Creamy Avocado and Cacao Smoothie

This is a smoothie I made on the weekend and put up for all my (50! Getting there...slowly but surely!) 'gram followers.  I love experimenting with smoothie ingredients, and Saturday and Sunday mornings are really my only time as it can take a couple of blends to get the right combo.  My kitchen cupboard is seriously overflowing with superfoods - every time I read about a  new one I have to buy it - so it's just a matter of pairing the right ones together so that the end result doesn't turn into some revolting shade of green-y brown.  This one is a winner.

Serves 1

Ingredients:

- 1/2 avocado

- 1 cup coconut water

- 1 cup nut milk (if you're not making your own, please buy the ones with no sugar added!)

- 1 tbsp cacao powder

- 1 tsp maca powder and/or mesquite powder (if you don't have these / don't have a compulsive buying habit like yours truly, it's fine to leave these out, and perhaps just add a little more cacao)

- 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds

- 1 tbsp coconut oil

- 1 tbsp hemp seeds

- 1 tbsp raw honey (optional - I usually find that my smoothies are sweet enough as they are, but see you go)

Blend

I usually like to top my smoothies with something pretty / yummy, like cacao nibs, goji berries, shredded coconut, etc.  Nice, but not necessary.  The avocado and hemp seeds make this smoothie extra creamy so it's almost like a McDonald's Thick Shake... just kidding, I've obviously never had one.  The last I heard they use ground up pig's hooves to make them thick.  Oh.my.

This smoothie is not only a delicious breakfast (dessert?), but also it is brimming with goodness, particularly good fats and protein.  I'd be writing for days if I went through each ingredient and why it's awesome for you, so I will stick to highlighting one for now: Hemp Seeds.  Protein from hemp seeds is complete, meaning that it contains all 10 essential amino acids.  Hemp seeds are also high in omega-3 fats which are necessary for cognitive function and play a crucial role in reducing inflammation in the body, two of their many stellar benefits.  Hemp seeds can be added to anything, really. Just keep these bad boys in the fridge!

For more delicious smoothie recipes, check out my five faves here.  If you are keen to try your hand at concocting your own, see my guide on how to turbo-charge it! 

Steph x