For those invested in their health journey, finding options that are both healthy and delicious can be a game changer. What part of healthy and delicious doesn’t sound incredible? The road to discovering what health looks like for you is a personal and sometimes long one that is not devoid of challenges! It takes hard work, commitment, and some amount of sacrifice. The Chocolate Banana Smoothie is a nutritious option made with wholesome ingredients. This plant-based chocolate banana protein smoothie will have you wondering how something so rich and flavorful could ever be as incredibly healthy for you as it is.
This article delves into the world of chocolate banana smoothies, exploring their health benefits, variations, and the secrets to crafting the perfect blend. This recipe makes a quick and easy breakfast or snack that everyone will love!
Why Choose a Chocolate Banana Smoothie?
A chocolate banana smoothie is a tasty and filling drink that has the rich chocolate flavor of cocoa powder mixed with the sweetness of bananas. It’s sweet from the bananas, has chocolatey notes from the cocoa powder, and hidden vegetables (i.e. spinach). It's perfect as a quick breakfast, a post-workout snack, or even a healthy dessert. This healthy chocolate banana smoothie is like a chocolate milkshake that powers up your morning. It increases energy, balances mood, boosts your brain, and helps you sail through daily stress. Ready for a dose of chocolate goodness? This smoothie is a delicious blend of frozen banana, chocolate, almond butter, and more.
Key Ingredients and Their Benefits
Let's break down the ingredients that make this smoothie a nutritional powerhouse. There are only six ingredients in this smoothie!
Frozen Ripe Bananas: They give smoothies natural sweetness and creaminess. I always keep a bag of bananas in the freezer to make smoothies. Bananas are a good source of fiber, potassium, and B6 and offer natural sugars to keep energy levels strong. I highly recommend using frozen bananas for this smoothie recipe. Frozen bananas will add thickness and creaminess to the smoothie, without watering it down too much with ice. To make frozen bananas simply wait until bananas are ripe, then peel and freeze in a freeze-safe bag. Choose greenish bananas for lower sugar levels and resistant starch, a type of starch than functions more like fiber. Ripe bananas have more sugar. For frozen banana, peel and chop the banana into chunks and freeze on a small sheet pan in a single layer. When frozen, store in a zip bag for using in smoothies.
Read also: Guilt-Free Chocolate Treat
Cocoa Powder: Gives the drink a tasty chocolate flavor. Cocoa powder is also a healthier alternative than using chocolate syrups, which usually has added artificial sugar and ingredients. It’s easy to add more or less according to your preferences. It’s blends up well into the smoothie as opposed to melted chocolate, which could freeze and form clumps of chocolate. Natural antioxidants and supporter of general health are cocoa powder. Using premium cocoa powder, like the one from Santa Barbara Chocolate, improves the flavor and nutritional benefits. Cacao is raw and minimally processed so retains more nutrients. It's a little bitter flavor wise. The health benefit from cacao is from from a type of phytonutrient called flavanols. Published studies show that consuming cocoa flavanols improves cardiovascular function and lessens the burden on the heart that comes with the aging. It also helps lowers blood pressure, improve blood flow to the brain and heart, and prevent blood clots. Start with 1 tablespoon of cacao powder, but feel free to add another if you like it extra chocolatey.
Ground Cinnamon: A small amount of this spice is added to the smoothie to give a hint of warming sweetness. It helps elevate the chocolate flavor. If you prefer, you can substitute with a pinch of instant coffee or espresso powder to heighten the chocolate flavor.
Unsweetened Almond Milk: It’s smooth, slightly nutty, and dairy-free. A great option for those who are lactose intolerant or keeping to a vegan diet. I like to use almond milk in this recipe, but you can use any milk you like (including regular dairy milk or a variety of non-dairy options like oat milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, hazelnut milk, or hemp milk. Substitute with your choice of milk if you like. Almond Milk: the liquid base of this smoothie is plain almond milk.
Baby Spinach: It’s wonderful to add to smoothies (yay hidden vegetables!) because it’s tender, mild in flavor, and full of good-for-you vitamins and nutrients like vitamins A and C as well as iron and magnesium. One of my grocery staples. I eat a lot of baby spinach. Feel free to add 1-2 cups of spinach in this smoothie for bonus nutrition.
Chia Seeds: These relatively flavorless little seeds are loaded with healthy benefits. I’m a big fan of chia seeds too. This ingredient is optional, but I really recommend adding it to this smoothie. Why? They are high in protein, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and contain vitamins like iron and calcium. They also develop a gelatinous coat when soaked in liquid, which helps thicken the smoothie as well.
Read also: Low-Carb Chocolate Pie Guide
Customizing Your Smoothie: Variations and Add-Ins
This smoothie makes a perfect blank canvas for nutritious mix-ins! This is one of my favorite things to do when it comes to smoothies because it makes them heartier and more fulfilling.
Add Protein: You may have guessed it from the name, but the chocolate banana protein smoothie doesn’t just deliver in the flavor profile but substance as well. With 21 grams of protein, this smoothie will help you reach your fitness goals in the most enjoyable way possible. Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder, yogurt, or cottage cheese like I use in this Cottage Cheese Chocolate Mousse and Chocolate Chia Mousse to make this smoothie more filling and substantial for breakfast. Protein powder makes it easy to add protein to your smoothie. It's best to choose unflavored, unsweetened powder with minimal additives. There are many options available today from whey and egg white protein powder to plant-based protein powder options. Add a scoop of COLLAGEN POWDER for an extra hit of protein to keep me feeling full. Easily add more protein to a smoothie by adding some greek yogurt or 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder.
Healthy fats: A tablespoon of coconut MCT oil is terrific, or a little canned coconut milk for rich smoothness.
Flaxseed meal: this is one of my favorite ingredients to add to smoothies for a little boost of fiber and minerals, and is especially great for nursing mamas as flaxseed can help increase milk supply. An excellent way to add protein and fiber but you can't use it whole. It must be ground, and fresh ground is best. If you don't want to go through that, use a quality brand like this that is cold-milled to preserve nutrients. I grind mine right before using with this little grinder. ground flax seeds - these FLAXSEEDS are full of health benefits and you cannot even taste them!
Chia seeds I recommend adding just anywhere between a half to one teaspoon or so of CHIA SEEDS they don’t change the texture of the smoothie too much. Swap the flaxseeds for chia seeds.
Read also: Weight Loss Dessert Recipe
Hemp seeds another seed that I love to add to my smoothies are HEMP SEEDS for all fo the health benefits.
Ground maca powder: Optional, but for energy and balanced stress levels. It's an adaptogenic herb from Peru. This is my secret ingredient. Add it to easy overnight oats with chia seeds too.
Make it mocha: Add a shot of espresso or replace 1/4 cup of the almond milk with brewed coffee to turn this into a mocha smoothie. With coffee: If you have some leftover brewed coffee you can add a splash to turn up the volume on the chocolate flavors.
Nut-Free Option: Use oat milk and sunflower seed butter instead of almond products.
More veggies: you could also try adding some frozen cauliflower for an extra boost, or adding a handful of spinach or kale.
Oats I love adding 1/4 cup of OLD-FASHIONED OATS to my smoothies for even more fiber and whole grains.
Peanut butter: I used creamy unsweetened peanut butter but any other nut or seed butter works. a couple tablespoons of natural, creamy peanut butter make the chocolate banana smoothie so delicious. Swap the nut butter. Adding a tablespoon of peanut butter will make it taste great and creamy. Want a chocolate peanut butter smoothie? Swap the coconut oil for a tablespoon or two of creamy peanut butter.
Avocado: Skip the banana and add a little avocado. With avocado: Blend in ¼-½ of an avocado (pit & skin removed).
Sweeten as needed: if you find the smoothie isn’t sweet enough with the bananas, try adding a teaspoon of maple syrup or honey. You can also add fresh dates. Make it sweeter or less sweet - you can always add an additional touch of maple syrup (or honey!) to the smoothie to make it a touch sweeter.
Tips for the Perfect Smoothie
Start with Liquids: Pour liquids like almond milk first into the blender for easier blending.
Use Frozen Fruits: I highly recommend using frozen bananas for this smoothie. This will result in a thick and creamy smoothie. While fresh bananas are great in recipes like Banana Overnight Oats, they won’t give the smoothie the best texture. Use frozen fruit. This helps keeps the smoothie cold and thick.
Blend thoroughly: For a smoother texture, blend on high speed until all the ingredients are completely mixed together.
Don’t be afraid to add more liquid if your smoothie is too thick or won’t fully blend. Add more liquid as needed.
Start at low speed. You’ll want to start blending low and then gradually increase to high to help blend all ingredients.
How to Make a Chocolate Banana Smoothie
It seriously tastes just like ice cream but is packed with sneaky protein!
- Add all of your ingredients to a blender.
- Cover and blend until smooth, sweeten to taste with more maple syrup as needed.
- In a large high-powered blender, add in all ingredients and blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until all ingredients are well combined.
- If necessary, add in more almond milk to thin the smoothie.
Serving and Storage
Enjoy a chocolate banana smoothie right after blending for the best flavor and texture. This chocolate smoothie recipe makes one serving. If you're taking on the go, store in an insulated bottle and shake before you consume to re-blend if needed. Garnish with a sprinkle of cacao nibs, a few banana slices, a little shredded unsweetened coconut, or hemp seeds.
While smoothies taste best when freshly blended, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Preparing this smoothie ahead of time is simple. Alternatively, pour the smoothie into ice cube trays and freeze the smoothie cubes in a ziptop bag for up to a month.
Addressing Common Questions
Is a chocolate banana smoothie healthy? Yes, it’s a nutritious option made with wholesome ingredients like cocoa powder, bananas, and milk.
How can I add more protein to my chocolate banana smoothie? To boost protein content, try adding Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a scoop of your favorite protein powder. You may also enjoy this Berry Protein Smoothie made with protein powder for a balanced breakfast smoothie.
Can I prepare a chocolate banana smoothie in advance? While it’s best enjoyed fresh, you can prepare it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Give it a good stir or shake before drinking.
What kind of milk should I use for a chocolate smoothie? A variety of milks work well in a chocolate smoothie, all adding their own flavor nuances. Try different ones to see what you like best, then occasionally trade them out and do something new. Try almond milk, hemp milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, organic soy milk, and dairy milk. Rice milk works but as it is so thin and flavorless it doesn't add much as these other milks do.
Can I use chocolate syrup for the chocolate flavor? Simply put, no. Don't use chocolate syrup for a chocolate smoothie. It's best and healthiest to use raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder for the chocolate flavor. The famous chocolate syrup in the brown bottle contains high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sugar, water, cocoa, preservatives, salt, mono and diglycerides, Polysorbate 60, xanthan gum, and artificial vanilla flavor. Do you really want that in a healthy smoothie? I don't think so.