Having a cold is the worst. Luckily I was home with my mom, rather than living on my own in the city of Hanoi, or laying uselessly in a hostel in India. So as I dragged myself out of bed to figure out breakfast, my mom suggested that I have a smoothie with only greens – no sugar. Which meant, no fruit.

I took this opportunity to put together a smoothie that tasted yummy, without the sweet ingredients of fruit (although I have suggestions if you’re looking for a sweeter taste). Avocado smoothies are still one of my favorite smoothies ever since I lived in Hanoi, Vietnam.  Recently, I’ve tried a green smoothie with cinnamon, which I thought was genius. So I decided to make my favorite avocado smoothie with a twist, a special breakfast for my sickly morning.

But first, let me tell you why the ingredients are awesome for you. Avocado contains healthy fats, is packed with vitamins and minerals (including Vitamin C), contains some protein, and is loaded with fiber. It actually even has more potassium than bananas! Almond butter is another healthy fat that is high in magnesium, has plenty of Vitamin E, and starts your morning with protein. Interestingly, it’s also one of the only nuts that alkalizes the digestive tract, balancing the body’s pH level, which in turn can benefit healthy immune function. Cinnamon is an awesome natural sweetener because it can almost be a superfood, based on its benefits. It is full of antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory properties, and lowers blood sugar levels.

I love smoothies because they’re delicious and I can hide supplementary ingredients for an extra boost. For probiotics, greens, and superfoods, I add a teaspoon of Sunfood Supergreens. For a healthy caffeine boost, I add matcha. Matcha has the same caffeine content as coffee, but it doesn’t make you jittery. It also has an insane content of antioxidants, and is high in EGCG, which has powerful anti-cancer properties.

For an extra boost of plant-based protein, I topped my smoothie with chia seeds. Now if you’re not an avocado smoothie fan, and need some extra sweetness to mask the taste, I suggest adding some frozen mangoes or bananas.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 avocados
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 2 cups almond milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp matcha
• 1 tsp Sunfood Supergreens

*Optional: 1/2 tsp chia seeds on top (or more mixed in)

**For more sweetness, add frozen mangoes or bananas

Directions:

Mix it up in a blender. There should be two servings. If needed, add more almond milk.

Cheers to a green morning 🙂