there is such a thing as "good" fat

On the Eat to Live diet I have had to cut out quite a bit of foods. I definitely can't have much fat (like trans fats and polyunsaturated fats) but I am allowed small amounts of monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats can help lower cholesterol and is great for your heart (they have been known to reduce chances of heart disease and stroke). They have even been linked to reduced risks of breast cancer! (find out more here) You can find them in olive oil, nuts, and avocados!That has been a huge lifesaver as I am a huge fan of avocados. I love them on almost anything. I use avocado instead of mayo on sandwiches (I currently use lettuce instead of bread). Since I am allowed a little avocado each day (about a quarter of one a day roughly) - I have discovered some tricks for selecting, storing, and prepping the slippery avocado.

Selecting:

If you are going to be using the avocado fairly soon after purchase you find ones that give a little when you squeeze them. You should also look for ones that don't have any blemishes and are heavy for their size. If you are not using them for a while you can purchase them a little firmer if your selection is limited.*Note: Hass (California) avocados are available year-round. They are creamier and better for guacamole. The larger Fuerte (Florida) variety is available late fall through spring. They are firmer and better for salads.

Storing:

If you need to ripen your avocado- set them in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 4 days - if you want to speed up the process add an apple to the paper bag. If (or when) ripe, they can be refrigerated for several days.

Prepping:

Cutting an avocado can be little bit slippery... and the worst part is the giant pit. I have discovered the easiest way to cut an avocado (and remove the pit).1. Halve the avocado length wise and then twist to separate.2. To remove the pit- hold the half firmly in your hand and whack the knife into the pit and then twist the knife to pull out the pit. I do this with a butter knife since I am deathly afraid of cutting off fingers- but it works perfectly. You do have to do this with conviction though- but trust me it absolutely works.3. Then you can use the butter knife (of the knife you used to cut the avocado in half with... its just handy for me to use the butter knife I pulled the put out with) to slice or dice the avocado while still in the skin and then scoop it out with a spoon. You can, of course, scoop it out first and then slice and/or dice but I always end up a little messier doing it that way.Here is an awesome video explaining the steps I just told you from RealSimple (love them!). View video here.