My favorite smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafe is the Avocolada Smoothie. Oh, I gave it some side eye at first because I’d never had avocado in a smoothie. I love avocado, but….in a smoothie? Would it be savory or give the smoothie a weird texture? I do love coconut and pineapple, and it also had greens, so I gave it a shot anyway. It’s amazing. Creamy (from the avocado!), sweet, tart, and bright green. I look healthy just holding it!
If you order this smoothie out, I encourage you to ask for it without turbinado sugar or with 1/2 turbinado sugar. The extra sugar isn’t necessary and keeping it out trims off more than 100 calories. I have even managed to convince the kids to always order their smoothies with 1/2 turbinado sugar. Every little bit counts, right?
The Avocolada is so delicious, I had to learn how to make it at home. Not only is it filling, creamy, goodness; it is Wahl’s Protocol friendly and easy to put together. I found a copycat recipe done by the Recipe Critic and adjusted it to 1 serving and to fit my other preferences. The Avocolada is now my second favorite smoothie to make at home. ( http://meltedkc.com/chocolate-cherry-smoothie/ is still my #1.)
A couple of tips:
- If you find this recipe is too tart or that you’d prefer a little extra sweetness, just add 1 tsp honey or maple syrup.
- The recipe below is for a single serving. Save the other avocado half in a bowl with the other half of lime juiced over it and stuck in the fridge. Coconut water often comes in pints, so save the other cup in the fridge and just have this smoothie two days in a row. The ingredients will last in the fridge a couple days if you don’t want it two days in a row.
- If it’s the second day, and all your ingredients are really cold, you may need to add an additional 2-3 Tablespoons water to get a nice smooth texture.
Avocolada
Course: Breakfast, SnackCuisine: SmoothieDifficulty: Easy1
servings5
minutesIngredients
1/2 small or medium avocado scooped from skin
juice of 1/2 medium or large lime
1/2 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup kale
1 cup coconut water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I use 4 VAIN Kentucky Bourbon Drops)
1 tsp coconut butter (coconut oil can be used, but is not as flavorful)
1 1/2 cups of frozen pineapple chunks
Directions
- Place all ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
Notes
- If you’re not ready to go without the extra sweetener- or this recipe is jut too tart for you, a tsp of honey or maple syrup can be added.
- I usually have this smoothie two days in a row to use up the whole avocado, lime, and pint of coconut water. If you are having it the second day and all your ingredients are really cold, you may want to add 2-3 Tbsp water for a smoother texture.
- I always just put my organic baby spinach and bag of kale into the freezer and grab handfuls when I need it for my smoothie. This keeps my smoothies cold, and prevents the greens from going bad before I can eat them all.
Love the tip to put the green leaves in the freezer. Do you know if they thaw out okay if you use the other part of them for salads?
Great question! NOPE! Once you’ve put greens in the freezer, they are only good for smoothies, soups, or other pureed/cooked applications.
How many ounces is this serving?
It’s about 20-24 oz