Chocolate Avocado Milkshake Smoothie

Recipe adapted from Pick Up Limes

Makes 2 large glasses or 4 small glasses

Ingredients:
1. 2 cups (500 ml) skimmed fresh milk
2. 1 TBS natural yogurt (optional)
3. 1 TBS cacao powder
4. 1 tsp flax seeds ground
5. 1/4 tsp vanilla powder (optional)
6. 1/4 cup chopped almonds (optional)
7. 1 tsp hazelnut butter
8. 1 banana
9. 1/2 avocado (optional)
10. 3 dates pitted or 1 banana for sweetening

Directions:
Add all ingredients in he order listed above in a blender and blend until smooth.

Total Calories: 670 kcal

Additional Information:
Notice that the first 4 ingredients are for making chocolate milk. When banana, avocado and yogurt are added, viola... you get a nice and nutritious chocolate smoothie :-) But if I don't have the time, or ran out of ingredients, I will simply just make the chocolate milk.

Btw, if you add more avocado, this milkshake will turn into chocolate pudding - try it too :-) Just adjust the desired sweetness accordingly.

This chocolate smoothie is nice for a weekend treat, when our kids have drank their daily green, red or orange smoothie during the week. When they have drank their green smoothie, they get each a stamp. When they have collected 5 stamps, they each get a chocolate smoothie as a reward :-) If I start on a Monday, they will get a chance to save up 5 stamps for their chocolate smoothie on Saturday :-)

Occasionally, I will want to try to remember to blend in 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon powder into the chocolate smoothie, because cinnamon powder is very good for health too, although it is important not to overdose it.

The avocado makes it real creamy and rich, but you won't even know that it is there. The same goes for the 1 TBS of natural yogurt, you won't notice that it is there :-)

This chocolate smoothie provides a good combination of healthy fat, protein, carbohydrates and gut-healthy good bacteria from the yogurt.

You can sprinkle some goji berries and chia seeds on it to get in some of the antioxidants, although I prefer my chocolate beverage purely chocolate beverage... again, it is a life habit that I find it hard to change... but I am making this change for the next generation, by introducing them early to our kids, while they can still be molded.

And what about Daddy FECS? He doesn't like cakes, chocolates and sweets. So this chocolate smoothie won't tempt him at all :-) I wish I am half like him. But now, for all the other FECS in the family, we can have our chocolate and eat it... of course, still in moderation.

And lastly, you can also make this real luxurious by using vanilla beans. It will make it absolutely HEAVENLY. But since we reckon that this will be quite a regular treat at home, and since we are not loaded like the Crazy Rich Asians, we will make do with vanilla powder on regular days and only serve it using real vanilla beans to the birthday boy or girl on a birthday :-)

This chocolate smoothie provides a good combination of healthy fat, protein, carbohydrates and gut-healthy good bacteria from the yogurt.

You can sprinkle some goji berries and chia seeds on it to get in some of the antioxidants, although I prefer my chocolate beverage purely chocolate beverage... again, it is a life habit that I find it hard to change... but I am making this change for the next generation, by introducing them early to our kids, while they can still be molded.

And what about Daddy FECS? He doesn't like cakes, chocolates and sweets. So this chocolate smoothie won't tempt him at all :-) I wish I am half like him. But now, for all the other FECS in the family, we can have our chocolate and eat it... of course, still in moderation.

And lastly, you can also make this real luxurious by using vanilla beans. It will make it absolutely HEAVENLY. But since we reckon that this will be quite a regular treat at home, and since we are not loaded like kings and queens, we will make do with vanilla powder on regular days and only serve it using real vanilla beans to the birthday boy or girl on a birthday :-)

P.S. I sometimes like to add 1/4 cup rolled oats into the blend, as it increase the nutritional value of the smoothie. But not all my family members like it. Thus, I have not included it in the recipe.

References:
https://www.pickuplimes.com/single-post/2017/01/14/Chocolate-Hazelnut-Milkshake-Smoothie
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chocolate-chia-smoothie-recipe/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/chocolate-banana-smoothie/
https://easyhealthysmoothie.com/chocolate-smoothie-recipes/
https://cooktoria.com/chocolate-smoothie/
http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2015/11/07/hot-chocolate-breakfast-smoothie/
https://bakerbynature.com/thick-creamy-chocolate-peanut-butter-breakfast-shake/

15 Jan 2019 (2Y8M30D): Baby FECS is beaming and getting all excited at getting her first chocolate smoothie. Within minute, the chocolate smoothie is emptied and she aske for a second glass. Like most moms, I wrestle with bad conscience each time she asks for a second helping of sweet treat, feeling torn between wanting to please her kids and letting them enjoy life, and being concern about their long-term life-shaping health habits. In her 2,5 years of age, she had so far only got to try once store-bought chocolate milk. But now I can relax a little, since this chocolate smoothie is sweetened only with fruit.

15 Jan 2019 (9Y10M10D): It's rare I get to take a picture of our Little FECS nowadays, as he is growing up and along with it, growing increasingly camera-shy. But today I managed to get a snap :-)

But he promised me though that he will allow me to record a video of him demonstrating Montessori Maths long division using racks & test tubes, so I hope it will come true... :-)