Vegan Chocolate Smoothie

April 9, 2018 by Ginger Hultin MS RDN

Sometimes a craving hits, and all you want is a sweet treat. My Vegan Chocolate Smoothie is a great option to satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way. It is quick and easy to make and helps fuel your day. I love this shake because it can be made “lighter” and low cal or boosted with protein powder and higher fat foods for a weight gainer shake. As many of you know, I work with folks who have chronic diseases like cancer or autoimmune disease, and a shake like this can be a game-changer for your health goals.

For a long time, I’ve been utilizing this simple Vegan Chocolate Smoothie as my go-to snack, so I thought I’d share it here with you so you can enjoy it as well. If you love chocolate, I think you’ll find this an easy and delicious option. It provides a nice balance of protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fat – perfect for a snack, for breakfast or to grab on the way to the gym. I also use this ALL the time for my clients who are going through treatment or a chronic condition and need quick, easy to consume calories that offer anti-inflammatory benefits.

Nutrients in my vegan smoothie

One of my favorite parts of this recipe is all the nutrients is provides. It’s high in soluble and insoluble fiber which are both important in gut health and helps keep you feeling full. Bananas and cocoa are also high in antioxidants, which are great anti-inflammatories and help keep your immune system working smoothly. This shake is also full of healthy fat especially if you replace the peanut butter powder with regular peanut butter, and has protein, too.

When you make a non-dairy shake like this one, it will be lighter in your stomach if you need an easy and digestible breakfast or pre-workout snack. It’s so rich in nutrition and very healthful. It’s a treat you can enjoy every day if you want to.

Making the vegan chocolate smoothie

Non-dairy milk

To make this super simple shake, start by choosing your favorite non-dairy milk. I use soy because it’s higher in protein than other types of plant-based milks but you could easily use almond or oat as well. If you want to get creative, you can use hemp, pea or cashew milk – there are so many options. Also, if you want to use dairy milk, go for it, there are many nutrients in cows milk too. One of the reasons I prefer non-dairy milks is because they tend to be more environmentally sustainable than dairy milk. I also like to use plant-products instead of animal products when I can. They’re equal in a culinary use sense and they can be equal in nutrition too depending on which one you choose, this is where label reading is important. One thing I would highly recommend is to look for an unsweetened option. This is important since plant-based milks often have added sugars.

Banana

After that, choose your banana. It is personal preference what stage of ripeness to use, each version will taste a little different. Bananas bring some natural sweetness and are a great add to smoothies and shakes. I find using frozen bananas makes the shake creamier and more frothy, giving it a much more satisfying texture.

Cocoa powder

Next, you’ll add some cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is packed with nutrients, including minerals such as iron, zinc, selenium, and magnesium. It is also rich in antioxidants such as polyphenols and flavanols. Studies indicate that cocoa can help with lowering inflammation, protecting brain health, and may have a hand in preventing chronic diseases. Cocoa powder is slightly bitter and is a nice contrast to the sweetness of the banana and rich flavors of the peanut butter. Again you want to look for unsweetened, as many brands have added sugar.

Peanut butter powder

Peanut butter is delicious and adds in some important nutrients. It is full of healthy mono-unsaturated fats and protein. The peanut butter powder in this recipe has lower fat and calories than traditional peanut butter, so is a lighter option, but you can certainly use traditional peanut butter too. Other nut butters work perfectly as well, each kind will have a slightly different taste and nutritional benefits, but all nut betters have healthy fats.

If you want to add some more protein, you can absolutely add in a scoop of protein powder. Try a plant-based blend, there are lots of options, soy, pea and hemp based options which can all be a good choice, the key is to look for a short lis of ingredients and again no added sugar. You can also use a whey or collagen based powder. Other ways to boost protein include using some silken tofu (yum!), hemp, or chia seeds. These are all natural protein boosts.

Using ice cubes makes the Vegan Chocolate Smoothie frosty and more like a milkshake. This snack/dessert feels very decadent even though it’s a relatively light treat. You don’t need a lot of ice cubes; just a few to really boost that milk-shakey texture.

If you need a peanut butter swap or have an allergy, feel free to use cashew or almond butter instead!

Bonus ingredients and other smoothies

Feel free to toss in some vanilla or almond extract, cinnamon, cardamom or even spinach for more flavor and nutrients. See me demo this chocolatey, frosty, naturally sweet Vegan Chocolate Smoothie on New Day NW, and check out my other whole-foods based smoothies for more on-the-go ideas:

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Wild Blueberry Vanilla Matcha Smoothie

Calming Smoothie for Runners

Melon-Vanilla Smoothie

Enjoy! Let me know if you make this one by rating the recipe

and putting a comment in the box below 🙂