A New Way To Eat Avocados!

May 2012

I once went to high tea at a tea plantation in Kenya.  A gentle fog hung over the vivid, green, rolling hills and rows of tea-producing bushes.  Failing to factor in colonization, I was surprised when a very proper British woman greeted me.  However, I was even more surprised when her husband offered a warning before we departed, “take heed of the monkeys throwing avocados from the trees in the yard.”  What a thing to say! I stored that warning in the part of my head devoted to life dreams and aspirations.  I would very much love to offer that parting warning to my house guests one day, implying my home will be some place magical just like that Kenyan tea plantation. In the meantime, I can fiddle with different avocado eating methods in preparation for the abundant supply I might one day have.

For this “recipe,” think of the avocado as a blank slate or canvas.  The possibilities are endless!

For my first attempt, I used a combination of feta, crushed red pepper and fresh ground black peper. If your cheese choice isn’t too salty, I would add a dash of salt as well.

Fill up the void with local, free-range eggs. Next time, I’ll probably scoop out a bit more avocado to allow more egg room.

Bake in a cast iron skillet, at 425 °F for 15-20 minutes, depending on how you want your eggs.

I’m sure I’ll be experimenting with this simple and satisfying avocado method more, so if you’re short on ideas, stay tuned!

This Post Has 187 Comments

  1. Mooselicker

    Thought this was going to be another one of those put food up your butt posts to try something new. Glad it wasn’t.

  2. josiahbounderby

    I love avocados and never dreamed or imagined one could do that. Will give it a try.Looks scrumptious

  3. davidcreates

    Thank you for your blog. I don’t typically try avacados, but I will try this recipe to see if it changes my mind.

  4. Trish

    That looks absolutely fantastic. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing!

  5. Rae

    Wow, those look really amazing! What is the avocado like baked? I’ve never done anything like this with an avocado before.

    1. withthegrains

      Thanks! They were quite delicious. I’d definitely pair it with saltier accompaniments…maybe a slice of salmon or a saltier cheese. It’s much like eating avocado in an omelette. It may seem weird, but it does work!

      1. sued51

        Wow…Avocado in an omelette…interesting…as Rae said, I’ve never tried them cooked…I absolutely LOVE avocados though. I’m always interested in new combinations…

  6. ewrewdblog

    Oh my god. This looks amazing. Thanks for the recipe!

  7. Carlie Chew

    Yumm, this looks so delicious! Nothing better than avocados and eggs, just haven’t put the two together before : ). Can’t wait to try this. Thanks for sharing.

  8. catcristy

    LOVE avocados! They’re great in salads… I specially like it when they get a little muchie and mix with the dressing, delicious!

    1. withthegrains

      Me too! Especially when that salad includes beets, sweet peas and goat cheese! My latest mushy avocado salad was greens, fresh fig and honey mustard vinaigrette.

      1. catcristy

        Uh, I have to try the fig one. Plus, avocados are healthy.

  9. sticklebrics

    Looks delicious!

  10. dyefeltsool

    Wow! Wouldn’t that just lend immediate splendor to your residence if you could make a statement like that. I wish I had monkeys in my trees. I should also love to go to tea plantation in Kenya 🙂 Unfortunately all we have is a very noisy family of chickadees in our trees.
    Lovely looking avocados. Never would have thought of putting an egg in them.
    http://dyefeltsool.com

  11. Bunny Eats Design

    One of the few times when you can rejoice in an avocado with a large stone.

  12. letizia

    I love the story of the avocado-throwing monkeys! You’re right, what a great parting comment to be able to say to your guests (as long as they don’t actually get hit by an avocado – that could really hurt!). Cool blog you have here 🙂

    1. withthegrains

      Thanks very much, and yes, you are right…an avocado to the head would surely change my story and life goals in the real estate department!

  13. pnwauthor

    Yum! Except I would skip the red pepper flakes. They’re in just about everything and they give me a stomach ache.

  14. Caroline

    Oh I love avocados! And I thought they just tasted great in guacamole & on burgers!

    1. withthegrains

      Delicious! My boyfriend definitely supported this version and highly encouraged further experimentation down the road!

    1. withthegrains

      Thank you!

      If I had a mango tree, not a mango would fall to the ground or be snatched by a monkey. I love mangos as well!

  15. Debbie Lloyd

    I find avocados to be a little non-descript in taste to be honest, but this recipe appears to feature some of my favourite foods! I’ll definitely be trying this one!

    1. withthegrains

      They can be for sure, and once you try them in a place that grows them, there’s a definite withdrawal and maybe a tear or two shed in the produce section of the grocery store. Hope this helps spark more of an affinity for you! Thanks for reading!

  16. brijetblog

    This is a great idea. Being a vegetarian, I am constantly looking for new ideas that are quick and simple. Avocado is probably my most eaten food 🙂

  17. asignoflife

    Just suggested this to my boyfriend. His response was, “Oh my god, that sounds amazing!” Considering that he’s a very picky eater, this is quite an accomplishment. Thanks for the recipe, and I hope you had fun in Kenya (I’m jealous). 🙂

    1. withthegrains

      Well if you do make it to Kenya, eat an avocado! And be careful with the monkeys! Hope your boyfriend enjoys! Mine was definitely enthusiastic about this green brunch treat.

  18. genkiduck

    That is… intriguing. Eggs and avocados are two of my go-to breakfast foods, and I sometimes eat them together (as in on the same plate) but I’ve never had them together quite like that. Perhaps I’ll have to try your idea one day. (^_^)

  19. jillkellychandler

    I can’t wait to try this! Two of my favorite foods, avocados and eggs!

  20. Avocado recipes like this make me sad that I’m starting to develop a sensitivity to them. I used to love eating them with black pepper and fresh lime juice or sliced with a little cream cheese on a slice of heavy, moist pumpernickel bread. Mmmm. Delicious and so satisfying!

  21. movingmuse

    This is a great idea! I never would have thought to do this but since I’m always on the hunt for healthy recipes, I’m excited to try it out!

  22. Love & Lunchmeat

    This is ingenius! Convenient that I’m also hungry, and always have all three of these items on hand…

  23. andshelaughs

    Mmm…I might just try the avocado and egg for my breakfast tomorrow. Yum!

  24. theFtangent

    Delish! Avocado, feta and eggs is one of my favourite breakfast combinations, so I’ll definitely be giving this a go.

    Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed, too!

  25. Hmm. That looks very interesting. I’m not the biggest fan of eggs, but I LOVE avocados, so maybe this recipe will make the egg tolerable to me…? lol 🙂

    1. withthegrains

      Well, you could try it in just one half of the avocado, and if you still don’t like eggs, at least you have another half to enjoy sans eggs. Sort of a win win or a glass half full situation, right?!?

      1. Fantastic idea! (Is it sad that I probably would have never thought of that on my own? lol)

  26. shittydad

    Definitely gonna try it. Avocado is healthier then bread…

  27. J.J. Del Mar

    I thought about it. I mean, eating eggs with avocados as a side. But I never actually tried it. I may start now. Thanks..

  28. disseminatedthought

    What a fantastically simple idea!

    If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go and buy some avocados.

  29. scholasticfood

    This looks fantastic! I’ve never cooked avocados before but I will definitely be trying this!

  30. iRuniBreathe

    My kid loves avocado (as do I) and eggs. This recipe is a great combo!
    Thanks for this fab recipe!
    irunibreathe.wordpress.com

  31. luvnorcal

    Interesting idea, but I have to say that the sight of cooked avocados is making me slightly nauseous. It’s similar in concept to slicing avocado and layering it on top of an omlette or inside one, however cooking the avocado itself with the egg seems strange.

  32. juststartwithmonday

    I love this idea. I have just switched to a Paleo diet and I can do this without the cheese and be very happy with the choice. Thanks for sharing! You Matter! Smiles, Nancy

    1. withthegrains

      Thanks Nancy. Your kind words warmed my heart. I hope you enjoy the cheeseless version!

  33. heysheila

    I love avocados in my eggs, so why not eggs in my avocados. I will have to try this!

  34. billr88

    I had a similar experience and solved the issue by throwing eggs at the monkeys. I never got an avocado thrown at me after that–the monkeys were too busy licking eggs off each others coats. However, one monkey did come down and hand me an avocado which I then threw at him. We had a catch as good as that in the movie, Field of Dreams.

  35. abichica

    wooww!! personally i dont like neither eggs nor avocado… but i would definitely try this for my mum.. 🙂

  36. nicole

    avocados are my favorite food, and this looks delicious! thank you!

  37. loulune

    Wow, that’s a story for a cook book. An entire book with stories and recipes like this might a “good”seller!

  38. lexyleksono

    Never thought of that. We have plenty avocados in Jakarta, we usually mix it with ice & chocolate.

  39. Shola George

    Thanks for sharing this. I can’t wait to try it out.

  40. Singing “These are a few of my favorite things” in Julie Andrew’s voice in my head right now…. (:

  41. elysejulianne

    mmmmm if I wasn’t allergic to eggs I would—sounds so YUM!

  42. maevirtucio

    i have always loved to eat avocados. i especially like mine with lots of milk and sugar. but i think i’ll be trying this new method. thanks

    1. withthegrains

      Interesting idea. I’ve never eaten an avocado with milk and sugar.

  43. africanstardust

    Oh wow, such a good idea…I live in South Africa and Avocados are often quite cheap, so this will be a refreshing way to enjoy them 🙂 Thanks!

    1. withthegrains

      I am thrilled to read someone is peeking around this part of the blogosphere all the way from South Africa. Be careful with the monkeys! ;P

  44. Shelldon Wells

    I have an avo tree in my garden so often I’m lunching on avo, mixed up with lemon juice, salt and black pepper and smeared thickly over home-made sour dough bread 🙂

  45. primoseto

    thanks for the idea.. i’m looking forward to taste it.. but i dont have any oven 🙁 any alternative way?

    1. withthegrains

      Not even a toaster oven? A toaster oven could probably work. I don’t own a microwave, so I’m not sure if that would yield the same result. Friends tell me microwaved eggs are actually good, but it makes my stomach feel a bit weird just thinking about it. Ha! The other alternative is to show a friend who both likes avocados and has an oven, and then casually say, “oh hey, I happen to have an avocado, some eggs and cheese with me! Want to make this?!?”

  46. Sinead

    I’ve actually never tried avocados at all but this looks like a really good way to eat them 🙂

    1. withthegrains

      Oh wow! A whole new world is about to open for you! I hope you enjoy them. They are so delicious and nutritious. I could probably eat avocados every day!

  47. fromthericefields

    Hmm this is new…. Will keep this in mind for when I’m in the mood for some eggs I might just try this for a side dish at lunch.

  48. letterboxshelterbox

    Thank you for sharing this recipe! I just cooked it for my partner and I for dinner, and we both enjoyed it. It was the first time we’d eaten baked avocado – interesting texture. Definitely adding more chilli powder next time 😀 Appreciate the opportunity to try something new, that’s healthy too!

    1. withthegrains

      You’re quite welcome! Thanks for reading! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. I always love to have feedback from other kitchens!

  49. Lately, my boyfriend has been eating nothing but egg sandwiches with avocado for breakfast. I’ve got to show him this…wondering how it would be with goat cheese. Thanks!

  50. theyellowranger

    I have to confess that I “liked” this only because it was a unique idea/recipe and the pictures are great. The finished product is beautiful actually. That being said, you have just suggested combining two of my least favorite foods in the world. I can’t imagine anything worse at the moment really. Ha. I’m glad you liked it though and it certainly made for a lovely post. I’m sure many people will try it and find it yummy as well. Congrats on FP!

    1. withthegrains

      Ha! Well, I appreciate the “like” all the same. Being Freshly Pressed made my week (maybe even year!)!!

  51. societyred

    You are absolutely brilliant! And so funny about taking heed of the monkeys!
    I stayed with some friends on Maui several years back. They had a huge avocado tree in their backyard. The avocados were softball size and dropped onto the roof and into the yard day and night. Eating them with every meal never got old…this would have been a perfect addition!

    1. withthegrains

      Thanks so much! I will have to visit Maui to continue my lifelong pursuit. 🙂

  52. Julie DeNeen

    This is great! But question, do the skin’s burn? What happens if you don’t use cast iron?

    1. withthegrains

      Thanks! The skins did not burn, but when I do this again, I will definitely carve out more space for the egg bc it’s hard not to have it overflow. It should be fine in a different pan- maybe even a muffin pan of some sort to keep the avocado propped better. It tends to be a little topsy turvy with the weight of the egg. Hope you enjoy!

  53. Hana

    Looks delicious! I’m really into avocados right now, I’ll have to try this too.

  54. Melissa Jo Elliott

    Love avocados! I would have to fry the egg hard. Don’t like runny yolks. I can eat an avocado on anything! It’s so delish! Try it on pizza too guys!

  55. suburbanclairvoyant

    oh holy crap!!! This looks delicious. Thanks for posting. Mine will include bacon, or prehaps a bit more highbrow…proscutto…mmmmmm

    1. withthegrains

      Pork will happen for me as well! Whole Foods makes a Black Forest Bacon, and it’s my favorite bacon to date! I love where this is headed!

  56. amb

    Fabulous! Now I know what I’m having for dinner tonight 🙂

  57. giovanna103

    omg! I absolutely must try!! I love avocados! I eat them in sandwiches sometimes. Where I’m from (Trinidad) we also call them “Zaboca.” Some international trivia for you lol.

  58. rantoniomg

    Thanks for sharing this! I’ve got to try it. It looks AWESOME!

  59. ugene

    Congratulation on being freshly pressed!

  60. boysandchickens

    sounds so nice! will definitely be trying 🙂

  61. Review Me Vee

    This looks pretty great. I like mashing up the avocado and spreading it over crispy bread with some cottage cheese and cayenne pepper 🙂

  62. Bluebird Annie

    I found your article right after eating an avocado! Thanks for the recipe tip!

  63. actsofstyle

    Yumm-eye!! This looks amazing. I love when recipes are deliciously simple!

  64. Cindy Hancock

    LOVE

  65. kjnineone

    Looks delicious! I’ve got some avocado’s I’ll have to try this out on 🙂

  66. Kimber

    Love the creativity, seems so simple yet completely unique. You hear stuffed tomato and pepper recipes all the time but not avocado. We love avocados at my house so this will give us some excellent inspiration to create avocado masterpieces!

  67. ejomlexus

    Good thing, I saw this. We’ve just harvested lots of avocados. Got to try this.

  68. Ninay

    I just had avocado with milk for breakfast.That was a safe combination. Would love to try your interesting ways! Great post! 🙂

  69. debatedashit

    i love avocados. guacamole is the best though. Nice creations though haha!

  70. Anarya Andir

    Wow, these look great. Lovely idea. And Kenyan plantations are absolutely beautiful. I miss the experience. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!

  71. Kaberi Chand

    I just love cheese and pepper…and with avocado i think it will be a perfect healthy snack for me!!!love the first one..can’t wait to try!

  72. Bryna Lee

    congrats on FP. great post and I want to try this. by the way, since you like to hear that you are being read far and wide…I am writing from Israel 🙂

    1. withthegrains

      Thanks very much for the kind words and for the geographic location update as well!

  73. Gopal

    Hmm. Very interesting. Me and my family love avocados, but don’t get them easily in the part of the world we live. But, whenever I could lay my hands on them, I indulge in making interesting ‘dips’. Do try them! Here goes my recipe:
    GuacamolalaGopal Dip (R)(TM)

    DISCLAIMER: This may sound like the original S. American Guacamole. But,
    this is very different.

    Ingredients (to serve 4 connoisseurs/gourmets/foodies)

    Fresh, reasonably ripe Avocado, 2 Nos
    (Avocados should not be soft/mushy to touch)
    Butter (salted/unsalted) 10 gms
    (You can also use diet butter and margarine too)
    Garlic (medium size clove) 1
    Ginger for taste
    Vinegar 2 tsp (Can use lemon juice instead, as in the original)
    Salt 1 tsp (Can use Black Rock Salt too)

    Optional:
    Olive oil 1 tsp
    Ground black pepper, a pinch
    Cinnamon powder, a pinch
    Coarsely ground nuts (peanut, cashew, almond, walnut, pistachio) 1 Tsp
    Sour cream 1-2 Tsp
    Curd/Yoghurt 3-4 Tsp (my daughters’ suggestion)

    [All of the above ingredients can be used together or in combination
    (like pizza toppings), as per the occasion and you can call it by a
    different name ;-)] Note: This recipe does not include tomatoes (as in
    the original), therefore, people susceptible to kidney stones can safely
    consume ;-).

    Method:

    Take a small salad bowl (~1 litre capacity)
    Place the butter in the dish and press garlic with a garlic press (can
    also be mashed using a mortar and pestle).
    The same process for Ginger. Smooth the spiced up butter with a
    soup-spoon.
    Wash the avocados, wipe them dry and split them length-wise (major axis
    of the ellipsoid), ensuring that the stone/nut is not split. The nut can be
    easily removed after one half of the fruit is separated.
    Usually the flesh does not stick to the nut.
    Scoop the flesh gently with a teaspoon (tsp). The skin is strong enough
    to allow every millimetre of flesh to be scraped. Pool the scoopings and
    scrapings of juicy avocado pulp into the salad bowl containing the
    smoothed butter. At this point one can use any convenient tool to mash
    and blend the avocado pulp and butter to a smooth consistency. I
    normally use a soup spoon. For 2 avocados, even a hand-blender can be
    used.
    Mix salt and vinegar in sequence and you have the GuacamolalaGopal to
    dip into.
    As mentioned earlier, you can add and mix the optional ingredients at
    this stage for more exquisite taste.
    You can serve it with hot rotis, parathas or puris, pakodas, or simply
    baked potatoes or potato wafers/chips.
    Go on then and happy Guacamolalagopaling!
    However, some of you may be keen on “presentation”. You can garnish with
    freshly chopped coriander/basil/persil/leaves or even spring onion
    shoots. If you feel like Indianising it, you can add “tadka” of your
    choice and composition!

    1. withthegrains

      Quite a thorough comment! I very much like how you described the serving size! I’ll have to experiment with this trademarked indulgence!

      1. Gopal

        Thanks mate! Loved your posts and am going to try them all as soon as I can lay my hands on reasonably fresh avocados. The (R) & (TM) are for fun 🙂

  74. kazekitty

    I’ve been craving avocados for about 2 months now. I am motivated to get off my duff and go buy some just to try this.

  75. cara

    genius!!! Awesome Idea!

  76. bpjas

    This looks delicious! I am definitely going to try it out.

  77. beabovethefold

    I cannot wait to make this tomorrow. Your blog is absolutely divine…Keep rocking!

  78. beabovethefold

    Reblogged this on beabovethefold and commented:
    Withthegrains.com is a divine, exquisite, and unique blog for the green-conscious and free-spirited foodies in all of us.

  79. simplycontemplating

    Yum, I love avocados and grew up eating them in Congo (Zaire) then again the feta cheese and eggs sound good too.

  80. Milanista

    It looks really interesting and professional.

  81. sugarcoatedangel

    This is really tasty and healthy. I love eggs and this was real fun. very innovative!

  82. ratchet7764

    Yes!! Avocados are the best. These look fantastic. Can’t wait to give them a try this weekend! Looking forward to the next post!

  83. Jasmine T. Cruz

    I love this! I was going to eat avocados for breakfast, and I’m going to try this recipe!

  84. Long-Distance Dad

    This recipe looks great… anything with feta gains extra points. But I’ve discovered that cooking avocados can make them bitter. I generally will add them chopped to recipes in the last minute or so, just to warm them. Any experience with this… particularly for 20 minutes at 450 degrees?

    I wouldn’t mind avocados being thrown at me. I’d just wear a suit of armor and carry a big net to catch them all!

    1. withthegrains

      Thanks! I haven’t ever noticed any bitterness with cooked avocados, and I don’t think I have an inability to detect bitterness. You should be safe with this method. However, give it a whirl and let me know! A big net would definitely be useful in dealing with avocado-throwing monkeys. Perhaps this experience could become a video game as well?!?

  85. I’m kind of new to the avocado craze, but this looks worth trying.
    And it looks like one that allows for experimentation, so even better. 😉

    I’ll have to have a look through your blog to see what else you have of interest.

  86. Ron Stempkowski

    Loos amazing. I’ll definitely give it a try. Thanks for sharing!

  87. Chicbunny

    Looks beautiful and the story made me laugh. 🙂

  88. mayipie

    This looks fantastic! Avocados make everything so much more delicious thanks for sharing!

  89. Coleen

    In the both avocado-less and oven-less cooking desert of South Korea, this makes me crazed. I demand that you teleport those delicious suckers here this instant!

    1. withthegrains

      Hmmm…Well, I really want to visit Asia, so perhaps I could first go to an avocado producing region and then smuggle?!? As for the oven… how hot does it get there in the sun?!? 😉

  90. rachelmeeks

    Not a huge fan of avocados in general, but I loved your anecdote at the beginning. Not only am I jealous of your high tea in Kenya, but you set such a mystic mood with your fog and your warnings. Exotic. I love it. Keep writing, you’re quite good. 🙂

    1. withthegrains

      Thanks very much! I’m glad I was able to lure you despite your distaste for avocados. Hopefully something else around my corner of the blogosphere strikes your fancy! Cheers!

  91. Jane

    This sounds great for breakfast, the creaminess of the avocado with the texture of the eggs, what a great idea! Thanks!

  92. a solemn punch

    Looks promising. I once tried making avocado tiramisu and it turned out to be very palatable. But your recipe? Yes, I’ll try this at home. Thanks for this post.

    1. withthegrains

      Oooh…tiramisu…that’s an interesting avocado application for sure! I have some more experiments circulating in my head for our green, nutrient rich friend. Time to get moving, though!

  93. trialsinfood

    looks good! have you tried making pesto or pudding with avocado?

  94. mrszeg

    We will be trying this….and soon! Looks delish and I would never have thought of it.

    1. withthegrains

      Your brunch menu is quite welcome! Always happy to help out my favorite meal of the day!

  95. Claire

    oh my goodness! i <3 avocado. Actually! Yesterday morning I made myself scrambled eggs and cheese, and I spread some avocado on a piece of wheat bagel and had that together! (it was REALLY tastey, even with a bit of ketchup with the eggs!) I think it worked because the creaminess of the avocado worked well with the eggs.

  96. beabovethefold

    I just wanted to say that when I found this a year or so ago when you first posted it, the meal became my personal favorite breakfast food. I make it for my whole family and all of my friends whenever I can. Thanks for sharing this inspiring recipe!

    1. withthegrains

      I’m so happy to hear it, and I am inspired by your inspiration. 😉
      Thanks for the encouragement!

  97. Tamara

    Reblogged this on Bits 'n Bobs and commented:
    What an interesting combination! Avocado is one of my favorite foods and I LOVE the combination of feta and eggs. I definitely will try this! Love your blog.

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