I come from an Irish-Catholic family, which, as you might expect, subscribes to the meat-and-potatoes diet, emphasis on the meat.  My dad in particular was not the best example of clean eating.  At family dinner, if we had an especially fatty cut, my sister would recoil at the white, delicate marbling, while Dad would cut off a piece and drop it in his mouth.  Delicious, his expression would read.

Unsurprisingly, I’ve inherited some of my parents’ eating habits.  For a while, my breakfasts featured an omelet—filled with swiss cheese and beef.  To a stringent vegan, I might as well have sacrificed a calf to the gods.

Now, I’m trying to change my diet, eat more vegan, and the transition has been difficult.  I’m surviving this detox, though, and one loyal, supportive friend deserves some credit: the Avocado.

Enjoy the Versatility 

Before, my drug of choice was cheese.  As I’ve transitioned into clean eating, the avocado has been my antidote.  It’s a great, healthier alternative to all that dairy.  In my sandwiches, the avocado is a great creamy substitute for cheese.  It also perfectly brings together all the different flavors, just as dairy did for me.  Another benefit: the avocado is rich in flavor, but not overpowering.

And if you do want to make the taste a little bolder, there’s plenty you can do—the avocado is a very versatile fruit.  For example, if you want to make some guacamole, you don’t have to stick just to the traditional ingredients: tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and, of course, plenty of avocado.  Throw a sliced apple in there, and you’ll get extra zest and sweetness.  Even better: pomegranates.  Their juicy crunch breaks up the buttery texture of the avocado.

Buy Smart!

To get the best bang for your buck—both literally and figuratively—you should keep a couple things in mind.  First, avocados can be expensive out of season.  And second, to get all the antioxidants that the avocado offers, you need to slice them properly.