AVOCADO SHAKE AND CHUTNEY

As a  little girl, and even after growing up I hated milk by all means. My dislike for milk even went to the extend of disliking  "pal payasam"  for which most of the children would   fall head over heels. Ice creams were okay..because too much of cold can take away that milky milky taste. I ate  vanilla ice creams when ever my Amma made them at home..though I preferred chocolate flavours. How ever me and my sister never feasted over ice creams and chocolates like other kids did.  Later on ice creams and any thing and everything cold became a big 'NO NO' in my life owing  to some health issues. But I could easily give them up without much regret.

As every child is supposed to take at the least a glass  of milk daily ( I still wonder if that is true) my Amma worked hard to spring up in my mind  a little liking for milk by flavoring it with different things. Complan or Horlics could do the magic for a while. But again familiarity breeds contempt. Banana shakes and mango shakes were the major hits. Once Acha bought me a bottle of rose essence and for days I drank rose milk without much whining.


My little girl until now has no dislike for milk, even though it is not one of her favorites. Might be she is too small for an attitude, of course i know these little things carry an attitude from the very first day they are born...., the chances  are not remote that she might change her preferences sooner or  later. For now she can drink milk with no flavorings and added sugar with a little singing or a story or a YouTube video for encouragement. She takes plain milk in the night before bed...and a milk shake as a snack sandwiched between breakfast and lunch. 

In her case, this is not to make the milk tastier but to include  variety of  fruits  in her diet because  mostly I run out of patience when I make her eat  tiny pieces of fruits by herself.  Most of them go on the table, floor, on her frock ..anywhere and everywhere other than her mouth making 'modern arts " in variety of colours. I know all toddlers do this and all the mothers go mad too.


The most common shakes I make for her are with strawberries, blackberries and avocados. I know there are many kids out there who dislike milk and who make milk time a battle.  My sister's little girl is one of the strongest opposers of milk .There are also others  who just won't take any fruit. nevertheless  we moms have to continue to find out new recipes  that would finally appeal to the little tongues.  Unfortunately some mothers  easily fall prey to kids tantrums and let them eat only what they want..mostly junk foods. Motherhood is of course an art by itself. My Amma was always there experimenting on food to make non-appealing ones appealing . She made it a point that we ate more of veggies and fruits, cereals and dry beans  than junk stuff. So we grew up with an appetite different from most of our contemporaries.A lifetime of healthy eating habits  can be established in early childhood..provided we  mamas put in  a little effort. Pls check out  my avocado shake recipe, the richest of all, for all those  stubborn little milk-haters.

 What are Avocados?

 Before going to the recipe  let me share with you something about avocados, probably most of which you already know.

I came across this wonderful fruit for the first time in a Canadian shop. I don't know if avocados are cultivated and eaten in any part of India. May be you could pick them up from city supermarkets that sell imported fruits.



avocado



The taste of green and buttery avocados always reminds me of raw cashew nuts with which my granny used to make curry. I preferred the uncooked cashews than the cooked ones in the  curry.  Unlike avocados they were tender and crunchy. But both of them tastes the same. Avocado's buttery texture can be compared to Malayalis' all time favorite 'ATHA CHAKKA'(custard apple) .Avocados, even when ripe are not sugary. Its more like a vegetable than a fruit.

Avocado, otherwise called an alligator pear, is a very healthy food choice for kids. Avocado is the second fattiest fruit ,the  first being olives. But there is no room for worry ,adults also can have them in plenty because they are very rich in monounsaturated fat.  Experts  say it has the ability to lower bad cholesterol, and also can control blood sugar level.  Avocados are very high in minerals and vitamins.Avocados are rich in fiber and folic acid. They contains a lot of potassium, much more than in bananas. They are also good source of anti-oxidants. Consuming avocados give a feeling of fullness which is very good to control over eating.

AVOCADO SHAKE

Now grab an avocado and shake it with milk for your little ones

                                          Ingredients

 

1.avocado- 1/2 sliced in to small pieces

2..cold milk- 3/4  to 1 cup

honey - 1 table spoon ( if you are not scared of allergic reactions)



avocado shake



 How to make



 blend it all in a blender. pour it out to a glass

 drink sip by sip.

AVOCADO CHUTNEY

if you are bored with the same mint chutney try out this green chutney

Ingredients

avocado- 1/2  sliced

green chillies- 1-2

sugar -  3/4 teaspoon

salt- as per taste

lemon juice- a squeeze or

amjur( dried mango powder)-  1teaspoon

Preparation

grind all the ingredients well in to a smooth paste . You can either  use it as a chutney with Indian snacks or a dip for potato fries.

avocado chutney

There is no love sincerer than the love of food.  ~George Bernard Shaw