Chocolate Avocado Shake

The star ingredient...avocado!

Now that's a combination you don't hear too often...chocolate and avocado. I first learned about chocolate avocado shakes on a Discovery Health TV show called "A Lyon in the Kitchen". The host whipped up a pretty tasting looking chocolate avocado shake, but I've altered the original recipe considerably to make it sugar-free and lactose-free. I first made this according to the original recipe, and it IS magnificent! However, since that time I've had to cut sugar out of my diet, and I'm trying to reduce dairy intake as well. Once you're used to NOT consuming huge quantities of sugar, things like this shake won't taste too weird to you. But, if you've got a serious sweet tooth, this will probably taste pretty bland and you'll want to add some sort of sweetener. I've added stevia powder with good results, though I find that stevia leaves an aftertaste that I'm not too fond of. I've also added agave nectar, which is low on the glycemic index, and that makes a good sugar substitute as well. This recipe (like all of my recipes!) is NOT written in stone and can be altered to suit your tastes.

Chocolate avocado shake ingredients, and finished product

CHOCOLATE AVOCADO SHAKE

1 ripe avocado
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of cinnamon
12 ice cubes (or a full ice cube tray of cubes)
2 cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or half vanilla almond milk and half dairy milk of your choice...whole fat does add delicious creaminess to this!)
5 grapes for sweetness--these can be omitted, or more added, OR, stevia powder or agave nectar can be used for sweetness.

Clean and pit avocado. Place avocado and remaining ingredients into a blender. Blend until all ingredients are well blended and thick. This makes two huge shakes, or several smaller ones. I sometimes eat one of these as a meal. I've also substituted strong, cold coffee for part of the milk and omitted the cinnamon for a mocha shake. Yum! As you can see, the posibilities are endless.