Delicious healthy avocado

AVOCADO AND CHICKEN SPRING ROLLS

Makes 12-18

30ml oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

30ml grated ginger

15ml chopped garlic

2 baby cabbages, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

2 carrots, coarsely grated

3 celery stalks, thinly sliced

60ml soy sauce

30ml oyster sauce

60ml chopped coriander

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

spring roll wrappers

1-2 avocados, peeled and sliced

lemon juice

salt and pepper

egg wash

oil for deep frying

plum sauce for dipping

Heat the oil and fry the onion, ginger and garlic for a few minutes. Add the cabbage, red pepper, carrots and celery and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add the soy and oyster sauces and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in coriander and chicken. Cool.

Work with one spring roll wrapper at a time. Place on the work surface with one of the corners pointing toward you. Brush the edges with egg wash and put a mound of filling in the corner about 5cm from the edge, top with a slice of avocado, sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Fold the point over to enclose the filling. Fold in the sides and roll up. Fry the spring rolls in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and serve with plum sauce.

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AVOCADO, SALMON AND BROWN RICE SALAD

Serves 6

375ml brown rice, cooked

1 small cucumber, cut into ribbons with a potato peeler

1 bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced

60ml pickled ginger, chopped

3-4 radishes, thinly sliced

2 avocados, peeled and diced

salt and pepper

1 sheet of nori, toasted and broken into small pieces

200g smoked trout or salmon

DRESSING

100ml rice vinegar

10ml soy sauce

15-20 castor sugar

5ml sesame oil

5ml wasabi paste

Combine the rice, cucumber, spring onions, pickled ginger and radishes in a bowl and mix well. Add the avocados, seasoning and dressing and gently fold together.

Pile the salad into a serving dish and add the toasted nori and salmon roses which are made by winding folded salmon strips loosely around your finger.

DRESSING: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.

l Nori is the seaweed used in making sushi. It comes in square sheets.

To toast it, you carefully hold it over a heated stove plate, moving it around until it is crisp all over.

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AVOCADO AND BARLEY SALAD

Serves 6

500ml pearl barley

30ml red wine vinegar

45ml lemon juice

50ml olive oil

5ml ground cumin

1 small red onion, finely sliced

125g asparagus spears, blanched

125g fresh peas, blanched

60ml chopped mint

1-2 avocados, peeled and diced

salt and pepper

125g feta cheese, crumbled

Cook the barley in plenty of salted water until tender. Drain and rinse well.

While this is boiling, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and cumin and mix well. Put the sliced onions into a small bowl and pour over the dressing.

Set aside for 30 minutes.

When the barley is cool, put it into a bowl and add the onions and dressing. Toss well to combine. Add the asparagus, peas, mint, avocados and seasoning and mix gently.

Put the salad into a serving dish and sprinkle over the feta.

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AVOCADO CHICKEN PARMIGIANA

Serves 4

4 chicken breast fillets

60ml seasoned flour

2 eggs, beaten

625ml fresh white breadcrumbs

30g butter

30ml olive oil

250ml tomato pasta sauce

375ml grated mozzarella cheese

2 avocados, peeled and sliced

lemon juice

salt and pepper

Slice each breast in half lengthwise. Flatten by pounding thembetween two sheets of cling film with a rolling pin.

Dip the breasts in flour, then in egg and finally in the breadcrumbs.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken on both sides until golden. Drain on a paper towel.

Place the breast on a baking tray. Spoon some pasta sauce on to each breast.

Top each breast with grated cheese and place under a heated grill until melted and bubbling.

Put a few slices of avocado on top of each breast, sprinkle with lemon juice and season. Serve two portions a person.

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GRILLED SALMON WITH AVOCADO SALSA

Serves 4

4 salmon steaks

30ml olive oil

salt and pepper

a good squeeze of lime or lemon juice

steamed green beans for serving

SALSA

1 large avocado, peeled and diced

1 small red onion, finely diced

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1-2 prickly pears, peeled and diced

60ml chopped coriander

40ml lemon juice

45ml olive oil

salt and pepper

Brush the steaks with olive oil and season well. Cook the steaks in a pan until done to your liking. Add the lime juice.

Remove from the pan and serve on a bed of green beans and topped with the salsa.

SALSA: Combine all the ingredients and toss to combine.