Healthy Mint Chocolate Smoothie

This delicious and healthy mint chocolate smoothie is quick to whip up and packed with nutrients that will keep you full for hours!

Mint has been a favorite herb of mine for quite some time. And it just happens to pair perfectly with another favorite of mine… chocolate! This healthy mint chocolate smoothie is quickly becoming a new favorite at our house.

My daughter and I are both smoothie lovers. We enjoy these delicious drinks at just about any time of the day. I typically start my day off with a smoothie of some sort and am pretty sure I’ve enjoyed them as a snack, lunch, or dinner option on multiple occasions.

Mint Chocolate Smoothie

Smoothies are an excellent way to get a variety of fruits, veggies, protein, vitamins, and minerals into your diet. They are a quick and easy option for both those who are trying to gain weight and build muscle as well as those trying to lose a few pounds.

As a general rule of thumb our bodies have a much easier time digesting calories that we drink than those that we eat. This happens to come in handy for those who are trying to add calories into their diet in an attempt to gain some healthy weight. A 400-500 calorie smoothie is much easier to consume than eating a breakfast consisting of eggs, veggies, and fruit consisting of the same amount of calories for instance.

Smoothies can also be beneficial if you are trying to lose weight. They allow you to add multiple fruits, vegetables, greens, nuts, and seeds (packed with nutrients and fiber) while keeping you full for hours.

Although I do appreciate herbal extracts and use them on occasion, I definitely prefer foods in their most natural state whenever possible. In this healthy mint chocolate smoothie recipe we’ll use fresh mint leaves, frozen bananas, avocado, cocoa powder, and pure maple syrup for an extra bit of sweetness.

Avocados In A Smoothie?

Some of you may not be too fond of the idea of adding avocados to your smoothie. However, let me tell you that they are a delicious addition! The avocado flavor is pretty well masked by the other ingredients in this recipe. It is used only for its nutritious profile and ability to create a whipped velvety texture. Yum!

Avocados have been labled a superfood for good reason! They’re proven to support heart health and contain a variety of vitamins and minerals including:

Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Magnesium
Potassium
Copper
Manganese
Folate (vitamin B9)
Niacin (vitamin B3)
Pantothenic Acid (vitamin B5)

Healthy Mint Chocolate Smoothie Recipe

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 medium banana (frozen)
¼ medium avocado (about 35 grams)
1 Tbsp unsweetened or raw cocoa powder
1/2-1 Tbsp fresh mint leaves (about 5 medium sized leaves, no need to chop)
8 oz. nut milk (I usually opt for unsweetened almond milk)
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (optional, will depend on the sweetness of your protein powder)
1 scoop plant based vanilla protein powder

Directions