Secret to Keeping "left over" Avocado Unspoilt

 Because I only grocery shop once a week, I buy at least 6-8 Australian avocados at a time...... yes they can sometimes be expensive but they are high on my priority list when shopping & if it means less of something else, then that is the choice I usually make.
I like to buy avocados green & hard, as generally they have not been squeezed & poked by shoppers looking for a ripe one; this of course bruises the fruit so I avoid buying the ripe ones.
They generally then sit on my counter for 3 or 4 days, by which time they have softened around the top, indicating they have ripened sufficiently to eat. The whole ones then stay perched on any shelf in the refrigerator, but not in a container, until required......fortunately they stay in much the same condition this way & do not spoil or over ripen for at least 10 days. If one is in a hurry for a ripe one, popping one in a brown paper bag in a dark cupboard with a banana, hastens the process.
I don't know about you, but I have been familiar in the past with pieces of wrapped up left over avocado lurking in different places in my refrigerator, only to find on opening, a mushy brown piece needing to head for the compost bucket! We have tried wrapping leftovers in glad wrap, keeping the seed in tact or using the skin of the used half, to cover the remainder; all these techniques work to some extent, but results can still be disappointing.
Avocado has to be one of Natures many delectable fruits, God's butter as it is sometimes referred to. It supplies the body with beautiful healthy fats & incorporating a list of nutrients including potassium & in our household, my husband eats at least 1/2 of one a day, whereas I probably have 1 or 2 a week. He likes to cut one in half, dice the 1/2 without the seed in its skin & lift out with the back of a spoon & spread it on a cracker for a quick snack.
But Voila! There is help at hand for the "leftover" piece if you are not into unnecessary food wastage!
Try cutting up a few chunks of a red onion with the skin on, place in an airtight glass container with the leftover avocado on top touching it ( skin & seed still in tact) & I think you will find this is at least one solution to stop the avocado browning & becoming unappetising . Pop the lid on & into the refrigerator until required.
Enjoy as a creamy addition to any meal or dish; I have used them in salads, wraps, deserts, dips, smoothies, stuffed or even in a zucchini pasta dish. A squeeze of lemon will stop the avocado from browning if the dish is made in advance.

Try this light & delicious Lime Avocado Salsa........

2 diced avocados
Juice of 1 lime
1 tab olive or avocado oil
1/2 finely minced red onion
1/3 cup finely chopped coriander
3 or 4 drops Tabasco Sauce
Yumo with a Cauliflower Steak or a marinated Portabello Mushroom & a tossed green salad!

Veggie Stock

Vegetable soup stock is really easy to make at home.
It’s a staple for me to have on hand as it has a depth of flavour that is unmatched by bought stocks or plain sea salt.
It’s very economical and it’s a really great way to clean out the refrigerator. You can tailor the stock to whatever you like, then store it for a couple of days in the fridge or up to several months in the freezer.

Some people even keep veggie scraps & boil these up. I can't see any reason why this wouldn't work although I haven't compared the idea with using let over veg that is looking a little sad in the bottom of the refrigerator!

These Veggie scraps work well I'm told

Onion peel
Garlic skins
Pumpkin skins
Celery and carrot leaves
Mushroom and broccoli stems
The woody parts of asparagus

You can put all of the scraps into a freezer bag and collect them until you have about 4 cups of scraps.
Then use about 2 litres of water, and add the scraps to it.
For additional flavour, add:
1 sliced onion
2 bay leaves
1 tsp of thyme
5-6 peppercorns
1/2 cup parsley with stems
Put it on the stove and bring to a high boil, lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
When the soup is done you’ll need a large bowl with a strainer; simply pour the stock through a strainer into another bowl or container.
For a more soup-like version without using the freezer scraps, sauté the vegetables you have in your refrigerator before adding water. It will give it a different texture and a different flavour, and can be served as soup – a stand alone dish. You can also add other vegetables like potatoes, turnips, leeks, shallots, dried basil, sage and rosemary.

To store it.
Pour the stock into ice cubes trays, let them freeze overnight, and then pop them out. Store them in a freezer bags, making them perfect to add a depth of flavour to weeknight meals.
Use this stock in place of water when you’re making rice, polenta or quinoa. You can also add this to mash potatoes,  braising or even stir- frys.