Chunky Monkey Smoothie

July 10, 2015 0 0

CHUNKY MONKEY SMOOTHIE

I’m a recent convert to smoothies and I’ve especially enjoyed them as the weather has got warmer and porridge just isn’t as appealing.

This is a recipe from Dreena Burton’s new book called Plant Powered Families. I love this smoothie and what a cool name! It is filling, creamy, protein rich and has some lovely greens sneaked in too for a great nutritional boost. There are lots of ways you can change this to tailor it to your own needs. Get blending and enjoy! It’s especially great after a morning run.

Serves 2

2 cups frozen ripe or overripe banana slices
3/4–1 loosely packed cup baby spinach leaves
3–4 tablespoons almond butter
3–31/2 tablespoons Vega Choc-a-lot Protein Smoothie powder
3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 cups plain or vanilla plant based milk

Add the banana, spinach, almond butter, Vega powder, coconut, cocoa powder, and milk to a blender and purée until very smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Spinach Note: Be aware if you add any more than 1 cup of spinach it does change the colour of the smoothie and some people might not like that. So start with less and see how it goes!

Almond Butter Note: You can substitute other nut butters like cashew butter or peanut butter.

Protein Powder Note: I actually didn’t have any protein powder so I didn’t add any at all. However there are other protein powders that can be substituted. They may differ in taste and flavour, so you can adjust the cocoa and add sweetener if needed. You can always add another tablespoon of cocoa powder in its place too. Without the Vega chocolate powder, you may want to add a few pitted dates or a touch of maple syrup if you have a sweet tooth.