My mum used to make this shake for me as a kid, probably because I was scrawny little thing who would pick tree-climbing or playing soccer with the boys (even at the risk of catching kooties), over sitting pretty. I wanna clear avocado’s name, as it’s been given a bad wrap as a fatty fruit in the past. You health gurus out there probably already know that avocado is full of fatty goodness. It’s the kind of good fat that is good for our bodies, in its anti-inflammatory properties. Fats like omega-3 attach themselves to fat-soluble nutrients that our bodies can then absorb much more efficiently, and anti-oxidants like beta-carotene keep us looking youthful. I’ve read that the deep green flesh that’s closest to the skin is highest in all of these anti-aging nutrients, so make sure you really dig in deep with your spoon and scrape every last bit into your blender when making this recipe!

I’ve given you two options in this recipe: You can choose to make it into a healthier smoothie using yoghurt, or you can go all out and use vanilla ice cream to turn it into a dreamy thick shake. As usual, I’m doing my best to avoid refined sugar by using raw honey or pure maple syrup as my sweeteners, and for you dairy-free warriors out there you can substitute the cow’s milk for coconut milk, almond milk, or rice milk… I don’t mention soy milk because I personally think it’s too hard to digest, but the choice is yours. Sceptics out there, don’t knock it before you try it.

A Creamy, Dreamy Avocado Smoothie

You will need:
1 ripe avocado
2 scoops of good quality vanilla ice-cream, or 4 heaped tablespoons of plain unsweetened yoghurt
1 cup of milk (I use organic grass fed milk) / coconut milk / almond milk / rice milk
pure maple syrup or raw honey

Scrape all of your avocado flesh into a blender, making sure you get all of the dark green flesh too! Add your ice cream or yoghurt, milk, and about 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup or honey. Blend everything together until it’s smooth and there are no lumps. Taste for sweetness, and add more honey or syrup if needed, blending a little more to combine everything. Pour into a glass of ice, or just stick a straw straight into your smoothie cup and drink immediately!