Smoothies are my favorite way to get a quick, easy snack in when I am on the go. Now that the weather is starting to warm up again, I’m starting to crave delicious, creamy smoothies. Today I whipped up this nutrient-dense smoothie: Chocolate Protein Smoothie. It’s dairy, nut, and protein powder free.
When it comes to smoothies, I still follow the REAL food rules: REAL, unprocessed, wholesome, clean foods. I don’t add a tons of supplements and protein powders. You may have read my post on 3 Ugly Truths about Protein Powders. And I always make sure to add a titch of fat so my body can absorb all of those fat soluble vitamin, like A, D, E, and K. Read more about that HERE.
Craving something a little decadent today? This Chocolate Protein Smoothie is just the thing. It’s creamy. It’s chocolatey. And it’s filling. This delicious smoothie has about 14 grams of protein and a nice dose of healthy fats. Because I use raw cacao powder instead of cocoa powder, it also has an anti-oxidant punch. Not only will your taste buds be happy, you will feel energized, nourished, and satiated.
The protein for this smoothie comes from hemp seeds and grass fed collagen peptide (a form of gelatin that dissolves in cold water.) One tablespoon of hemp seeds contains 40 calories, 152 milligrams of potassium, 2.3 grams of carbohydrates, 1.6 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein along with 13 percent your daily need for iron of and about 8 percent of your daily vitamin A. Gelatin has about 6 grams of protein per tablespoon and has been shown to improve digestion, heal food allergies/intolerances, improve bone and joint health, and improve the elasticity of the skin. Read more HERE about the health benefits of gelatin. I have found that the grass fed collagen peptide from Vital Proteins is the best quality that I can find.
I hope that this finds you all happy, healthy, and enjoying life. Now I must get back to sipping my chocolate smoothie and editing food photos. Have a mentioned to you before how much I love my job?
PrintChocolate Protein Smoothie
- Yield: 1 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup homemade coconut milk (here’s a recipe) (or any other milk that make you happy)
- 1 and 1/2 bananas
- 1 TBS collagen peptide (like this)
- 3 TBS hemp seeds (like these), shelled
- 2 dates, pitted
- 2–3 tsp raw cacao powder (like this)
- 1 TBS coconut butter (like this)
- 3–4 cubes of ice
- optional: raw cacao nibs (like these) for garnish
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a high speed blender (like this) and process until creamy smooth- about 45 seconds. Drink and enjoy!
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Madison @ Eating for Balance says
I’m always amazed at all of the uses for gelatin! I have yet to buy my own canister yet, but first on my list is homemade marshmallows. Next will be this chocolate smoothie…
Katja says
Madison- Just gelatin in so many things. Just be sure to know the difference between the red and green cans. Red is for gelling- needs hot liquid to dissolve. Green is for cold drinks and smoothies. Thanks for coming by!
Kimberley Pierce says
I am slowly learning the benefits of gelatin but it is quite expensive. Amazon.ca is more expensive still. I can’t afford that but this smoothie sounds so delicious! Thanks for all your delicious recipes!
★★★★
Kelly Belina says
Did this recipe used to be called Chunky Monkey?
Katja Heino says
No, but I like that name!