Nutrient Dense Avocado and Beef Liver Pâté

When I was a kid, I hated meat. I hated the texture, I hated the taste, and considered the only acceptable way to consume chicken was in nugget or hibachi form. Yikes. Now, if you were to tell me that I’d be feasting on beef liver and having a grand ol’ time, I would’ve called you crazy. But here we are. Crazy, beefy, nutrient seekers that are on their way to thriving and nourishing their bodies with nutrient dense foods like liver. And dare I say, it actually tastes really, really good.

I’ve been enjoying pâté with some extra sides as a full meal at lunch or as a smaller snack recently, but it’s also a great option for an appetizer or party food. With the holidays approaching, it’s a risky move to be “that-guy/gal” who brings liver, but one that will serve party-goes much better than velveta cheese dip.

So, why liver? Why would the girl who gagged at the thought of even a can of tuna grow up to be chowing down on beef liver? Well, it’s pretty much the most nutrient dense food out there. I must admit that I’ve been a bit thrown off recently. What with the wedding, the travel, school, my full-time job, and everything else that life throws around, it’s easy to stress out your body. Seeing as I already have Hashimoto’s disease (autoimmune thyroid disease) added stress can be quick to wear me down. I want to be sure I’m supporting my body with real foods, that feed my cells and help me thrive. Enter, liver.

Chris Kresser explains the nutrient density best in his blog post here, but in short, liver is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals that puts other fruits, vegetables, and muscle meats to shame. We often ask ourselves, “Why are we so unhealthy these days?”. Though there are multiple factors and processed food is a huge one, I also believe that it’s because we’re not eating the whole animal. Muscle meats are more appealing in the sense that it’s what we’re used to, but when properly prepared, organ meats taste just as good and are a lot cheaper!

Organ meats give our cells the essential vitamins and minerals needed to thrive and support optimal health and wellness. Take vitamin B12 for example… where as so many American are deficient, liver is full of it! A B12 can make you weak, tired, impair memory, and more. We need vitamin B12 and so many other vitamins that we’re not getting from even the “healthiest” modern diets. Organ meats can help if you make the effort to try consume them at least once a week!

Plus, it really does taste good, I promise.

Texture is a huge concern with organ meats, so pâté is a natural choice. To make my pâté even creamier like a dip, I decided to add avocado! More satiating fat, more flavor, and less grimaces from the husband.

I originally adapted this recipe from Autoimmune Paleo for inspiration, but added some of my own twist like adding the avocado and skipping the bacon and coconut oil. It was packed full of flavor, easy to prepare and is compliant with the autoimmune protocol!

There you have it folks! Cheap, easy, nutrient dense and delicious. What more can you ask for?

Have you ever had liver? If so, how have you prepared it?

This recipe was shared on the Phoenix Helix AIP Recipe Roundtable.