Smoothies are always on the menu around here these days so I thought I would share one of my favorites. Smoothies have kind of transformed breakfast for me and for good reason--they are easy, quick and packed with delicious goodness. This smoothie, in particular, is a fun variation on my usual, more basic morning smoothie. I’m positive I’m not unique in that I stink at eating a complete breakfast each morning. My stomach barks at me if I try to eat too much solid food and then I inevitably end up skipping breakfast and feel like a troll when I embark on my day. Back in December though, I decided to start the habit of having a smoothie every morning and I haven’t looked back. It’s been the perfect solution for keeping me awake and active through my morning.
As for this chocolatey concoction, I have to admit that it’s almost milkshake level. I would typically go for this one as an after-dinner snack or sweet tooth cure. You also have the option to swap in your own ingredients as it has the potential to be as healthy or decadent as you want it to be. Another reason I love smoothies: they’re totally dynamic. I feel a little like a mad scientist when I put them together. I genuinely enjoy gathering the ingredients and adding each one to my blender. It’s an easy way to play around with flavors and I highly encourage you to experiment with yours.
To make the chocolately almond smoothie, I started by breaking apart and adding one medium sized banana to the bottom of my blender. Then I added about 5-6 frozen strawberries on top of the banana. You can use fresh strawberries, but I love to use frozen fruit when I can because they keep it cold for you without employing ice at the end. No one likes a watered down smoothie. After that, I added a couple heaping tablespoons of vanilla almond butter. I adore vanilla almond butter and it adds some extra sweetness. However, if you prefer to stick to the cleaner, more nutritious side, you may want to use a more classic almond or peanut butter instead. Really, any nut butter will do. Now for the chocolate! I added a heaping tablespoon of Dutch Processed cocoa powder. You can turn up the volume on the cocoa if you're feeling a little extra. No shame! The final step is the almond milk, which I actually never measure out, but did for our purposes here. I usually fill the blender to a point just below the top of all of the ingredients. It comes to a little over a cup. Same goes for the almond milk. Just insert your favorite milk. I used the “smoothie” setting on my blender and let her rip. Pour and serve! Let me know how you feel about smoothies and which ones you consider favorites! Have a lovely Wednesday, friends.
Chocolatey Almond Smoothie with Bananas and Strawberries
5-6 Medium/Large Frozen Strawberries
1 Whole Medium Banana
1 Tablespoon Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Almond Butter
1 ½ Cups (give or take) of Almond Milk