Who Wants a Delicious Avocado Smoothie?

           One morning, about a year ago, I was craving a nutrient dense, calcium rich drink that looked like melted green snow and tasted sort of like ice cream – true story. This craving gave birth to renowned Braley Avocado Smoothie. Now I must pay tribute – this simple hydrating brew was the brainchild of my friend Pete…but I might add that it was yours truly who perfected it. (But I do tip my hat to Pete each time I blend the green snow drink.)

            Before I list the ingredients and let you read about the health benefits, I must warn you that at first glance this smoothie appears dubious. You might dodge a drink of it with excuses like, “Oh, I’m not really thirsty” or “Uh, it’s green” or even “No way that tastes like ice cream.” Well, my friends, look again. Nay, don’t look. Just drink. Close your eyes if you have to. Pretend it’s…well pretend it’s green snow that tastes like ice cream. Or if that description weirds you out a little…close your eyes and pretend you’re overpaying for a delectable Orange Julius.

            Without further adu, the Braley Avocado Smoothie:

• ·      1.5 cups of milk (if you are lactose intolerant, or have a few extra pennies to burn, you could use Almond Milk or Rice Milk)
• ·      1 avocado (peeled and pitted…obviously)
• ·      1.5 tablespoons of honey, or to taste (or again, if you have a few extra pennies…use 1 tbsp of Agave Nectar which has a low glycemic index which means that when consumed, it doesn’t cause a sharp rise or fall in the blood sugar. Seriously. Google it. And then buy it at Costco, Wal-Mart, or online where it’s the cheapest respectively.)
• ·       1 teaspoon of vanilla (go ahead, use the imitation vanilla. I do. The real stuff is way too pompous. Sorry, Grandma.)
• ·      6 ice cubes
• ·      Bonus Item: ½ to 1 whole banana. You can take or leave the banana. It adds an energy boost, sweetness, and bananas are relatively inexpensive.
• ·      Combine all of these ingredients in a blender and blend for 20 seconds, depending on desired consistency. Remember, the longer you blend, the warmer the smoothie will get – so you may need to add more ice cubes.

          Now I know that Avocados can be a bit spendy…but if you read my Monday post, you will note that you can score avocados at Aldi for under buck. And the Avo is what makes this smoothie a nutritious gold mine. Avocados are high in fat…fat, by the way, doesn’t always make you fat (fat can make you fat, but not always…but we’ll explain that in a later post). You see, it’s full of healthy fats (which are GOOD for you!). Avocados also contain a compound that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and they contain folate to boot, which improves heart health. Besides their rough outer shell that protects them from insects and poisonous chemicals while being grown (making it unnecessary to purchase organic avocados), avocados offer a colossal amount of Vitamin E. What does Vitamin E do? Who cares!? It’s a vitamin – just drink it! (Fine…it protects against myriad diseases and helps you maintain your overall health. Like I said…it’s a vitamin.)                                                                

                                                     

            So, after you make your first Braley Avocado Smoothie, close your eyes, give a nod to my friend Pete, and drink down the melted green snow that tastes of ice cream. Then log back on to here and tell me how your experience was in the comment section.