Chocolate Chia Seed Smoothie
This delicious Chia Seed Smoothie is perfect for the holidays. Plus, we add a big of clean chocolate and mint (optional) to bring out the holiday spirit.
Holidays bring family and friends together to celebrate and spread good cheer. But they also bring lots and lots of opportunities for not-so-clean eating. So, just before we all launch into full swing holiday mode, I wanted to share my best holiday diet tip ever.
Why Most Holiday Diet Tips Fail
Just as countless diet books have been published there are surely even more articles written on how to navigate the holiday party landmines. Diet experts give all sorts of tips and tricks. Such as wear snug clothes, eat less during the day to “save room” for the party, keep your hands busy by holding a water glass at all times and avoid “mindless” munching, etc.
I don’t know about you, but none of these tricks would work for me if I showed up to a party hungry. How are you going to turn down those irresistible hors d’oeuvres if your stomach is growling?
Most holiday diet tips fail for the exact same reason most diets fail: hunger.
I consider myself an extremely motivated person, especially when it comes to healthy eating. But the one thing that can derail my best healthy eating intentions is hunger. I hate to be hungry. And I know I am not alone.
The Perfect Party Plan: Drink a Chia Smoothie First!
Forget about all of the typical holiday party diet tips and tricks you are sure to read about this season. Instead make yourself the filling and ultra-nutritious Chocolaty Chia Seed Smoothie with (or without!) Peppermint. Blend up the recipe below before you head to the party.
This Chia Seed Smoothie is the perfect pre-holiday party recipe. It takes less than 5 minutes to make, tastes delicious and is packed to the brim with amazing nutrients. Plus, this chia seed smoothie is also guaranteed to keep you from overindulging when the hostess starts passing around the eggnog. Unless of course, she is passing around a “clean” eggnog recipe!
Best of all, the chia seed smoothie is not so filling that you can’t enjoy yourself a bit at the party. Instead of showing up ravenous and ready to raid the hostess’s refrigerator the second you arrive, you’ll be able to nibble a bit here and there and enjoy yourself and the party—guilt free!
P.S. If you are one of those people who avoids the wine at the party to “save calories” for the chocolate cake you might want to read this article on wine first.
Kitchen Favorites
Chocolate Chia Seed Smoothie
This chocolately Chia Seed Smoothie is the perfect pairing if you love mint. If not, just leave out the mint and enjoy the chocolate drink!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ cups frozen organic strawberries
- 1 tablespoon
- 2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs, such as Navitas Naturals
- 1 tablespoon
- 6 raw macadamia nuts
- 3
- 1 frozen banana, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 large handful chopped kale
- 1/3 cup coconut “cream”, see notes below
- 4–5 ice cubes
- Optional: a drop or two of pure peppermint oil or 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- Put the water and strawberries in a high-speed blender and process until smooth and creamy.
- Add the chia seeds, cacao nibs, cacao powder and macadamia nuts; process for 1 full minute.
- Add the dates, frozen banana and kale and process again until well-blended. Add the ice and process again.
- Add the fresh chopped mint or a drop or two of pure peppermint oil if using
Note: Pure peppermint oil is very strong, so start with just a drop and adjust to your personal taste and blend well. Serve ice cold.
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Notes
Coconut “cream” is the thick, non-watery component of canned coconut milk. To get coconut cream, you first need to refrigerate the can of coconut milk for 5 hours or freeze for 30 minutes. Once the can is cold, remove the top and carefully spoon out the thick “cream” from the top, leaving the watery liquid behind. Use the thick “cream” for the smoothie.
I should have read this before I went out last night! Hit the appetizer table with a vengeance and felt distinctly uncomfortable when I got to bed. I was driving so only had a small glass of wine to start the evening then gallons of water as the food made me so thirsty! 🙂
I should have read this before I went out last night! Hit the appetizer table with a vengeance and went home feeling distinctly uncomfortable! I was driving so only a small glass of wine to start the evening and then gallons of water as everything made me so thirsty!