I have been in a serious DARK CHOCOLATE mood lately. Rich, creamy, delicious chocolate. I am always looking for ways to turn a dessert into a smoothie while keeping it healthy and full of benefits. The more chocolate the better!
As far as smoothies go I opt for a raw or minimally processed cacao rather than cocoa. Both come from the cacao bean but cacao is processed less and has more health benefits. Cocoa is heavily processed and has added chemicals and sweeteners to it for flavor purposes.
My goal is to give chocolate a new reputation by showing you it actually IS HEALTHY and won’t lead to weight gain, breakouts, and all the other myths! Now…if you are eating the heavily processed and sugary chocolate that is a different story, but we are talking about CACAO today!
This smoothie has no added sugar and no fruits. Which means, it won’t spike your blood sugar and won’t make you crave more sweets. It hits the spot just right to fulfill cravings. Even Matt who likes things on the sweeter side LOVED this! I know I did my job when he approves my smoothies.
Benefits
- elevates your mood
- relieves nerves and anxiety
- amazing for your skin and decreasing wrinkles
- helps to regulate body temperature
- helps relieve sore muscles and recover faster
- super high in antioxidants, protecting against cancer
- increases strength of bones
DOUBLE DARK CHOCOLATE CHIP SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond/coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tbs chia seeds
- 2 Tbs cacao power
- 1 serving of chocolate protein powder or collagen
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 Tbs cacao nibs
Optional: 1-2 Tbs Peanut or almond butter (no sugar added)
Optional: handful of ice
Directions: Add all ingredients except the cacao nibs in a blender. Blend until smooth. If you are using ice. Add that in and reblend for a couple of pulses. Top with cacao nibs and stir in.
Tip: If you want a thicker smoothie, soak the chia seeds in your milk/water before hand. Let sit for about 15 minutes in the fridge to thicken up. Then blend the rest of ingredients in. I prep this a lot wither the night before or while I’m getting ready in the morning.
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