Raspberry Cocoa Smoothie

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that people have strong opinions about the combination of fruit and chocolate.
I don’t judge, I mean, I have strong opinions about pretty much everything, such as the combination of chocolate and cayenne pepper (sometimes), whitefish salad sandwich (no thanks), pillow fight in Union Square (once is more than enough), and how many rounds of Candy Crush it is acceptable to play back-to-back (non-stop, what kind of question is that?)
What I’m saying here, is that pretty much the only thing I don’t have uncompromising views on is the combo of fruit and chocolate.

And yet when I spotted this recipe for a smoothie with raspberry, avocado, banana, cocoa, chia, and milk I said to myself, as emphatically as ever, “I dunno, wouldn’t it be kind of weird mess?”
Which is when I realized that I might have an intransigent, inflexible, absolutist view of smoothies. I can be labeled as some sort of smoothie fundamentalist.
To me, they’re a very specific thing, one or two fruits/veggies, mixed with a liquid (fruit juice or milk), a touch of sweetness, and some add-ons (e.g., chia seed) if desired.
A smoothie with avocado, banana, and raspberries? Cocoa? Honey, chia seeds, milk, and salt?
Two words: smoothie mess.

Forget all that: Let’s put a lot of stuff in our smoothies. Let’s put cocoa and raspberries in everything.
Seriously, can we talk about how good this smoothie is with a tad of dusted cocoa on top?
Raspberry and chocolate are one of those combinations that seem like they were meant to be. The sweet tartness of the raspberry compliments the sweetness in chocolate so well.
The banana and the avocado give this smoothie a thicker consistency all the while bringing long-lasting energy and healthy nutrients.
Guys, this smoothie is a total winner. I think you know what needs to be done.

Raspberry Cocoa Smoothie                                                                                             Print this recipe!

Barely adapted from ThrivingHomeBlog

Ingredients
Serves 2

1 cup frozen raspberries
½ avocado, pitted
½ large ripe banana, sliced and frozen
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 ½ cups milk of choice
1 tablespoon chia seeds
3 teaspoons honey (I used this raw organic honey)
Pinch of fine grain sea salt

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
Serve immediately!

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 251 calories, 10 grams of fat, 49 grams of carbs, 5 grams of protein.