This is a creamy, frothy, sweet, frosty and decadent Healthy Chocolate Mocha Smoothie that is full of healthy fat, fiber, plant based protein and a little caffeine to help jump-start your day. You can feel good about gulping it down because it is refined-sugar free, vegan, raw, gluten-free and easy to make.

Healthy Chocolate Mocha Smoothie

This Healthy Chocolate Mocha Smoothie recipe title sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? It is sort of like a copy-cat, healthy version of a Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino. But without 9 grams of saturated fat and over 60 grams of sugar (!) AND over 400 calories (!!). Woah there!

This nutritious smoothie has all the amazing qualities of a mocha frappe. It is creamy, frothy, sweet, frosty and just plain decadent. But it is full of healthy fats, fiber, protein and just a little caffeine to help jump-start your day.

You can feel good about gulping this one down because it is refined sugar-free, vegan, raw and gluten-free. And it is easy to make. Just throw everything in the blender and puree. Done and done!

When I started experimenting with this drink, it was because I decided mornings should be as fun as possible. And breakfast is a huge part of that for me. My rule for breakfast (and really any meal for that matter) is it should be low on the effort scale and high on the flavor/yummy scale.

Chocolate for breakfast is always yummy in my book and if I can squeeze in some healthy fats, fiber and protein then major bonus. This chocolate smoothie is everything for me right now.

I have been making it almost every morning and enjoying the buzz I get from the little bit of cold brewed coffee I add to it. It gives it that amazing mocha flavor.

In the past, I never enjoyed coffee because it gave me heart burn, the jitters and an upset stomach. And I didn't even like the taste - too bitter for me. But then I discovered cold brewed coffee by accident. I was sent a free sample in the mail and I tried it one day. And I liked it! To me, it is much less bitter than regular coffee. In small doses I can handle it well and it doesn't give me any of those crummy symptoms I mentioned. Horray! A small win.

The cold brewed coffee I use in this recipe is concentrated so I find 2 tablespoons is all I need to get me going in the morning. Feel free to use more if desired. If you do, you may want to add an extra date for added sweetness. Taste first and then decide. You could even use a couple coffee ice cubes if desired. I haven't tried that spin on it yet myself.

I keep this smoothie thick and creamy by using almond milk ice cubes. If you are allergic to almonds, you can substitute any frozen milk such as hemp, coconut or rice milk. The avocado also lends a nice creamy texture to the smoothie and helps keep me fuller longer.

This chocolate smoothie is also a wonderful place to hide greens. So if you are not a green smoothie fan then this is the perfect smoothie to sneak it in. You really cannot taste or see it. Try adding a handful the first time around and increase to two or even three eventually.

I'm so pumped about this recipe (and not just from the caffeine high - ha). It really does taste like dessert but is full of good for you things like hemp seeds, chia seeds, raw cacao powder, cacao nibs, avocado, dates, almond milk and spinach (if you add it). It sounds crazy, I know. But it just works. Hopefully the pictures convey how incredibly yummy it is. I make it for my two girls without the coffee and they love it too.

Why Unsweetened Cocoa Powder?

I use unsweetened cocoa powder in this chocolate smoothie recipe. Years of nutrition research show that chocolate may provide health benefits from antioxidants called flavanols found in the cocoa solids (as opposed to the cocoa butter). When consumed in large amounts, studies show that flavanols in chocolate may:

Lower high blood pressure and decrease levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol leading to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke
Promote lung health and protect against asthma
Decrease the risk of diabetes and several types of cancer
Benefit the brain and preserve cognitive abilities to lower the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease
Improve mood and feelings of pleasure
Benefit the vascular system by reducing the risk of blood clots and increasing blood flow in arteries and the heart

What’s the difference between Dutch processed and unsweetened cocoa powder?

Many recipes call for Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which is cocoa powder that has been alkalized to remove the bitter taste. This process substantially reduces the flavanols (about 65% of the flavanol content is lost). Flavanols provide a dark pigment, so visually you can look for a darker color in your cocoa powder for more nutritional benefits. Always double-check the ingredients to make sure it doesn’t contain added sugar, cocoa butter or milkfat.

Smoothie Add-Ins

You can boost the nutrition profile of this smoothie even more! Here are add-on items I sometimes throw in. These are great ingredients to have on hand if you enjoy smoothies!

Chia seeds – for more dietary fiber, healthy fats, plant-based protein, antioxidants and minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium.
Hemp seeds – even more dietary fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals (zinc, iron and more) and a source of complete plant-based protein.
Raw baby spinach – provides plant-based iron and sneaks more veggies into this recipe. One serving of raw spinach (½ cup) has only 5 calories and contains calcium, iron, 60% of your daily vitamin A, and 15% of your daily vitamin C.

Health Benefits of Dates

Let’s talk more about dates! They’re a fresh stone fruit that come from a date palm tree. They are not considered dried; instead, they are naturally “dehydrated.” They are sweet, moist, juicy and have a distinct caramel flavor. They’re such a great addition to vegan desserts!

From a health perspective, they are full of amazing benefits. They contain loads of fiber which aids in weight loss, digestion, and heart health. Dates are fat-free, sodium-free and cholesterol-free and also contain nutritious vitamins and minerals including zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese, vitamin B6, niacin, calcium, iron and vitamin K.

Woah, that’s a lot. And this fact blows me away: dates contain 50% more potassium than a banana (weight for weight). Potassium builds muscles, regulates your heartbeat, controls fluid balances and breaks down carbohydrates. We all need it.

For those of you following eatingbyelaine on snapchat, you know how often I have been making this one. If you give it a try please rate it, comment below or tag me in a pic on social media so I can see your smoothies! (#eatingbyelaine / @eatingbyelaine)

The Best Blender for Smoothies

You might know by now that I LOVE smoothies! I even have a Rock Your Blender cookbook all about my favorite smoothie recipes and resources. My favorite appliance is my high-speed blender. It’s the best! It’s powerful, easy to clean and will run for years.