Technically, avocado season should be winding down. But those green gems seem to be out in record numbers right now and with great sales to boot! To take advantage or this late season harvest, and imported varieties such as Peruvian avocados that will be available through the fall, I wanted to share this delicious and healthy stuffed avocado recipe.
In the past, avocados have had an unjust bad rap as a fatty food. In reality, avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, which has been linked to improved blood cholesterol levels. It may even benefit insulin levels and assist with blood sugar control. As a side note, the extra-virgin olive oil in this stuffed avocado recipe adds an extra dose of monounsaturated fat.
Beyond the healthy fats, avocados are also a great source of fiber, folate, vitamin K, potassium, and have recently been recognized as an excellent source of carotenoid antioxidants. Yes, carotenoids aren’t just in orange foods! Their awesome micro-nutrient profile has earned avocados high ranking status as an anti-inflammatory food. Couple that with the quinoa, sweet potatoes (yams), and other nutrient-dense ingredients in this stuffed avocado recipe, and you have one downright healthy dairy-free meal.
Special Diet Notes: Peruvian Stuffed Avocados
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup quinoa
- ¼ cup fresh corn kernels
- ¼ cup diced tomato
- ¼ cup cooked, diced sweet potatoes or yams
- 3 tablespoons minced red onion
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar (or sweetener of choice)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded
- 2 ripe avocados
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan.
- Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and add to pot.
- Cook, covered, over low heat for 12 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and transfer to a medium bowl.
- Add corn, tomato, yams and onion to bowl and mix well.
- Puree all dressing ingredients in a small food processor or blender and stir into salad.
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Cut avocados in half and remove pits.
- Place avocado halves on 4 small plates and top with quinoa salad.
- Garnish with cilantro leaves.
12 Comments
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Do you have to put lemon juice or anything like this on the avocados so that they don’t turn brown in the hour that’s spent chilling?
Lisa, the lime juice in the salad should help prevent browning, but you can always squirt a little extra on the flesh, if desired.
I am a BIG fan of using avocadoes to get some healthy fat into my life! Loving this stuffing…the perfect meal!
Alisa, I absolutely LOVE this recipe!! Using quinoa as a stuffing is one of my favorite ways to eat this yummy faux grain, but stuffing it in avocados? Haven’t even thought of that! Genius 🙂
Thanks for posting this wonderful article!
I’ve seen plenty of stuffed avocados, but never before have they looked so enticing! Quinoa salad is such a fantastic way to turn this somewhat decadent snack into a well-balanced meal option.