With Avocados, Less Is More

Each of the four main types of avocados--Bacon, Fuerte, Haas and Zutano--has a distinctly different flavor and appearance. My favorite is the Haas, an oval-shaped fruit with a green pebbly exterior that turns black when ripe.

It’s the richest-tasting avocado and the one most easily found in supermarkets year-round. An avocado is high in calories, but because of its buttery flavor, a little Haas goes a long way, making it perfect for lower-fat recipes. To speed-ripen Haas avocados, place them in a closed brown paper bag with a banana or apple.

The easiest way to open, pit and peel an avocado is to cut the fruit in half lengthwise, twisting the two halves in opposite directions to separate them. Carefully strike the pit with a sharp heavy knife and twist the blade to dislodge the pit. Use a large serving spoon to release the pulp by sliding it along the skin and lifting carefully.

AVOCADOS BAKED WITH FETA CHEESE AND CHILE (30 minutes or less)

1/2 cup nonfat chicken broth

2 onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small jalapen~o chile, seeded and chopped

1 cup bread crumbs

2 tablespoons minced cilantro

2 small tomatoes, chopped

Salt, pepper

1/2 cup crumbled low-fat feta cheese

4 avocados, halved and pitted

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Bring broth to boil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic and jalapen~o and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Add bread crumbs, cilantro, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese.

Place avocados, cut side up, on broiler pan. Brush with lemon juice. Loosely pack filling into avocados, mounding as needed. Broil 8 minutes or until filling is golden.

8 servings. Each serving:

236 calories; 229 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 2.31 grams fiber.

MEXICAN-STYLE STUFFED AVOCADOS (Vegetarian)

2 large avocados

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 drops hot pepper sauce

2 teaspoons coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger root

2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3 cups finely chopped spinach

Serve as an appetizer with lemon wedges or a light lunch with baked tortilla chips.

Cut avocados in half and remove pits. Scoop avocado pulp into medium bowl, saving shells. Mash pulp with garlic, salt, hot pepper sauce, coriander, cumin, ginger, sour cream, lemon juice and spinach.

Loosely pack mixture into avocado shells, smoothing tops with rubber spatula. Place on oiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until golden, about 30 minutes.

4 servings. Each serving:

173 calories; 346 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 2.33 grams fiber.

THAI GUACAMOLE

In this recipe, adapted from Bon Appetit magazine, the green beans reduce the proportion of fat without noticeably affecting the flavor.

1 avocado, pitted and peeled

1 cup frozen green beans, thawed

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons minced ginger root

1 tablespoon chopped, seeded jalapeno chile

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 cup minced cilantro

Puree avocado, beans and lime juice in blender or food processor until very smooth. Stir in ginger, jalapen~o, garlic, curry powder and cilantro.

12 servings. Each serving:

34 calories; 3 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.50 gram fiber.