“Chunky Monkey” Chocolate-Greens Smoothie with Coconut and Hemp Milk

In pure defiance and denial of summer being over, I’m posting the recipe for the smoothie I devoured almost every day from June 1 to the end of August.

(My current travels have me in the Pacific Northwest, which is warming up again into a more typical Indian summer—after an abrupt cold-wet-windy spell that dropped us off a cliff into fall. With temps approaching 80 again, I am considering switching back to this smoothie from hot cocoa.)

A friend asked me for this again today so I decided to just get it online where everyone could have it. I’ve turned a lot of people on to this winning blend that works great for breakfast, pre-workout fuel, post-workout recovery or just a sweet, cooling, satisfying snack. The greenfoods make it extra nutritious; the peanut-butter-chocolate-banana richness makes it decadent, almost milkshake-like.

It’s a classic flavor combo and variations abound, but as usual, I do it my own way with my own twists. It’s pretty modifiable (you can add protein powder, a handful of fresh greens, different nut butters and so on—or any of the healthy powders i put in most other smoothies). But I experimented a lot like that and kept coming back to this simple, basic recipe for best flavor and texture.

I used MyFitnessPal to provide you with nutrition info. For a smoothie this size, it’s remarkably low in sugar and carbs (thanks to the unsweetened nut milks, unsweetened cocoa and just-enough banana) while being decently high in protein and moderate in fat.

Chunky Monkey Smoothie with Coconut and Hemp Milk

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla coconut milk (or my simple coconut milk recipe here)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla hemp milk* (or organic unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• 1 scoop Madre Labs Cococeps Unsweetened Cocoa powder (or 1 to 1.5 T any unsweetened cocoa/cacao powder)
• 2 ounces frozen organic banana (about 4 chunks, or half a small-medium banana)
• 1/2 Tbsp chunky organic peanut butter (I like Santa Cruz Organic Crunchy Dark roast best) (can use 1 T if desired)
• 1 scoop Amazing Grass Chocolate Green Superfood Powder
• 1 tsp HealthForce Vitamineral Green (can use more if don’t mind taste)
• 1 tsp HealthForce Vitamineral Earth (can use more if don’t mind taste)
• 2-4 ice cubes (if desired)

*Can substitute almond milk for hemp—or any nut/seed milk, or even dairy milk if you prefer. I find that half coconut milk adds perfect body/richness, but if you use just plain almond milk the smoothie will have less fat).

Combine all ingredients in high-speed blender. Blend till smooth. Savor.

Makes one 12-ounce serving or two 6-ounce servings.

Scale as needed.

NUTRITION INFO
Per 12-ounce smoothie:

250 cals
27 g carb
9 g sugar
13 g fat
10 g protein