Green chocolate? you ask. Or maybe you don’t because you’re already in on the secret. One moment while I explain myself. It’s been a while since I’ve posted any food, not because I haven’t been cooking good stuff, but because I have been completely uninspired to share it. We’ve eaten lots of healthy stuff, and lots of unhealthy stuff, and I just didn’t feel like you needed to know about. But, this I feel like you need to know about.
I expect at least some of you to completely turn your noses up at this. It doesn’t sound great. But I promise you, if you like smoothies and you like chocolate, this is a winner. Heck, even Tony likes this – really likes it – not just consumes it because I made it. I would even share this with my carnivorous father. I’m not saying it tastes like a creamy chocolate milkshake, but this smoothie is thick and creamy, and super chocolaty…it’s a bit like pudding.
I double this recipe in the morning for two large smoothies, which I make in a Vitamix. You can do this in a “normal” blender if you make a smaller batch and take your time.
Also, I don’t taste it anymore because we have these every morning, but you can kind of taste the spinach the first couple of drinks. Don’t worry. You totally adjust and then it’s all yummy chocolate.
Ingredients
1 small handful raw cashews
1 heaping tablespoon golden flax meal (can use the same amount of flax seeds)
1-2 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder (I prefer Hershey’s Special Dark)
5 unsweetened, dehydrated dates (the ones I buy at Sam’s are still pretty soft, and small)
2 handfuls of baby spinach
3/4 cup frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk of choice (We prefer vanilla almond milk)
1/2 cup water
What I mean by “handfuls” and “heaping”:
Directions
Place ingredients in blender, in the order listed. Blend until smooth. Enjoy.
Adventures in Michigan's Up North 
Mmmmm, I remember you telling about this. Will definitely have to try it some time!
I try to alternate chocolate with non-chocolate, but Tony confirmed this morning (when it was just berries, spinach and juice) that THIS one is his favorite.
Had portobellos and kale for lunch today. On top of whole wheat pasta. Just so you know 🙂
Maybe. Someday. Dunno about the dates.
If the dates concern you, you could stick with sugar as a sweetener. I was totally leery of using them (I actually bought them to make bacon wrapped dates with goat cheese), but finally gave the “vegan” sweetener a try. I figure if Tony couldn’t tell the difference between sugar and dates, then I had a winner on my hands!
I like this receipe very much. I also buy dates for snack food. Generally buy a product called
Green Vibrance. Has all kinds of green grasses, the roots of several vegs that includes spinach leaf. I can’t get all of that concoted at one time such such as your receipe and i won’t buy blueberries(didn’t get any frozen this year due to daughter’s illness last summer). Blueberries actualyl grow in central Texas. A strain was developed by Texas A & M qiuite a few years ago. The berries are larger and sweeter than those that I will sometimes buy at the store. Anyhow, I can attest to the health of your receipe for it has all of the good indgredients in it. The dates are a natural sweetener. The stuff that I buy mixes well with orange juice and I think it does help with energy level and to boost the immune system. I am not a youngster so I need to eat healthy. Never eat sugar and always sweeten with local honey.
NIce post Heather.
I am not nearly as industrious in my health habits as you Yvonne. We’re coming around to things slowly, incorporating things bit by bit so we don’t feel like we’re making any big changes. Well – I am, and since I’m generally the in control of food around here, so is Tony.
I don’t like a super green flavor in things I’m drinking, but I have enjoyed some greens/pineapple/mint combos. Not that I’ve made them yet! I’ve had a few dates as a snack, and they are a little sweet just to eat. I was glad to find a good way to use them. I might get brave and start adding them to my baking…I’ll keep you posted 🙂
If I could get my hands on blueberries, i’d totally try this! 😀 huge spinach fan here! and chocolate too! 😀
Munira, I have tried it with raspberries and it was okay, but we like the blueberries better. I think any mild berry would work. And if Tony liked bananas at all I would freeze them in chunks and use them! Good luck if you give it a try though 🙂
I apologize for that typo! I replied on my phone, which decided “murmurs” was appropriate, and I just saw the mistake 😦
Hahaha, i admit that was befuddling! But in a good way 😉 The only berries that we get here are strawberries (in season right now) and gooseberries (which can be quite tart) Bananas I love, but they are so….not-tart
It’s so weird though…..my sister was talking about having smoothies for breakfast just yesterday! And then I came home and read your post 🙂
Gooseberries sound good! I’m thinking pretty seriously about strawberry-avocado something. I’ll keep you posted 😉
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