It’s no doubt that avocados are extremely popular — particularly with millennials. So much so, that a real estate mogul once told Australians to stop buying avocado toast and they would soon be able to afford a house deposit.
Nonsensical comments aside, there’s a reason why we love this fruit so much. From smashed on toast to whizzed into smoothies, eaten with eggs and mashed into guacamole, there’s not much the humble avocado can’t do.
Not to mention the health benefits of avocados, as its a source of healthy fats while also containing 20 different vitamins and minerals. If you’re an avid avo fan, then look no further than these three hacks that will change your life — especially when it comes to the pesky problem of unripe avocados.
#1 Store your avocados in the freezer for months at a time
You know those few months of the year when Hass avocadoes go out of season and all you can find in the supermarket are Shepard avocadoes, which are floury and tasteless? Well, in preparation for this time, you can actually freeze ripe avocados and grab out when needed.
Well + Good recommends popping your avocados into the freezer whole when they are at peak ripeness, then, when you’re hankering for some Hass goodness, grab it out, run it under hot water and let it sit out on your counter for a few minutes. When you cut into it, it’ll be gloriously ripe and ready to eat.
#2 Unripe avocado? Pop it in the oven
For those moments when you’re craving guacamole but have a rock hard avo, this little hack is helpful. To help your avo along in the ripening process, simply wrap it in foil and bake it at 100 degrees Celsius until it’s reached its desired softness. Country Living recommends checking it every five to 10 minutes, then when it’s ready, let it cool for a few minutes then unwrap it and pop it in the fridge for about an hour. While the taste and texture of a baked avocado is different to that of a fresh one, it’ll still taste great when mashed onto toast or whipped up into guacamole and served with corn chips.
#3 To make your hot chocolate even creamier, add avo
You might have baked brownies with avocado, or popped it in your morning smoothie, but have you tried adding it to your hot chocolate? While it might sound a little odd, avocado adds the most delicious creamy texture to the hot beverage and you’ll wonder why you never tried it before.
Cookbook author Liz Moody has perfected her avocado hot chocolate recipe and it’s super easy. Simply blend together one avocado with raw cacao powder, maple syrup, boiling water, almond butter and a few other spices to achieve a creamy, chocolatey drink.
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