"Avocados taste great, and they're so good for us," says Nancy Waldeck, a chef at Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness at Piedmont. Use her tips to make slicing and chopping this superfood a breeze.

Determine if your avocado is ripe

A ripe avocado will have a little "give" when you press on it - it shouldn't be too mushy or hard to the touch.

Cutting an avocado

To cut the avocado:

• Run a knife along the circumference of the fruit length-wise. 
• Twist the avocado to open it.
• Remove the pit by placing the avocado half on a cutting board and carefully using the heel of a knife to hack the pit.
• Use a towel to carefully remove the pit from the knife.

Slicing and chopping an avocado

To slice and chop an avocado without peeling it:

• Make slices length-wise for strips and then again horizontally for chopped pieces.
• Scoop out the avocado chunks with a spoon and enjoy.

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