From Chow Bella
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 small banana, broken or cut into chunks
1 tbsp almond butter (I like Justin's Maple Almond Butter)
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 1/4 cups baby kale (can substitute other greens)
a dash of cinnamon (optional)
a few ice cubes, if desired
1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.
Note: if you are not using a high speed blender, combine the milk and the greens together until smooth, then add all the other ingredients and again blend until smooth.
Variations:
Chocolate Chip Green Smoothie: Substitute cacao nibs for the cocoa powder. Add them last, pulsing the blender until they are broken up to your liking.
Mint Chocolate Green Smoothie: Omit cinnamon. Add the leaves from 4-6 sprigs of fresh mint to the smoothie.
Mint Chocolate Chip Green Smoothie: Omit cinnamon. Add the leaves from 4-6 sprigs of fresh mint to the smoothie. Substitute cacao nibs for the cocoa powder. Add the cacao nibs last, pulsing the blender until they are broken up to your liking.
Mint Chocolate Chocolate Chip Green Smoothie (getting really crazy now): Omit cinnamon. Reduce the cocoa powder to 1 tbsp. Add the leaves from 4-6 sprigs of fresh mint to the smoothie. Add 1 tbsp cacao nibs last, pulsing the blender until they are broken up to your liking.Â
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Green Smoothie: Omit cinnamon. Substitute 1 cup sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen---I use partially-thawed) for the banana. Works with other berries (raspberries especially) but I like strawberries the best because the seeds are so small.
Potential variation: I haven't tried this, but I think it would be delicious. Stir about 2 tbsp chia seeds to your smoothie and place it in the fridge for about 20 min so the chia seeds can gel--->"instant" pudding!
Servings per recipe: 1
Per serving:
Calories: 301.1
Fat: 15.1 g
Saturated fat: 1.9 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 222.4
Carbohydrate: 44.1 g
Fiber: 11.8 g
Sugars: 15.4 g
Protein: 9.6 g