Cooking for one often gets labeled as boring, difficult or overwhelming. But I am here to convince you otherwise. I’ve been my own roommate for almost 10 years, so I’ve gathered a few bites of wisdom to share with you so you can be a confident cook for one. First, why even bother to cook for one when there are a plethora of takeout, delivery and restaurant options? Those are all great some-of-the-time options, but there are a multitude of reasons why cooking for one is a fabulous idea, and here are three of my favorites, as well as tips to make it quicker, easier, more nutritious and delicious ..read more

If you've never tried grilling an avocado, it’s not too late! Don’t forget, the California avocado season lasts from Spring through late Summer. California Avocados are best for grilling when they're ripe but still firm. You can either grill them in slices, wedges or halves.  How to grill avocado slices Cut washed avocado in half, peel, seed and slice.  Drizzle the flesh with fresh lime or lemon juice and brush lightly with olive oil.  Gently place the slices on a grill – you can do this over a gas grill or in your kitchen on a grill pan on medium high heat.  Grill the sli ..read more

Icebox cakes are built for hot summer days when you couldn’t imagine turning on the oven to bake. The process is simple. Layer cookies with whipped cream in some sort of mold, and then chill until everything firms up. The cookies will soften as the cake chills, resulting in a light, sliceable cake that doesn’t require any actual cooking to make! In this recipe, ripe California Avocados are whipped up with heavy cream, peppermint extract, lemon juice and sugar. The minty avocado cream is then layered with chocolate sandwich cookies and chilled until firm. The finished icebox cake—similar to a g ..read more

Despite California’s reputation for a healthy and fit lifestyle, I have met with hundreds of men over the past 20 years in my California private practice who come to me overweight. They are concerned about their health and longevity and they don’t know where to start on the path to getting healthy. Sometimes, even more so than my female clients.  The male clients that I see range from 30-70 years of age, and they are worrying about their health more than ever before, especially their heart health. According to the CDC, the number one cause of death amongst men across all races,  orig ..read more

There’s a big difference between aging and aging healthfully. As a woman, I’ve never hidden my age, since looking and feeling my best has been important to me throughout my life. And as a dietitian nutritionist, it’s no surprise that I’ve associated a well-rounded diet with feeling young, fit and invigorated. I have always tried to create recipes that help me feel energized, while simultaneously bringing lots of benefits that help meet my changing needs. Unless I’m putting together an elaborate five-course dinner, the meals I create need to be easy to throw together, they need to contain whole ..read more

Have you ever tried socca? I discovered it several years ago and it quickly became a favorite in our family. Socca is a chickpea flour, pancake-like flatbread that’s popular in both France and Italy (“Farinata” is its Italian name). While it’s often served as a street food in Nice, it can also be served as a light lunch with salad or cheese. I’ve even put my own spin on it by sprinkling in Indian spices, such as cumin and coriander, and serving it with curry. Just like California Avocados, this dish is as versatile as it is delicious. Since socca is so adaptable as a base, it’s easy to mix in ..read more

With strong evidence supporting the Mediterranean-style Diet’s health benefits, this eating pattern is now recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and by the American Heart Association. It’s easy to understand why. The scientific support for eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, seafood, olives and nuts is robust and the heart-healthy avocado, which contributes naturally good fats, fits perfectly into the Mediterranean style of eating.   Suggested: Mediterranean Diet Recipes with California Avocados As a co-author of the Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Dummies ®, 1st and 2n ..read more

There’s nothing simpler than setting out chips and salsa when you’re hit with the afternoon munchies. In fact, they’re often the first to disappear even when there are ten other snacks available. No one can resist crunchy chips with a great salsa. In the spirit of taking full advantage of California Avocado season, I’ve been dreaming of the heart-healthy fruit along with every combination of salsa ingredients that my mind can conjure up. Tomatoes, jicama, peaches, mangoes and tomatillos have all taken a turn in my salsa bowl, mixed with creamy chunks of avocado each time. This recipe was ins ..read more

If you want your California Avocados last just a little longer, we have the perfect solution. Have you ever tried freezing your avocados?  Ripe, fresh avocados are optimal for taste and texture - but when you find yourself with too many ripe avocados and don’t want them to go to waste, try freezing them for later use. Here are a few tips:  Freezing Mashed Avocados All you have to do is place your scooped avocados into a bowl and drizzle with lemon juice Mash the avocados to your preferred texture - we recommend slightly chunky Place in a zip tight freezer safe bag, remove the air a ..read more

  Please see below for important updates regarding COVID-19: California Avocado growers, harvesters and packers are considered “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers,” and their work bringing fresh California Avocados to market will continue. It is our top priority to ensure the safety of our California Avocado community and of our fruit, so we are continuing to follow strict government requirements as we bring our fruit to consumers It is important to note that the CDC has stated there is no evidence to suggest that food produced in the United States is at risk of transmitting COVID ..read more