In this short yoga talk with Andrea Marcum, you can bring the beautiful Costa Careyas, Mexico to your very own kitchen. Experience just how ease it is to make amazing guacamole. Then, if you are Andrea, all you are missing is that massage and you are on vacation!

Andrea’s Avo-cation Blog Post

Andrea has been known to say, “give me massage and an avocado and I’m on vacation.” … And with good reason...

Avocados are a stone fruit with a buttery texture grown in warm climates. They are naturally nutrient-dense and rich in folate, which helps produce the feel-good hormones serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine and regulate not only mood, but sleep and appetite as well. They’re high in fiber, which improves digestion and natural detoxification. And avocados are great for vision, can help fight against certain cancers, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Andrea is game anytime to cut one in half and scoop out the goodness straight from the source, but there are all sorts of ways to enjoy your avo-cation. Be sure to check out the guacamole recipe from Andrea's Mexico retreat in the video above.

Here are a few more tips for your avocado enjoyment:

Soft avocados are best for guac, dips and smoothies and are a great replacement for butter on your toast or instead of mayonnaise or sandwich spread. Firmer avocadoes are best for slicing into a salad or sandwich. To ripen faster, place your avocado in a paper bag with a banana

Fill half an avocado with:

• A fried egg
• Quinoa, cumin, lemon and sea salt
• Brown rice, soy sauce and sesame seeds
• Hummus and scoop out onto pita bread

Slice avocado with:

• Sectioned grapefruit and radishes or jicama, sprinkle with rice vinegar
• Sliced mango, fresh cilantro and dust with cayenne pepper
• Tomato, basil and mozzarella, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Add avocado to your smoothie:

• Blueberry Bliss: ¾ cup frozen blueberries, ½ frozen banana, 1 cup water/almond or hemp seed or coconut milk, 1 ripe avocado, 1 cup Greek yogurt or protein powder – blend
• Cucumber Chia Cleanse: ½ cucumber diced, ½ to 1 full avocado (depending how thick you want it), 1 tablespoon chia seeds, 1 tablespoon raw honey, 1 cup ice cubes, ½ cup Greek yogurt, coconut yogurt or protein powder of your choice – blend
• Chocolate Supreme: ½ avocado, ½ frozen banana, 2-3 pitted dates, 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder, 1 ½ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 tablespoons almond butter, optional add a tablespoon of chia seed, a scoop of chocolate protein powder, a half cup of spinach and/or a pinch of sea salt and a few ice cubes to make if more frosty - blend