Four seasons of smoothies - winter blend
My son can’t get enough smoothie!
Avocado smoothies are a welcome treat in our home. Many of us reserve smoothies for the summer months when fresh berries are abounding. However, that doesn’t need to be the case. Especially since there is a berry, the avocado, that is currently abundant in grocery stores. Our kids love the book, Avocado Asks: What Am I? by Momoko Abe. Spoiler alert: avocados are a single seeded berry!
In-season most of the year!
And now is Mexico avocado season! And don’t worry, California avocado season is usually spring through fall - so you can partake in in-season avocados most of the year.
Superfood
I particularly savor the smooth consistency the avocado brings to a “smooth”ie! Although some may be turned off to the "baby food” consistency, I can vouch exactly that - it was our kids’ first food! And the consistency isn’t the only reason we selected it as our children’s’ first food - it is nutrient packed.
Not the only superfood either
In this smoothie recipe, two “superfoods” - avocados and chia seeds - are paired together, making this a sweet (with the assistance of a few bananas), yet nutrient dense and filling snack (or breakfast on-the-go).
Like many, I didn’t hear of chia seeds until a few years ago. Just two tablespoons of chia seeds offer a staggering amount of nutritional value - chia seeds are jam-packed with fiber, protein, and omega-3 fats.
The healthy fats in the avocado and chia seeds coupled with the high protein and fiber keep me fueled for hours - a challenge for my high metabolism. I often make the “mistake” of having this snack and then don’t have much of an appetite for my meal several hours later!
Scooping out avocado is a breeze.
Save that pit
We started saving the avocado pits for smoothies (or pesto in place of expensive pine nuts). The pit gives the smoothie a pine flavor. My husband usually prefers this or mint in his smoothie. But use sparingly - you can always add in more. Be sure to dice up the pit before throwing it in the blender. Also, blend the pit a little longer to ensure you’re not finding chunks of pit in your smoothie. And be careful dicing (as if cutting up a round sphere isn’t hard enough) - the slimy exterior adds an extra challenge.
Smoothie time tips
Here’s several smoothie tips:
If you prefer your chia seeds a bit more gelatinous, add them first, then prepare the rest of your ingredients. Otherwise, if you prefer a little crunch (think poppy seeds) wait until the very end to add the chia seeds.
Be sure to blend in the chia seeds right after adding. Otherwise, you’ll end up with cemented chia seeds in the bottom of your blender.
After too many times of whirring the blender without anything being mixed, we prefer milk over yogurt in our smoothies.
I prefer not to dilute my smoothies with ice, so I use frozen fruit instead.
For tips on scooping out the avocado: Cut the avocado into hemispheres. Remove the pit by striking with a knife and then twisting out the pit. Use a spoon to scoop out the avocado.
Clean your blender right away - no soaking required. Or even pour a bit of soapy water into the blender and turn it on for a “self-cleaning cycle”!
Don’t mind the swimsuit and googles, I assure you my 3-year-old is enjoying this smoothie in the dead of winter.
His and Hers Avocado Smoothie Recipe
My husband and I have different preferences in our smoothies. It works out since a single batch isn’t quite enough to share and a double is too much for our blender to handle. So WHY NOT customize?!?
Hers:
1 1/2 cups milk
2 T. chia seeds
1 avocado
1 1/2 frozen bananas
You can use a fresh banana too, but a frozen banana is preferred.
His (foreground) and hers (background) smoothie snack.
Add milk then chia seeds into the blender. Blend for 30 seconds. Scoop out avocado and add along with the bananas to the blender. Blend until everything is pureed. Yields 3 1/2 cups.
His:
1 1/2 cups milk
2 T. chia seeds
1 avocado
3/4 c. frozen blueberries
1 /2 avocado pit
1 frozen banana
Add milk then chia seeds to the blender. Blend for 30 seconds. Scoop out avocado, saving the pit, and add avocado along with the banana and blueberries to the blender. Halve the pit and chop up as fine as possible. Blend until everything is pureed. You will need to blend longer to ensure the avocado pit is fully blended. Yields 3 1/2 cups.
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