Avocados with Everything by Alison Roman

I grew up in sunny Southern California, where citrus is cheap and avocados are aplenty. Californian cuisine is famous for finding creative ways to incorporate avocados into just about any recipe (and charging you an extra $3 for it too). My aunt and uncle who live in Redlands have a backyard full of avocado trees, and a few times a year we’d come home from a visit carrying a large grocery bag full of unripened avocados. We’d wait patiently for at least a week, checking them every morning to see if they were ready for a bowl of guacamole yet. Those were special days. 

I’ve only been to New York once, and there I ate the best bagel I’ve ever had. An Everything bagel, toasted, with chive cream cheese. My breath smelled awesome for the rest of the day. I’m a sucker for anything super salty and umami-y, so naturally the Everything bagel is my favorite. (Since going Gluten-Free, I tried to make my own sourdough bagels with Everything-but-the-bagel seasoning. Sadly, my attempt thoroughly failed. I’ll try again someday with a different recipe.)

Combine my hometown and one of my all-time vacation spots, and what do you get? Avocados with Everything! Half an avocado, sprinkled with lemon juice, and Everything seasoning. Eat with a spoon for breakfast, lunch, or a snack. It’s ripe with nostalgia. 

79 recipes cooked, 146 to go.

Blood Oranges with Crunchy Red Onion and Avocado by Alison Roman

Lately, my mind has been occupied by just about everything other than food. Yesterday I came home from a workout class and had about 30 minutes to shower, dress, and prepare this salad before my in-laws showed up for dinner. But my mind was far, far away from anything that had to do with the tasks before me. 

Instead, I was roaming between downtown Chicago and the suburbs, working out potential commute routes in my head, thinking of traffic. I was in a PT office complaining about my throbbing tendon that continues to flare up every few weeks. I was in my childhood home remembering moments of the past. I was in the Minneapolis skyways, wondering how close Jordan was to coming home. I was anywhere and everywhere but my kitchen. 

A blood orange brought me back to consciousness. Avocado turned off the rushing river of to-do’s and questions about my future. Cilantro made me pay attention. Flaky sea salt greeted my senses, the crunchy yet delicate feel of it between my fingertips. 

Thanks to this salad, I finally heard the conversation happening in my living room. I was present as I arranged the slices of ice water-soaked onions and squeezed lime juice over each plate. I took delight in arranging the fruit and drizzling the olive oil. 

Cooking grounds me. It pulls me from whatever corner my mind is exploring and plops me squarely in front of the cutting board, stove, oven. I am where I am when I cook. And my life is richer for it. 

This salad is definitely the best fruit salad of her’s yet. By soaking the red onions in ice water, they lose their bite. They don’t overpower the dish, but complement the creamy avocado and bright citrus. Lime juice, olive oil and salt pull it all together nicely. Even my mother-in-law who doesn’t love fruit, loved this salad. The way the portions worked out, each plate had one sliced blood orange, a half of one small avocado, and about an eighth of an onion. I could have made it all on one big platter, but plating it individually was more fun.

59 recipes cooked, 166 to go.