This post is sponsored by Farmhouse Delivery, I received products/services in return for my editorial consideration.
There are a few no-fail ways to win my heart. Keep me company on a long run without complaining, agree that I need another pair of cowboy boots for my collection, or send me a massive box of locally-sourced, organic fruits, veggies and other fine foods so that I can save time creating healthy, nourishing meals to fuel my active lifestyle.
So, let’s chat about the latter, being “gifted” with local Texas produce and other home state food supplies and sundries from Farmhouse Delivery. Farmhouse Delivery partners with local farmers and ranchers to deliver the cleanest, highest-quality, sustainably produced food to my front door – and yours! Farmhouse Delivery helped me mastermind some beautiful, body-boosting meals to feed my family this week. Read on to learn about my experience with this delivery service and get my recipe for Sweet Potato Grits and meal inspiration. Continue reading →
Delight your guests with Blueberry Brie “Cake Slice” Appetizer, a beautiful prelude to dinner or cocktail party conversation starter.
This “impostor” recipe looks just like a slice of sweet cheesecake piled high with plump berries and pomegranate arils but it’s actually savory-sweet cheese dish to get the flavor party started! Read on to get all the yummy details and easy recipe: Continue reading →
Deck out your holiday dessert table with fruit, it’s a welcomed addition among the proliferation of decadent cakes, cookies and candies found in excess this time of year. Today, Whether for the cocktail hour, a dinner party, Christmas brunch or other seasonal entertaining, you’ll love these festive fruit ideas for Christmas that make any menu merry and light!
All of these fruit ideas for Christmas are super easy and are done faster than a wink of the eye! Read on for all the juicy details and how-to: Continue reading →
It’s almost National Watermelon Day (Aug. 3rd), there is no way that I could let this special day of summer slip by without sharing how I’ve been celebrating with my favorite fruit all year.
Read on for all the juicy details about my #LivingOnTheWedge. . . I think you might be surprised. Continue reading →
Are you ready to have your avocado-loving mind blow? In a pinch, you can soften a rock-hard avocado in the microwave in 2 minutes or less!
Most of us know that firm avocados take a couple days or more to achieve that magical yet fleeting soft, creamy state, even using tricks like storing next to a banana, sticking in a brown paper bag, or even burying in a canister of flour. When you need a soft avocado STAT and not “someday,” this microwave trick (probably my best of many avocado hacks yet), will save the day.
Please note, this is not the very most OPTIMAL way to enjoy a softer avocado, because obviously that would be natural avocado ripening. But like I said, sometimes we just don’t have time for that! It’s still an effective avocado softening solution that can help your satisfactorily get of a pinch at meal time.
Pick an avocado: Choose your avocado to “ripen” in the microwave. This will be a hard avocado, not yielding to gentle pressure – because if it does have that “give,” it’s ready to be cut or mashed up and devoured. This technique works best with rock hard to very firm avocados. For example, the avocados I used could not even be cut in half and twisted from the seed. If that seed (pit) seems too hard to get out, an avocado tool can help and is much safer than a knife.
Prepare the avocado: There’s not much to do, except use a fork or small paring knife to add a few prick marks to allow any steam forming to escape. While some have suggested removing the seed before microwaving an avocado, I find that it holds the heat that helps soften the avocado from the middle.
Microwave the avocado: Set whole avocado in center of microwave and use “defrost” or “low” setting to microwave in 30 second intervals. Between each 30 second blast, allow avocado to sit for 30 more seconds to slowly and gently used the heat that is building up in the seed. I usually do 3 to 4 cooking increments (totaling1:30 to 2 minutes of cook time). Use care when removing avocado from microwave, it may feel like a hot potato. When cool enough to touch, gently squeeze to ensure desired softness. If still hard, microwave for another increment or two, until done. Please not that these directions will vary based on 1) the avocado size, 2) the avocado ripeness, 3) the wattage of your microwave, and 4) fate.
The only caveat to this avocado hack is that the taste may not be as blissfully “avocado” as ripening the natural way. Some have said this microwave hack “diminishes” the taste – I didn’t find that to be true. What you will be tasting is an avocado that is not fully ripe but has been tricked into being soft – how can something be diminished, if it has not acquired its fully state of being. There I go being philosophical about fruit again!
Regardless, this little trick is a lifesaver if you realize you have a company coming and your investment in avocados aren’t cooperating. So, you’ll just add a little more lime juice and garlic to your guacamole, the creaminess will still be there! I was able to put this hack to the test in a big way when I realized I had about 20 pounds of avocado “rocks” last weekend when two hours away from teaching a class on how to grill produce – including grilled avocados.
