Avocado Nutty Cacao Smoothie (Printable Version)
A creamy blend of avocado, roasted nuts, and cacao for a rich, nourishing chocolate drink.
# Ingredient List:
→ Nuts
01 - 1/4 cup raw almonds
02 - 1/4 cup raw cashews
→ Base
03 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
04 - 1 frozen banana
05 - 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
06 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder
07 - 2 teaspoons maple syrup
08 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - Pinch of sea salt
→ Optional Toppings
10 - 1 tablespoon cacao nibs
11 - 1 tablespoon chopped slow-roasted nuts
12 - Drizzle of honey or maple syrup
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread almonds and cashews on a baking sheet. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking once halfway through until lightly golden and fragrant. Allow to cool slightly.
02 - In a blender, combine roasted nuts, avocado, frozen banana, almond milk, cacao powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
03 - Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add additional almond milk if needed to adjust consistency.
04 - Taste the mixture and add more maple syrup if a sweeter flavor is desired.
05 - Divide into two glasses. Top with cacao nibs, chopped nuts, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, if preferred.
06 - Serve at once to enjoy optimum flavor and texture.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like dessert but fuels you like breakfast, hitting that perfect sweet spot where indulgence and nourishment actually agree.
- The slow-roasted nuts add a depth that feels restaurant-quality, proving that five extra minutes in the oven makes all the difference.
- Once you taste avocado with cacao, you'll start seeing it everywhere you look.
02 -
- Roasting nuts is non-negotiable—the difference between a good smoothie and an extraordinary one lives in those 10 minutes in the oven, where raw nuts transform into something with real character.
- The frozen banana is your texture keeper, making this creamy without ice, which is something I learned by accident after diluting three smoothies before I figured it out.
- Taste as you go because every avocado is different, and sometimes the cacao needs a whisper more maple syrup to feel balanced.
03 -
- The order matters slightly—add your frozen banana last so it sits on top during blending, helping break down everything else more evenly.
- For a vegan version that feels completely indulgent, use oat milk instead of almond milk and swap maple syrup for the sweetener; no one will ever know the difference.