I personally love avocados, but living in a dorm where we’re not allowed to have toasters and are on a budget, it’s hard to get creative with them! But using simple variations one can take a simple base like the avocado and make a variety of snacks or meals utilizing the healthy fruit without getting bored!

Enjoy it Naked!

Plain Avocado is actually plenty good (to my buds)! Wait until it’s nice and ripe (when the outer skin darkens) because the flavor of the avocado itself is especially important when enjoying it with minimal embellishment! Slice, top with pepper or salt, and enjoy with an array of your other favorite bits for a light meal or alone for a midday snack.

Is it not ripe yet? If you have a mini-fridge in your dorm room, wrapping the avocado in newspaper and putting it behind the fridge will actually speed up the ripening process. The warm temperature behind appliances is the ideal one to foster the numerous reactions that make it ripen!

Cream and Cilantro!

I stumbled upon the blending of avocados and cilantro cream after dining out at Brasa Rotisserie and taking home a bit of their sauce to experimentally drizzle it over top, but in doing so found a new favorite way to enjoy it! A homemade version is made with a cream base (sour cream, heavy cream, cream cheese- depending on the recipe), an acid like lime juice, and finely chopped (or if you can, blended) cilantro. Then, more seasoning can be added to taste whether pepper, garlic, or something else. Either drizzle over a plain avocado or mash them together to make a spread to eat with a spoon or crackers!

Freshen it Up!

Perfect for the increasing heat of spring, this combination is a refreshing choice. Using fresh mint leaves and lemon, it’s a simple avocado mash with mint mixed in and lemon juice to top.

Something Fishy!

Swap out the mayo in your favorite tuna recipe with a ripe, mashed avocado for a healthier sandwich or cracker filler. If you don’t have a favorite tuna recipe, try a can of tuna (drained) and one mashed avocado with dill, chopped pickles and a splash of their juice, or diced green olives.

Something Sweeter!

Reuse that single fresh lemon for its juice with some honey to make a drizzle to top layered avocado and strawberry slices. The strawberries and honey are both sweeter flavors to mix with the creamy texture of the avocado to make a something that’s good for sweet tooth and diet.

Fuel Up!

Mix the healthy fats of avocado with hard-boiled eggs’ protein into a bowl for a good power punch. Mix in whatever vegetables you prefer and top with salt and pepper to taste. When I made my fuel bowl, I cubed up my avocados and sliced the eggs. Then, I used red peppers for a sweet flavor with some cucumbers and olives tossed with. Then, I topped with more lemon juice, honey, and lots of mint. A little sweet, a little crunch, Mm!

Cheese It Up!

Use a tortilla or naan as a basket for avocado and cheese. Great for if you need to make something and leave because it can be carried in one hand, but gives you plenty of fuel. Personally, I used a dill-seasoned Havarti and cream cheese on a whole grain tortilla. First, a layer of cream cheese, then slices of avocado and then chunks of the Havarti melted in a microwave. A perfect, creamy handheld wrap.

Now, go forth and create delicious, creamy green goodies even without a toaster or a big budget!