THIS!!! SMOOTHIE!!!! You guys. This Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie recipe is the real deal. I swear you won’t be disappointed.

If you go vegan or Nutritarian, or are just trying to get healthier and you ever find yourself missing the old flavors and pleasures you used to have…this smoothie will prove to you that it will allllllllll be okay. :)

When I first made this smoothie, I was so immediately in love that I thought I might have to marry it. Seriously. I wanted to have its children. And I don’t just say that about any old smoothie…

The combination of flavors in this, along with the chocolate-y goodness will knock you off you feet…but when you really think about it, there is nothing in here that is bad for you, and THIS is why you just might want to marry this one, too. But I’ve got first dibs.

Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie Recipe VIDEO

PRO TIP: Using Extracts in Smoothies

When I first thought of using extracts in smoothies, I came up with it while I was in a rut making my favorite smoothie in the world (The Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie, which gets sent you as a subscriber to my email newsletter)

I started using coconut flavor extract first. I added it to my fav smoothie, and VOILA! Instant smoothie makeover and I didn’t even have to lift a finger to prepare anything else. So easy!

Then I started experimenting with all kinds of flavors in smoothies, until I made this classic. What I love so much about the Mint Chocolate Chip is that it really gives you that, “Wait, I feel like I shouldn’t be eating this” kind of feeling, but without any actual guilt.

On top of that, you get a whole salad in one smoothie, so you’re doing amazing things for your body at the same time.

Feel free to experiment with different extracts in your own smoothies. Think of the flavor possibilities you could make:

• Lemon
• Coconut
• Vanilla
• Coffee
• Cocoa
• Almond
• Banana
• Cinnamon
• Hazelnut
• Maple
• Anise
• Raspberry
• Mint
• Root Beer

You just might never get bored with your smoothies ever again!

For this smoothie, you will need vanilla and peppermint extract, and it’s best to use brands that don’t include added alcohol as an ingredient. Click the links to see them on Amazon.

Organic Vanilla Extract with No Alcohol 

Organic Peppermint Extract with No Alcohol

Switch Up Your Greens

One tip that’s important to always keep in mind, especially if you have smoothies every day or very often, is to switch up your greens.

I’m serious. It’s important. For several reasons.

First of all, for those of us who form kidney stones (don’t worry, we only make up 10% of the population, so you’re probably not one of us), it’s extremely important to switch up your greens. Especially if you’re a calcium oxalate stone former, then you want to avoid spinach, parsley, chard, and beet greens.

But the main reason is the one you hear over and over again, in your life, that relates to so many things: everything in moderation.

I know, I know, it sounds so mundane. But it really is true, even if you’re a Nutritarian. When you are making sure to rotate your greens (or any other food for that matter) you are not only keeping things fresh for you mind and tastebuds, but you’re also switching up with nutrients your body is taking in. This is extremely important for anyone, whether you’re a Nutritarian, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, paleo or even if you eat the Standard American Diet.

Get Out of the Ruts

When we eat the same things over and over again, our body become accustomed to those particular nutrients and fibers and it turns into sort of a one-track mind. It will digest everything the same way and you will miss out on the other (very complementary) types of nutrients that are found in other foods.

Your body will be deficient in those for as long as you keep repeating foods and you won’t have a complete set of tools to work with, so to speak.

When I was a SAD eater (Standard American Diet), I know I used to be EXTREMELY deficient in quite a few vitamins and minerals, but was lucky enough to not have it affect me too seriously (as far as I know!).

When I started the Nutritarian path, I did a similar type of thing, where I only ate certain foods, and that was when I ended up in the emergency room with kidney stones.

Since learning this lesson (importantly, that even as a “healthy eater”, too much of anything isn’t a good thing), I have taught myself the joys of variety and switching it up. Though it has taken me a few years to get on this path.

The rule is: if you’re ever in doubt if you’re eating too much of one thing, then you probably are. If you rely on one food to get you through, you’re probably having it too much.

This reminds me of me… :P and eating too many dates. Or spinach. Or bananas in nice cream. Or too many seeds. Or salt back in the day. Or ___________ fill in the blank with many other foods I’ve had too much of at once.

Do try to mix up your foods and your body will thank you over time, I promise.

What Are Cacao Nibs?

This article from Serious Eats on cacao nibs explains it best:

“Cacao nibs are bits of fermented, dried, roasted and crushed cacao bean. That’s it! The nibs you buy in a health food or gourmet grocery store are just chocolate that hasn’t been ground and mixed with sugar yet. They’re extremely good for you, and have an intense chocolatey taste, but aren’t sweet at all.

If you’re already a chocolate lover, chances are you’ll be into nibs.

The texture is unique—crunchy yet tender, like a macadamia nut, with the mouth-cooling properties bestowed by the magical substance that is cocoa butter; and complex, with a bitter cocoa flavor. The flavor takes a little getting used to, and there are certainly a wide range of qualities of nibs (as there are with anything).”

I started using nibs just because of this one particular recipe because I heard they could be a good substitute for chocolate, and it’s true. The only thing to keep in mind is that they will not be much like chocolate you’re used to: but they definitely have that hint of chocolate essence when you eat them. They take a little imagination, but…

That’s why having them in a smoothie is the perfect thing to do, because you get the sweet creaminess from the smoothie and then bite into the nib and get the sense of eating chocolate chips. And the craving is satisfied!

You can get the kind of Cacao Nibs that I use by clicking here.

Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie Recipe (video) | Nutritarian | Vegan

 

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Author: cheri

Serves: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1 cup non-dairy unsweetened milk (I love almond)
• 3-4 pitted dates
• ½-1 heart of romaine
• 1 handful spinach
• 1 frozen banana
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 tablespoon cacao nibs

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients except the nibs to your high-speed blender and blend until the dates are completely pulverized. Top with the cacao nibs.

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Are you a Mint Chocolate Chip fan like I am??