Creamy Chocolate Power Shake

I enjoy a smoothie that is thick enough to eat with a spoon. It feels like more of a meal to me. Feel free to adjust the amount of milk, ice, or even frozen banana to reach the perfect thickness for you.

Yields: 1 (16-ounce) serving or 2 (8-ounce) servings

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice–I’ve been enjoying an almond-coconut blend lately)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 tablespoon flaxseed meal (I use Bob’s Red Mill’s whole ground flaxseed meal )
2 tablespoons almond butter
2 large dates, pitted* (I use Medjool dates; use 3 if using a smaller variety)
1/2 an avocado**
1/2 cup ice cubes (about 8-10 cubes)
1 very ripe banana, frozen and broken or sliced into chunks
Optional but recommended: 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch (1/16 teaspoon) of sea or kosher salt

Pulse all of the ingredients a few times in a blender to get them started, and then blend until very smooth. Once the mixture is well blended, I like to give it about 30 seconds at the highest speed to make it really creamy.
Pour into one or two glasses and enjoy. You can hold the smoothie for a little while in the fridge before the ice begins to melt. Sometimes, I’ll put mine in the freezer for about 20 minutes to make it a little more of a frozen treat. (Just don’t forget about it. Set a timer, just in case!)

*I find that dates can take a little longer to pulverize if they are a little dried out or if the blender isn’t a high-powered model. In this case, you may wish to chop them into small pieces or soak the whole (pitted) dates for 15 minutes in warm water, draining before using.
**If my avocado is large, I usually use a third of it. This amount will provide plenty of creaminess (and Vitamin E), but will allow you to stretch your ingredients a little further. Simply slice a wedge from the avocado that is one-third of the whole, gently prying away from the pit. The pit remains with the other 2/3 of the avocado. TIP: Let the unused portion sit on the counter, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes, and then place a piece of plastic wrap directly over all areas of exposed flesh, and refrigerate 2-3 days for another smoothie, a salad, chili topper, etc. The exposure to the air creates a thin “skin” over the surface of the avocado and adds an extra layer of protection from excessive browning. It’s the best trick I’ve found so far!