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Monday, February 9, 2015

[Healthy_Recipes_For_Diabetic_Friends] Stuffed Avocado Chicken Salad - 8g Carbs, 6g Fiber

Stuffed Avocado Chicken Salad - 8g Carbs, 6g Fiber

From: www.aicr.org

Mashed avocado makes a creamy, delicious dressing for this vegetable-studded chicken salad that you can serve in the avocado shell or use to make hearty sandwiches and convenient wraps.

While you may have heard that avocado is high in fat, its fat is mostly beneficial monounsaturated fat. Adding avocado to salads enhances the absorption of beta-carotene (a plant form of vitamin A) in carrots, lycopene into tomatoes, and lutein in dark greens, for example. Avocados also contain the B vitamin folate, vitamins C, E and K, potassium (much more than bananas) and fiber.

When buying avocados, look for those that yield to gentle pressure, but are not too soft. Don't hesitate to buy firmer avocados if you don't plan to use them right away. Simply store them at room temperature. They will ripen within three to five days as their skin darkens from green to purple-black. Ripe avocados may be stored in the refrigerator for one week. To cut avocado, cut in half around the seed. Then twist two sides in opposite directions to release halves from the seed. Scoop out the seed with a spoon or spear with a knife and remove. Once cut, sprinkle pulp with lemon or lime juice to prevent browning.

Although this recipe features carrots, red cabbage, and radishes, you can use an equal amount of any combination of colorful vegetables you have on hand by cutting them about the same size. The spicy brown mustard and touch of extra virgin olive oil give the salad mixture the just-right consistency and great healthy taste.

2 medium avocados
Juice of 1 lime
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast, about 1/2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp chopped red cabbage
2 Tbsp diced carrots
2 Tbsp diced radish
4 tsp spicy brown mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lime wedges for garnish

Carefully cut avocados in half lengthwise. Remove pits. Scoop out pulp into mixing bowl and set avocado shells aside. Add lime juice and mash avocado. Add chicken, cabbage, carrots, radish, mustard, garlic powder, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and mix gently to combine.

Spoon mixture into avocado shells, mounding in the center, and serve immediately with lime wedges. Or serve immediately on whole-grain bread for sandwiches or whole-wheat tortilla for wraps.

Servings: 4
Nutrition per Serving: 290 Calories, 16g Total Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 29g Protein, 8g Carbs, 6g Dietary Fiber, 146mg Sodium