As a Health Coach, I do my best to guide my clients toward better food choices. However, eliminating processed foods, refined sugar and carbs can complicate meal planning, especially when it comes to sweet breakfast options. No wonder my special Choco-Nutty Energy Smoothie is such a big hit with pretty much everybody. It has the perfect balance of nutty, chocolaty, yummy, and healthy.
HOW TO MAKE MY CHOCO-NUTTY ENERGY SMOOTHIE
This smoothie is rich, sweet, creamy, decadent even! But every bit of it is made with real ingredients, and all the sugar in it is naturally occurring (you can thank the ripe banana for that). Because of the healthy fats, fiber and protein content, it’s also very satisfying. My clients tell me how surprisingly full and energized they feel with this breakfast even past lunch time. That’s what avoiding empty calories can do for your body.
WARNING: the amounts for the ingredients below are for a large smoothie (it yields at least 10 oz). Just use half for a regular but still satisfying breakfast.
SHOPPING LIST
- 1 frozen banana (ripe). Note: I always keep frozen peeled bananas in the freezer for this type of smoothie.
- 3/4 cup pure coconut water (no added sugar or other additives)
- 1 ice cube (add more for a more liquid consistency)
- 1 tbsp dark cacao powder, raw and unsweetened
- 1/2 tsp Maca powder (gelatinized). If you don’t know, I’m a huge fan of Maca and its many benefits (see my yummy recipe for Maca Balls for more details)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 Brazil nuts (raw, unsalted)
They are great for healthy Thyroid function because of their high selenium content. This mineral is very important, especially if you have Hashimoto’s as I do (see My Autoimmune Story) because it can significantly reduce thyroid antibodies and support the conversion of the inactive thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) into the biologically active triiodothyronine (T3). For more information, I recommend this article. - 1/4 cup mix of raw unsalted almonds and walnuts (mine is heaping, as I love it super nutty!)
WAIT… BUT IS CHOCOLATE HEALTHY?
When they say that chocolate is actually good for you, they don’t mean your average supermarket chocolate. That kind is highly processed and has only traces of the good stuff packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients. The rest of the ingredients may include stuff like sugar, cocoa butter, powdered milk, lecithin, and the ubiquitous and mysterious “natural flavors”.
On the other hand, raw unsweetened cacao powder is minimally processed and chockfull of benefits, like:
- Cognitive function enhancement
- Cardiovascular protection
- Helps your blood sugar
- Anti-inflammatory
- Mood improvement
But doesn’t it make you fat? No, it does not. I’m not one to count calories, but one tablespoon of this cacao (5 grams) contains only 15 calories, zero sugar, 1 gram of fat, and just 1 gram of net carbs. So, go ahead and indulge!
WATCH THE VIDEO RECIPE
See for yourself how quick and easy this recipe is. The only thing I highly recommend is using a high-power blender for best results. I’m using my good old Vitamix, which never fails me.
Get the full printable recipe below. Let me know if you try it and if you love it as much as I do!
CHOCO-NUTTY ENERGY SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
- 1 banana ripe and frozen
- 3/4 cup coconut water pure
- 1 ice cube add more to adjust thickness
- 1 tbsp cacao powder dark, unsweetened
- 1/2 tsp Maca powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Brazil nuts
- 1/4 cup almonds + walnuts heaping
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a high-power blender and blend until smooth (1-2 minutes). Enjoy!
Nutrition
NUTRITION INFORMATION: The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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