Chocolate Banana Smoothie

This Chocolate Banana Smoothie is a healthy, filling breakfast or snack, loaded with wholesome ingredients for a boost of protein, vitamins, calcium, and fiber!

This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze,
but as always, all opinions are my own.

Check-in time! How's it coming with those healthy eating New Year's resolutions? Are you still holding strong? Or have you fallen off the wagon? Whatever your answer, no guilt allowed...because it's never too late to redeem yourself with a healthy and delicious smoothie. Especially if it happens to be a Chocolate Banana Smoothie!

So how exactly does one achieve a healthy smoothie that tastes like, well, dessert? It's all about the right combo of ingredients, my friends...

Smoothie Ingredients

• Oats. Like many of my other favorite smoothie recipes on the site, this smoothie starts with oats, which are finely blended and incorporated into the smoothie to thicken its texture and boost its nutrients.
• Chia seeds. These tiny little seeds pack a powerful nutritional punch, with a nice dose of fiber, protein, calcium, and vitamins!
• Frozen bananas. The next time you have overripe bananas that seem destined for pitching, peel them instead! Then break 'em into chunks and pop 'em in the freezer. Frozen banana chunks naturally sweeten a smoothie while eliminating the need for ice.
• Almond Breeze Almondmilk. I love using almond milk in my smoothies, and Almond Breeze Almondmilk is my favorite. It's made with real almonds, but it also boasts 50% more calcium than dairy milk, as well as a good amount of Vitamin D and E. But just as important is what it doesn't have (NO dairy, lactose, soy, gluten, cholesterol, saturated fat, or MSG)!

• Greek yogurt. Why not add another boost of protein? Feel free to use whole milk, low-fat, or nonfat Greek yogurt...whichever floats your boat.
• Almond butter. You may also substitute peanut butter (or sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter, or your favorite nut butter), if you wish.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder. Hence, the chocolate in this Chocolate Banana Smoothie. 😉
• Honey. An optional way to add a bit of extra sweetness, should you so desire.
• Pure vanilla and pure almond extracts. It's amazing how just a teensy splash of each adds so much depth of flavor to this drink. That being said, vanilla and almond extracts will really come through in an unbaked recipe like this, so it's especially important to use high-quality extracts that won't end up tasting like alcohol. And don't use too much almond extract, in particular, because its flavor can be very overpowering.

My goal with this smoothie was to cram in as much good stuff as possible, to power y'all through until lunchtime or to provide the perfect mid-day boost or post-workout fuel. As a bonus, it tastes amazing, too!

So for a thick, rich, decadent smoothie that's loaded with nutrients, look no further than this Chocolate Banana Smoothie! It's a fan favorite around here.

Don't you just love it when a recipe is as wholesome as it is yummy? 🙂

More Healthy Smoothies

• Healthy Oatmeal Smoothies
• Blueberry Smoothie with Spinach & Walnuts
• Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Ingredients

• ½ cup oats, quick or old-fashioned
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 bananas, broken into chunks & frozen
• 1 cup Almond Breeze Original Almondmilk
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons creamy almond butter
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon honey, optional
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon pure almond extract

Instructions

• Measure oats and chia seeds into blender. Blend until ground into a fine powder. Add the frozen bananas, Almond Breeze Original Almondmilk, Greek yogurt, almond butter, cocoa powder, honey (if using), vanilla, and almond extract. Blend on high power until completely smooth, scraping the sides of the pitcher halfway through if any ingredients are sticking. Serve immediately.

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