All Roads Lead to the Kitchen: Avocado Paletas

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Avocado App. All opinions are 100% mine.

Cinco de Mayo Paletas | www.girlichef.com

Cinco de Mayo is a huge day around these parts. Sure, we use the old American excuse to party, drink margaritas, and eat lots and lots of tortilla chips and guac in commemoration of the Mexican victory in the battle of Puelba. As many of you know, my hubby hails from Mexico (not Puebla, though) and he had never celebrated it before moving to the States. It's really a localized celebration there.

Aside from those fabulous reasons to celebrate, we actually have FOUR Cinco de Mayo birthdays in the family (and one the day before)...one of those being my youngest hijo. So really, we have no other choice than to celebrate the day to its fullest! By mid-April, the search is on for Cinco De Mayo recipes that are going to make an appearance that year.

Though the menu always varies, there are two constants: cake (birthdays, remember) and avocados. Without fail, there is guacamole (because I'm an addict). But I like to try to mix things up and add another dish or two that contains avocado. Aside from the slices and/or chunks that we add to our other dishes, of course.

This year, I knew I wanted to make some paletas (popsicles) to add to the celebration. It's usually about this time that I'm dusting off my popsicle molds, anyway! I thought it would be a lot of fun to go with the colors of the Mexican flag. For the red layer, I went straight-up strawberry. For the white layer, my favorite paletas of all time, coconut. And for the green layer, I used (I bet you saw this coming a mile away) AVOCADO! I also added a bit of kale to the green layer.

Speaking of avocados, have you checked out the Avocado app? The hubby and I have been giving it a test-run over the past couple of days. Available for iPhone, Android, and the web, it is a "shared" app (between you and that someone special). It's a way to stay connected, share photos (of that delicious guac you're eating on girl's night) or of the two of you, and send private messages. We've had fun playing with it, and I think it will be a great way to stay in touch if/when one of us is "on assignment", per se. Plus, I adore the icon (yes, I'm that girl).

I also wanted to give you a heads-up about the I Love Avocados For Cinco De Mayo sweepstakes from Avocados from Mexico and Avocado (the app). You can win up to $1000 + a premium version of Avocado app (that's 1st place...there's also 2nd and 3rd prizes) by simply posting a photo of you and your other half with your favorite dish made with Avocados from Mexico (or just the dish itself). Enter by going to the sweepstakes tab after clicking on the Avocados on Facebook link at the bottom of this post. Sound good to you? Mmm hmm, me too.

And one last bit of avocado goodness to share, you will not want to miss the #iloveavocados for Cinco de Mayo Twitter party (May 7, 3-4pm ET) hosted by @Avocado and @guacgrl. Be sure to join us for the chat, it's going to be delicious!

Cinco de Mayo Paletas (Strawberry, Coconut, & Avocado-Kale Ice Pops)

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: up to 24 hours

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: snack dessert vegetarian avocado coconut kale strawberries Cinco de Mayo popsicles American Mexican spring summer fall

Ingredients (10 (2.5 oz.) Pops)

for the red layer:

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled & quartered + a couple extra, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup simple syrup
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch of fine sea salt

for the white layer:

6.25 fluid ounce (just over 3/4 cup) canned coconut milk
7 fluid ounce (scant cup) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup half-and-half
big pinch fine sea salt
big splash pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened, shredded coconut

for the green layer:

1 avocado, pitted & scooped out of peel
1 cup chopped kale (leaves only, packed)
1/2 cup simple syrup (more or less, to taste)**
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
pinch of sea salt
6-8 tablespoons coconut water (or milk of any variety - cow, coconut, almond, rice, soy)

Instructions

To make these ice pops, you will need: a blender, a popsicle mold (or plastic cups), popsicle sticks (or skewers)

red layer:

Begin by blending all of the ingredients under smooth in a blender. Fill the bottom third of your popsicle molds with the mixture. Add a few small pieces of chopped strawberry, if you wish. Freeze until solid (or at least extremely firm); it will take a few hours.

You can either add the popsicle sticks the molds after an hour or so, when they're just firmer than slushy, or you can wait to add the sticks until you've added the next layer. It really depends on the size of the molds you're using and how deeply you want the sticks to go.

white layer:

Toast the coconut in a small pan until golden in spots (watch it carefully, so that it doesn't burn). Pour out of pan (into a bowl or onto a plate or parchment) and let cool completely.

Add the cooled toasted coconut plus all of the other ingredients for the coconut ice pops to the jar of a blender, and turn on until combined. Fill another third of your popsicle molds with this mixture. Freeze until solid (or at least extremely firm); it will take another few hours.

If you didn't add the popsicle sticks already, slide them into the center of the pop once this layer has gotten just harder than slushy (after about an hour in the freezer).

green layer:

Place everything in the jar of a blender and puree until smooth, adding as much of the liquid as you need to make the mixture pourable (but not thin and runny).

I find the easiest way to get this last layer in around the popsicle sticks is to transfer it to a zippered baggie, snip off a small corner, and squeeze it in to fill the top third of the popsicle molds.

Freeze until solid, another few hours.

Pass them around your Cinco de Mayo celebration!

notes:

You may have a little bit of one or another mixtures. If so, just freeze the extra into individual pops. Likewise, you could multiply any of the layers and make individual colored pops. Try making some striped and some of each individual color for a fun variety. If you don't have that many popsicle molds, you can still make a bunch, you'll just have to start a few days in advance. Once you make a batch and it is frozen solid, remove the pops from the molds, immediately wrap them in wax paper, and put into freezer baggies (store in freezer). Make as many more batches as you like until you have a stockpile of Red, White, and Green Paletas to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

**Sweeten the avocado layer generously - when food is served cold, you need a bit extra seasoning to make sweet or salty flavors shine (in applications like this, or cold soup, for example). You could substitute agave nectar, honey, splenda - just do it to taste. Sweetened condensed milk would also work.

photo b58c3aa5-dc72-4281-a6ab-8816b01b7ab5_zpse92c1fc2.jpg

Looking for more AVOCADOS FROM MEXICO fun for Cinco de Mayo:

✽This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hass Avocado Board featuring Hass Avocados. All opinions are 100% mine.✽

What is creamy and rich, and easily one of the foods I'd pick to bring with me were I to be stranded on a deserted island? Why, that would be avocados, of course! Aside from the fact that add that irresistible layer of richness to so many dishes, Hass Avocados contribute good fats to your diet! Over 75% of the fat in avocados is unsaturated (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated), which makes them a fantastic substitute for foods that are high in saturated fat. Just one-fifth of a medium avocado (1 oz.) has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals; this makes avocados a nutrient-dense foo choice.

I love adding a smooth layer of avocado to almost any type of sandwich or torta...from BLT's to smoked turkey and swiss to warm, shredded pork to deeply spiced beef. Of course, my favorite use has to be as one of the major components of Tortilla Soup. I mean, in my opinion, tortilla soup isn't complete without it. I also love scooping all but a thin layer of flesh from a hass avocado, then dicing and folding it together with anything from chicken to salmon to tuna and piling it high back inside the hollowed out shell. And let's not forget the classic smooshed up version of avocado, better known as Guacamole. There are so many other avocado recipes that lend themselves to finger foods, as well. Check out these tailgating tips and recipes and recipes to get some great ideas for this football season! And how awesome would it be to put these tips and recipes into motion whilst tailgating in Pasadena before the Rose Bowl Game®? As a Midwestern girl with a deep love for the Big Ten (Michigan State, in particular), it's always been a dream of mine to head out to California and watch my boys play there in person! While I don't have much control over whether or not the boys in green make it there this year, I can still try to get there in hopes that they'll join me! How, you ask? Well... check this out.

Kick Off with Hass Avocados Recipe Contest

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So, in anticipation of tailgating in the warm sun come bowl time, I wanted to try out something I've been meaning to make for quite some time now- Avocado Paletas! They are cool, creamy, and reminiscent of melons- not to mention packed with nutrients. That's my kind of dessert on a football day!

Avocado Paletas
adapted from Paletas
makes 4-6

½ c. warm water
¼ c. superfine* sugar
1 small, ripe Hass avocado
pinch of fine sea salt
1 Tbs. freshly squeezed lime juice

Stir the warm water and superfine sugar together and add the jar of a blender. Peel and pit the avocado and scoop the flesh into the blender jar along with the sea salt and lime juice. Blend to a smooth purée. Fill popsicle molds (add sticks now or later, depending on the type of mold you have), and freeze until firm, ~4-5 hours.
*I should tell you that, if you are not using superfine sugar, you will need to heat your water to dissolve the granulated sugar and then let it cool down to at least room temperature before proceeding with your paletas!

But don't stop at popsicles...find more great avocado recipes at Hass avocados or click through for one of my favorite summer snackin' foods, guacamole. Or perhaps an Avocado, Salmon and Cucumber Salad? Or maybe one of my favorite meals of all time, Tortilla Soup (heavy on the avocado). Don't forget to layer the Hass avocado slices onto your favorite sandwiches, such as a Crispy Pambazo, a Roast Pork Sandwich, or any variety of a Torta.

Later on today I will be making Fried Avocado with a Creamy Cilantro Lime dip...watch for that recipe to come soon.
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Or head on over to visit some of my friends wonderful recipes using avocado, such as Vegan Avocado Creme Brulee from Joanne. Or perhaps you need a different type of dip for you chip? Why not try Leslie's Chunky Avocado Salsa? Maybe you need a flavorful summer salad like this Avocado Corn Salad from Natashya? What's that? You say you want chocolate? Well, satisfy that urge with Bonnie's Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes.

photo credits: 1. Joanne- Eats Well with Others, 2. Leslie- La Cocina de Leslie, 3. Natashya- Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, 4. Bonnie- Sweet Life

For more great recipe ideas and nutrition information, sign up to receive free emails from Hass Avocados...they'll load you up with great ideas once per month!