Stuffed Quinoa Orange Avocados Recipe

I think we can all agree that a little smear of avocado is an amazing “extra” for salads, sandwiches, tacos and such. However, these creamy, green fruits are such a nourishing food that I also love to feature them the “lead” ingredient for an easy lunch or light dinner. Bring a little California sunshine to your plate with my Stuffed Quinoa-Orange Avocados, a fresh, fit and flavorful dish that you can make on the quick!

I don’t know who decided the “official” serving size of an avocado is a sparse one-fifth of the fruit, that little taste of creamy goodness just leaves me wanting more! Dieticians say most of us actually eat about one-half of a medium avocado at a sitting, and confirm that’s a reasonable amount with just 113 calories and desirable heart-healthy fats and loads of dietary fiber, yet low in carbohydrates. And, did you know that avocados have the most protein and lowest sugar content of any fruit?!

A vibrant, vitamin-packed salad made with quinoa, pecans and juicy, sweet oranges (so easy to find this time of year) creates an unexpected and utterly delicious filling to stuff the concave middles of a halved avocado. The dressing for these stuffed avocados is a simple vinaigrette made with apple cider vinegar, orange juice, olive oil and a sprinkling of Guacamole Herb Blend from Litehouse. This delicious blend of freeze-dried and dried herbs (with red onions, cilantro, lemon peel, red chili, garlic, cumin and more) accelerates flavor while minimizing prep time. I ALWAYS have a bottle of this Guacamole Herb Blend in the pantry and frequently swap it out tablespoon-for-tablespoon with fresh herbs in my favorite recipes.

Hope you enjoy this easy stuffed avocado recipe! If you are a meal prepper or need to make ahead, simply mix up the salad and keep chilled. At serving time, split open avocados and stuff  – this will help prevent the avocado flesh from oxidizing and turning brown. However, if you’ve made the whole batch and have leftovers (what?!), simply brush the exposed avocado with lemon juice before storing in the fridge in an air-tight container.