7 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do With An Avocado

Whether it’s smashed on a slice of rye bread or used as a topper for a summer salad, we just can’t get enough of this creamy fruit. Not only is avocado tasty, but it’s also extremely versatile, extending far beyond the kitchen. How so, you ask? Here, we share seven things you didn’t know you could do with an avocado.

Make avocado cakes and desserts.

The rich texture and mild taste of avocado make it a perfect base for vegan-friendly tarts or ice-cream. Perfectly paired with citrus fruits, vanilla, or chocolate, creamed avocado will soak up any flavor of choice. 

Forget eggs, milk, and preheating the oven, a simple avo-tart only needs avocado, lime, and a healthy sweetener of choice. Which means dessert for breakfast without the guilt!

Serve it as a substitute pasta sauce.

Looking for a velvety, fresh alternative to the classic carbonara? With a little help from basil and garlic, blended avocado can be worked through your preferred pasta to create a delicious pesto. 

The fruit can also be whipped with lemon, vinegar, and oil to create a healthy and useful vegan-friendly mayo that can be spread on burgers and salads, or as a dipping sauce for fries.

Pickle it.

Yes, you read that right: pickled avocado. There seems to be nothing you can’t pickle, and this superfood is no exception. If you have a hard avocado and don’t feel like waiting around to enjoy it, why not slice it up and brine it? Only a few hours later, you’ll have a plump and tart avo-pickle, perfect for sandwiches or a simple healthy snack!

Make some healthy fries.

Avocados are the perfect carb-free food, packed full of good fats, minerals, and vitamins. But if you’re missing the warm comfort of your favorite fries, why not combine the two? By deep-frying firm avocado slices — or alternatively baking them — you can have the best of both worlds: comfort food without the carbs. Win-win.

Dye your clothes.

The usefulness of avocado doesn’t just reside in the kitchen. Using the washed skins and seed of an avocado to dye clothes is a great way to utilize a product that would otherwise be wasted. 

Simply boil and simmer the avocado seed and skin in a deep saucepan with water until the color starts to seep and add your desired clothing. And if you’re not a fan of garish green, do not fear. The dye from an avocado pit and skin actually varies from an earth brown to light pink. Who knew?

Make a face mask.

Avocados are full of healthy fats, which makes them super nourishing when used topically as a face mask. If your skin is feeling dry after winter, don’t worry about booking an expensive spa treatment, just mash up some avocado and add one tablespoon of honey (or one teaspoon of natural yogurt depending on what you have in the pantry or fridge) and spread it onto your face using your hands.

Leave it on for about 10 to 15 minutes, then remove it using a facecloth and some warm water. You’ll be surprised at how soft your skin feels afterward.

Grow a tree.

Take your avocado obsession to the next level by growing an avocado plant from just the seed. Clean it, submerge half of the seed in a glass of water propped up by toothpicks, and watch it sprout and grow. Before long, you’ll have an avocado sapling that can be potted. Though it may or may not actually bear any fruit, an avocado plant has beautiful large leaves that make it a beautiful indoor plant.

This article originally appeared on our sister site, Now to Love.