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Chocolate Avocado Shake {Paleo, Dairy-free, Nut-free, Keto-friendly}
By now we’ve all seen and likely enjoyed that that tasty chocolate mousse or pudding, that is actually just avocado, cocoa and a little sweetener. (You can find my recipe for it, terrible photo and all, way back in the TY archives.) That very idea also sparked the creation of these delicious Creamy Chocolate Fudgesicles.
This past week, as I continued to collect the many avocados still available in abundance from the tree in our yard, I was dreaming up creative uses for all the avocados we have. I can never get enough guacamole and my homemade avocado salad dressing is always a favorite, but I was also craving something sweet. I am not sure how or why, but I was instantly inspired to create a creamy, luscious chocolate shake.
I have never been a fan of milkshakes!! Gasp… I know right? There is just something about that much dairy getting sucked through a straw, laced with a year’s worth of sugar that ALWAYS spell disaster for my gut, as it should.
Velvety smooth, rich and sinfully delicious, this Chocolate Shake get it’s creaminess from avocado, rather than ice cream and it’s sweetened only by a few dates (or other sweetener of your choice) and a little melted dark chocolate (your choice of how dark). It brings you some healthy fats from both the avocado and the coconut milk and a load of antioxidants from the raw cacao (read more about the benefits of dark chocolate). Also, shhhh, there’s no dairy in there, so it’s great for all, paleo, vegans, it’s even safe for our nut-free pals. Basically in all it’s delicious glory, it’s like a nutrient-dense chocolate shake, that you can indulge in, without worrying about crappy ice cream or loads of sugar! I promise, it will be love at first sip.
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Creamy Power Greens Smoothie
In case you haven’t heard, it has been unbelievably hot here in Southern California, as of late! I know, I know, for those of you already dealing with overnight frosts and possibly even snow, I know you don’t want to hear about it. But, with temperatures near (and over) 100º for what seems like nearly two weeks – I am pretty much over it.
The worst part is that I have absolutely zero desire to eat or cook in this heat. Nothing is appetizing to me and in turn, when I am not properly nourishing my body with the healthy nutrients and other good things that it needs, I am left feeling tired and totally lacking in energy – it’s a vicious cycle.
Since a couple of scoops of freezing cold ice cream, as good as it sounds, isn’t an appropriate meal nor does it contain a bit of anything healthy, I decided to come up with a green smoothie, on the fly, that would satisfy those cravings but actually provide some sustenance.
