Ah, avacados !

I was searching yesterday to find some new recipes that were high in fiber, high in healthy fats and made with real ingredients- things that your grandparents would have known about, available in a normal supermarket and affordable ( all of the above are important to me for a sustainable lifestyle change). I started searching with beans as the main search critera, and found some really interesting ideas. One of them happened to include ingredients I already had on hand

Avocado Hummus

2 cups approximately

1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, pit removed, peeled and sliced
5 tablespoons sesame tahini
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, juice of (or more to taste)
4-5 garlic cloves (pressed or minced)
1 teaspoon seasoning salt (I used Sea Salt Seasoning)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper or ground mixed peppercorns
3/4 cup water (can use less to get the 'right' consistency)

Peel and cut avocado, removing the pit.
Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Serve with warm pita wedges, pita chips, or vegetable crudites.

Result is a really tasty hummus that will work well as a sandwich filling, dip, pizza addition and so much more. Avocados are a great healthy addition to a diet. Did you know that one cup has 240 calories and 10 grams of fiber ? It contains about 30 grams of fat BUT 20 of those grams are monosaturated, heart healthy fats. Our bodies NEED these kinds of fats for proper health. Avocados can help lower blood pressure, cholesterol and even help rid us of bad breath. They can also help improve eyesight and relive morning sickness. In some places in the world they are amongst the first solid foods given to babies because of their high fat, B, C and E vitamins. Yay for those alligator pears !!!!

I also came across a recipe for chocolate chip cookies using oatmeal, white bean puree and dark chocolate chunks. Sounds yummy, but I am a little hesitant to try these yet. The black bean brownies have become a highly requested and desired snack item. I fear what chocolate chip cookies might do !