I have a passion for making healthier versions of foods people love. Something we all love is a really good chocolate milkshake. For my healthy version I add raw superfoods, dairy-free almond milk, and use stevia to keep down the sugar content. I make these single serving shakes for my boyfriend and I when we’re craving something sweet. He says they taste like they’re really bad for you (which translates to “they are soooo yummy”).
For the cacao (chocolate) powder, I strongly recommend you buy a high-quality raw chocolate to achieve the best flavor and to, of course, get the most nutritional bang for your buck. A bag of my favorite cacao powder, EatRaw’s Really-Raw Chocolate Powder, will set you back about $20, but you can make dozens and dozens of shakes with it. I promise you will get your money’s worth.
I added chia seeds to this shake to give it an extra boost of protein and anti-aging benefits. Plus, after 5 minutes in the freezer, the chia seeds plump up and give you an extra thick and “creamy” shake.
You can find all these ingredients at your local health food store or on Amazon. I included my favorite brands with links in the recipe ingredients if you need some guidance or would rather shop online. I hope you enjoy it! This is one of my all-time favorite desserts.
Chocolate Superfood Smoothie
(makes 1 small shake)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 frozen banana
1 packet granulated stevia (such as: SweetLeaf)
1 tbsp. chia seeds
1 tbsp. raw cacao powder (such as: EatRaw Chocolate Powder)
1 tbsp. pecan butter (such as: Artisana)
Put all the ingredients in a blender and process on high until smooth. Pour shake into a small glass and stick in the freezer for about 5 minutes to make it nice and cold and allow the chia seeds to thicken up. Remove the shake from the freezer and sip, slurp, and enjoy!
Note: Almond butter or cashew butter are easy substitutes for the pecan butter.
Here's a picture I took using an Instagram. I drank a chocolate shake out of a martini glass for a mid-day snack.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Surely that can’t be good for you looking as nice as that? lol. Could you sub the chocolate powder with a protein powder of some sort maybe?
Hi Michael,
You could sub with protein powder, but I wouldn’t leave out the chocolate powder. Raw chocolate (cacao) is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. It has potassium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, vitamin C, and omega 6 fatty acids, chromium, and powerful antioxidants. Chocolate can also trigger the release of dopamine in the body and release the endorphin phenylethylamine. It also has stress-relieving effects on the body.
Contrary to popular belief, most people are getting more protein than they need on a daily basis. But if you have extra protein needs, you can add a healthy protein powder as an addition (but don’t leave out the chocolate).
Hope this helps!
Laurel
I love chocolate! Thanks for sharing your recipe. I will try that one! And I as far as I know cacao contains many rare key nutrients that enhance physical and mental well-being, am I right?
Hi Santee,
Yes it does! Check out this TED talk from David Wolfe, talking all about raw chocolate and its amazing nutritional properties:
http://www.sacredchocolate.com/scientific-cacao-chocolate-health-research/history-culture/david-wolfe-TED-talk-raw-chocolate/?&xcmsrss=1
Hi Laurel, Thanks for the reply, I will give it a go.
Could you use regular almonds if you don’t have almond butter?
Absolutely Elise! Just allow some extra time for blending and I recommend soaking them in cold water for at least a 1 hour first to soften them up.
awesome! this looks so good, and i, too, have a passion for making healthy versions of delicious foods, so i cannot wait to try this!! thanks for posting.