Avocado and Coconut Ice Cream

Avocados are bursting with nutrients needed for a healthy body. It's little wonder there are so many health benefits when a single serve of avocado (1/4 or 50g) boasts healthy fats, fibre, folate, niacin, vitamins C, B5, E & K, potassium and antioxidants!

Serves 6

Ingredients
3 avocados
1 can (400ml) coconut cream
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup fresh berries, cherries and edible flowers

Method
Cut the avocados in half and discard the pit. Scoop the avocado out, adding the flesh to a food processor.
Add the coconut cream and honey.
Season with a pinch of salt and puree until nice and smooth.
Pour into a paper-lined loaf tin, cover with cling wrap and freeze for at least 3 hours or until set.
Serve on a long, rectangular platter garnished with fresh cherries, berries and edible flowers.

Australia get your toast ready – Australian Hass avocados are back and it's shaping up to be the biggest season yet.

In good news for smashed avo lovers, avocado growers are expecting 8 million more kilograms of Hass avocados to hit supermarket shelves this season compared to last year.

The nine per cent increase on last year's crop from 87,000 tonnes to 95,000 tonnes (April 2019-March 2020) is partly thanks to growers planting en masse over the past five to six years to meet Australia's skyrocketing demand for avocados.

"It's going to be a good year for avocado lovers," said Avocados Australia CEO, John Tyas.

"It takes about three or four years for an avocado tree to start bearing commercial crops and a lot of avocado trees have gone into the ground in the last five years, particularly in Queensland and WA, to keep up with the insatiable demand for avocados we have in Australia.

"This season, we're looking at a bumper Hass harvest from our growing regions in Western Australia as well as South Australia and Victoria. There are also large supplies coming out of North and coastal Central Queensland now, and New Zealand later on in the season."

Known for their purple skin and creamy texture, new season Hass avocados will be back in our guacamole, toast, salads and smoothies from this week, as they replace the green-skinned Shepard avocados, which have been the main avocado variety available to shoppers since late February.

Shepard fans have a couple more weeks to get their hands on the green fruit before their season comes to an end for 2019.

While smashed avo remains a café and breakfast favourite, Tyas says Australians are becoming savvier with their food choices and are starting to see avocados for their nutritional value as well as their taste.

"Avocados have so many nutrients that can improve our diets every day. They're also particularly good for pregnant women, and are a great nutritious first food for babies," he said.

The vitamins and minerals found in a single serve of avocado assist with infant growth and development, brain function, muscles and nerves, bones and teeth, vision, skin and hair, healthy gut, immunity development and the absorption of iron.

The nutrient dense fruit is also rich in good fats, which are great for the waistline and helps maintain heart health.

Unlike Shepard avocados, the more familiar Hass variety changes colour from green to purple as they ripen. If you're still not sure, gently press near the top of the fruit – a ripe avocado will give a little when pressed. If it's still hard, leave it on the bench for 1-3 days to ripen.

To keep cut avocado fresh for longer, and prevent the flesh from browning, squeeze lemon juice or a dash of vinegar to the cut flesh, seal in cling wrap to remove all air or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Four ways with avos when you don't feel like smashing them

Frozen delight: Turn creamy Hass avocados into nourishing, dairy-free ice-cream. Blend avocado flesh with honey, coconut cream and berries and freeze for a new dessert option.
Hot chips: Who can resist a hot chip? Slice avocados into wedges, cover with breadcrumbs and your favourite spices and bake for a keto-friendly, tasty snack.
Dress it up: The creamy texture of Hass avocados makes them perfect for a creamy salad dressing or dipping sauce. Try mixing with lemon, garlic, olive oil and your favourite leafy herbs to give your meal an extra boost.
Smoothest smoothies: Adding avocado to your morning smoothie will make it extra creamy and extra filling. Blend in half an avocado with banana, yoghurt or your milk of choice and honey for creamy smoothie with added goodness.

For more information about Australian Avocados, please visit www.australianavocados.com.au or @australianavocados