Avocado Smoothie

Happy Late Summer!  Sadly, I missed my blog last month, ate out a ton, and refused to buy groceries because it was so hectic with packing and moving... although I only moved 3 miles away!  Even though I'm a label-maniac, finding specific baking gear and my camera charger were a challenge, lost among the sea of cardboard boxes.  Moving is good time to re-evaluate what is really important to you and what is worth keeping, especially when down-sizing.  When is the last time I used this tennis racket and will I ever wear these ultimate frisbee/soccer cleats again?  Will I ever paint with those paintbrushes and blank canvases I bought 3 yrs ago?  Will I become a knitting master - or at least make one full scarf with all those balls of yarn?  I'm sure I will use this biking helmet I've had for 4 yrs, but I don't have a bike yet.  How embarrassing!  I've purging like mad and making hard decisions.  To my dismay, I realized my Kitchen Aid blender was still in it's original box in my garage, unused for years.  Apparently I can get by fine without it, so I *almost* donated it away (at the point I was too tired to pack).  But I decided to give it one last chance to earn a place in my kitchen.  Plus, it's too HOT lately to bake indoors anyway (I don't have AC!).

Below is one of my favorite Vietnamese treats, an avocado smoothie.  This may seem quite foreign to some, as avocados are generally used for savory dishes.  If you can't get enough guacomole, you probably won't be able to get enough of this once you try it. :)  Did you know... avocados have unsaturated fat and one of the highest amounts of protein of all fruits.  The original recipe uses sweetened condensed milk and regular milk.  However, sometimes I am sensitive with too much dairy, so I also provided a non-dairy option.  Good for vegans too.

Avocado Smoothie
A T Spoon of Sugar recipe

Makes 2 servings
2 ripe medium avocados

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (non-dairy option: substitute soy creamer)
1 cup milk (non-dairy option: substitute soy milk or almond milk)
1 cup ice
honey or sugar to taste (not necessary if using sweetened condensed milk)

Scoop the avocado flesh into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients in order.  Puree until completely smooth. Taste and add additional milk  to resemble the consistency of a thick smoothie, but still drinkable through a straw.  Add honey or sugar to taste.  Blend and serve cold.