If you want a fun Sunday brunch drink, a fresh Avocado Margarita is definitely the drink to make. My cleaned up Bloody Mary is another weekend favorite, but because everyone gets SO excited about the novelty of an Avocado Margarita it somehow makes me like it just a tad bit more.

I had my Avocado Margarita while celebrating my 41^st birthday last year with one of my best girlfriends from childhood, Christine Legris. The next weekend I got to work recreating a “whole food” version with no refined sugar. I can’t take credit for coming up with the idea though…

My Avocado Margarita Inspiration

As much as I LOVE avocados, I don’t think I would have ever thought of mixing them into a margarita. I got the idea from the Avocado Grill in downtown West Palm Beach. A farm to table restaurant concept, this is the place to go if you are an avocado lover by the way. Whether you get the Avocado Vinaigrette, Grilled Avocados or Ginger Guacamole (surprisingly delicious!), avocado fans can’t go wrong at the Avocado Grill. I didn’t ask for the Avocado Grill’s Avocado Margarita recipe, but the version I came up with tastes pretty darn close!

Some Good News for Tequila Lovers

As we state in our book, I still believe wine is the healthiest alcohol choice (I should emphasize any form of alcohol ONLY has health benefits if consumed strictly in moderation —not everyone is able to consume alcohol moderately though. If you are not able to drink in moderation then it is best to completely avoid it.) However, if you already drink hard liquor you might want to give good tequila another try.

What is “Good” Tequila?

Not all tequila is created equal. Although regulations allow liquors made with only 51% agave to be called tequila, the very best and healthiest tequila is made from 100 percent agave with no additives.

Under Mexican law, tequila may only be made from the blue Weber agave plant from the Tequila region of Jalisco. Blanco is the purest type of 100 percent blue agave tequila; it’s more pure than aged agave tequilas like reposados, or mixed tequilas that contain various sugars, known as mixtos.

I’m not going to try and tell you tequila is a superfood, but in relation to other liquors it actually has some unique beneficial attributes.

Maybe Tequila is Not All Bad After All…

Believe it or not, drinking 100 percent blue agave tequila after a full meal can actually be a digestif. The agave plant that tequila is made from contains high amounts of inulin, a prebiotic known to aid the digestive system by growing good bacteria. Digestifs are not only known to help digest food, but they can also settle an uneasy stomach. Again, moderation is key. Drinking 4 shots of tequila after dinner is not going to help anything!

Tequila made with 100% agave also contains agavins, which have been been shown to assist with weight loss. Unlike agave syrup, agavins won’t raise blood sugar levels, and they are non-digestible. Agavins also help produce a hormone (GPP-1) which is known to keep the stomach fuller longer. I definitely don’t think anyone should start drinking tequila for weight loss, but the point is, it might not be as bad as you may have previously thought.

Again, tequila is certainly not a “superfood”, but new research shows it might have benefits over other hard liquors. Just remember to get the good stuff—and don’t overdo it!

100% Agave Tequila Brands

Here are 3 100% agave tequila brands I recommend:

123 Certified Organic Tequila Blanco
Patron Blanco/ Silver
Casamigos Tequila Blanco

For those of you with food allergies and food sensitivities, it’s helpful to know this Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff recipe meets the following dietary restrictions:

Egg Free / Grain Free / Bean-Free / Gluten Free / Paleo Friendly / Vegetarian/ Vegan/ Nut Free / Dairy Free /

Avocado Margarita Recipe

Prep Time 12 minutes Total Time

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Pink Himalayan salt
1 lime wedge
¾ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup Haas avocado
¾ cup good Blanco / silver tequila made with 100% agave (see note below)
8 medjool dates (or 12 Deglet Noor dates), pitted
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons chopped jalapeno (no seeds!)
Pinch or two of cayenne pepper
½ cup frozen pineapple
2 cups ice

Directions

Toss salt on a small plate. Rub the rims of four margarita glasses with the lime wedge and dip each glass in the salt mixture. Set glasses aside.
In a high-speed blender, add the lime juice, avocado, tequila, dates, cilantro, jalapeno, pinch or two of cayenne, and pineapple. Process until smooth and creamy. Add the ice and process again. Serve cold.

by Ivy Larson

Notes

You can find a number of good quality tequila brands, just be sure to look for one that is made with 100% agave. For this recipe you also want to use blanco/ silver tequila. Here are a few of my favorite brands: