Enjoy An Avocado Banana Smoothie

This avocado banana smoothie a delicious way to protect your heart; the monosaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in avocados and potassium in bananas all offer cardiovascular support, while cinnamon can help lower LDL cholesterol levels.

This creamy avocado banana smoothie is "the perfect natural pick-me-up," says Rich Goldstein, owner of the Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts.

It even better for weight watchers and everyone's waistline; MUFAs have been shown to target belly fat, so sipping on this frosty low-calorie smoothie when the temperatures rise is a good idea.

Enjoy this thick and creamy, dairy-free smoothie in the morning for breakfast or as part of a cooling lunch.

Here's the how-to:

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas
2 cups coconut water
1/2 avocado, mashed
2 tablespoons honey
12 ice cubes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
Banana slices and crushed almonds for topping (optional)

Preparation

1. In a blender, combine bananas and coconut water. Puree until smooth.
2. Add following 6 ingredients, and continue to blend until smooth.
3. Serve in frozen mug or glass. Top with banana and crushed nuts, if desired.