The Secret Fruit That Makes Chocolate Smoothies Ultra Creamy

Who doesn't enjoy a decadent chocolate smoothie to make a healthy breakfast feel like dessert? If you prefer yours thick and creamy, there are plenty of tried and tested techniques, from blending in silken tofu, which also delivers a hearty dose of plant protein, to adding a hefty dollop of nut butter to the mix. Using frozen fruit instead of fresh is also a handy hack to enhance both the texture and flavor of your smoothie. Speaking of fruit, one surprising candidate will knock your socks off with how ultra creamy it makes your smoothie in an instant — and no, it's not a banana. The secret is to reach for a perfectly ripened avocado and watch your smoothie game transform before your very eyes. The proof is in the luxurious first sip. 

To further elevate the texture, freeze your avocados. This is a great tip for avocados that are on the verge of getting a bit too ripe, avoiding food waste, and, of course, for better-tasting smoothies with added nutrients from those important healthy fats. Also, do yourself and your wallet a favor by skipping store-bought frozen avocados, like Costco's frozen avocado halves, altogether. Simply blend the avocado with all your standard chocolate smoothie fixings and voilà! Avocado and chocolate is a guaranteed "don't knock it 'til you try it" combination, because, believe it or not, you won't even taste the avocado. Instead, all you'll experience is a rich, silky smooth texture that will have you adding avocados to your smoothies from here on out.

Why stop at smoothies when you can whip up tons of decadent desserts that are as nutritious as they are delicious? Since avocados have already proven their magic in smoothies, it's a no-brainer that they can deliver without compromise in a rich, silky smooth chocolate mousse recipe too. All you need is a food processor or blender and the ingredients for an indulgent chocolate mousse, including avocados, and let the handy appliance do the heavy lifting from there. In a matter of minutes, you'll have delightful chocolate mousse that makes for an excellent weeknight dessert to satisfy that sweet tooth before hitting the hay. For more adventurous foodies, you can also make a refreshingly creamy avocado sorbet to cool down on a hot day.

Featuring avocados in desserts isn't a new trend. In fact, one of Brazil's most popular desserts is an avocado mousse called creme de abacate, which translates to "sweet avocado cream" in Portuguese. In the Philippines, avocado and condensed milk served chilled is a classic sweet treat on a summer day. Avocados also shine in warm desserts, including baked goods like cookies, cakes, brownies, and beyond. 

They actually make a great replacement for conventional butter in baking. Typically, a 1:1 swap should do the trick, and the good news is that, unlike animal-derived dairy butter, avocados contain zero cholesterol. Thanks to the mighty avocado, you can savor all the decadence that your favorite chocolatey confection has to offer without compromising on taste, texture, or wellness.