AHA) announced its four-year strategic alliance to encourage Americans to eat the daily recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, an endeavor that has the potential to limit deaths from cardiovascular diseases, stroke and diabetes. This February, since it’s American Heart Month, they are teaming up to host a recipe contest called Take Avocado to Heart. The contest will run from February 9-27, 2017. All you have to do is submit a recipe that adhere to the AHA nutrition criteria in the categories of appetizer, entrée and dessert. The winner will win $1000 while second place will win $500 and third place $250. The official hashtag is #addavocado. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to take avocado to heart, starting with this delicious Raw Avocado Lime Mousse. ?
