I love spring and I love fall. I mean, don’t get me wrong, of course I like summer and winter, too, but there is something so magical about spring and fall that I would absolutely declare those two as my favorite seasons. I’m really sorry that I’m talking about the weather, but I needed a smooth transition into this smoothie, which I have declared to be a Spring Smoothie, because the  ingredients are a mix of winter and summer fruits. We have oranges, which are definitely more of a winter fruit, mangos, which I associate with summertime, and then we have bananas, which, well, let’s face it – are in season all year around in almost every country on the planet. What’s really making this smoothie special, however, are the mint and basil leaves that give it an incredibly fresh taste. 

If you’re not a big fan of mint in smoothies, then start out slowly and increase your mint leaves with time. I guarantee you that you will come to like it eventually. Both mint and basil have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which means that they help our body fight various diseases. So they literally turn smoothies into deliciously tasting medicine. One cup of basil contains almost 100% of the daily vitamin K intake, which is vital for healthy bones and blood clotting. Mint has been used to cure stomach or throat aches for years, so there’s the reason why people drink peppermint tea when they are fighting a sore throat.

The sweetness in this spring smoothie comes from the banana and mango. Bananas are one of the best sources for potassium, which is vital for a healthy heart and a regulated blood pressure. Mango comes with a good amount of vitamin A, which is important for a healthy vision. I like to use frozen mangos because they are already portioned, and function as ice cubes, but you can totally use fresh mango instead.

For an extra touch of creaminess, I always add a little bit of avocado to my smoothies. Another reason why avocados should be your number one smoothie ingredient is that avocados increase the nutrient intake of the fruits and vegetables that they are taken with by up to 200%. If that’s not the best excuse to have an avocado a day, I don’t know what is.

Enjoy!

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Spring is finally here! Nothing makes me happier than the first warm sunbeam on my soon-to-be freckled nose. Going to the Saturday farmers’ market without a winter jacket felt so good that it even made me buy the first strawberries. I know, you’re not supposed to buy them yet, but I just could not resist. And don’t they look absolutely delicious on this photo? Well, I paired the strawberries with something just as delicious – healthy chocolate mousse with avocado and mint. As it turns out, chocolate mousse makes a great strawberry dip. Given that this mousse au chocolat only contains avocados, bananas, raw chocolate and cacao nibs, it really is a guilt-free Spring weekend snack. 

Did you know that avocados contain more than 25 essential nutrients like Vitamins A, C, E & K or potassium and magnesium? Even better, the healthy fats in avocados increase the nutrient absorption of the other vegetables or fruits that you eat with it. I think that’s one of the best reasons to have an avocado a day, because it really does keep the doctor away.

Besides being a super cool way to sneak in greens into your kids’s dessert, this mousse can be thrown together in literally 5 minutes, 10 minutes with cleaning up all the probs. All you do is throw everything into a food processor or blender, and ready is the healthy chocolate mousse. It’s very important to use both ripe avocados and bananas, otherwise the recipe won’t work.

This mousse is also a great light dessert for spring or summer BBQs. Your guests will not believe what it’s made of when you tell them.

Enjoy!

Have you made this dish? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below or tag me on Instagram or Facebook #heavenlynnhealthy.

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