Super Healthy Delicious Chocolate Protein Smoothie {That Doesn’t Taste Like Grass}
This vitamin-rich, healthy chocolate protein smoothie is the perfect on-the-go breakfast…or just because you’re craving something delicious and chocolate!
I don’t know if I’ve ever made something so many times in a row in a given week as I have this delectable little smoothie. This chocolate protein smoothie is already winning some major fan awards around here. We can’t get enough!
I’ve posted a handful of smoothie recipes over the years, but if I’m being honest, I don’t venture out of my smoothie rotation much because we’ve had some pretty bad tasting healthy smoothies over a lifetime, and we’ve been scarred. There was one time I swear we all sat looking at each other chewing our smoothie and getting grassy bits stuck in our teeth and wondering how to politely spit it out somewhere discreet.
Yeah, that was a traumatic experience for all. I’m happy to report that while this chocolate protein smoothie is incredibly healthy and vitamin-rich, it doesn’t taste even remotely like grass. It is delicious!
With no added sweeteners…and all-natural ingredients…this creamy chocolate smoothie has solidified a place as a breakfast (and afternoon snack) staple with my kids slurping it up faster than I can make it. You guys, IT’S SO GOOD!
Because I usually have homemade kefir coming out of my ears, it’s what I use for the base of this smoothie (hello, probiotics!), but almond milk or any other type of milk would work delightfully well here.
As I note in the recipe, the ingredient amounts are very adaptable (and I’ve given some additional insights at the bottom of the post). While I’ve been sticking pretty close to this particular ingredient lineup, I usually don’t stress about measuring anything. A handful of this, a handful of that.
I’ve started freezing all the bananas I can find and stocking up on frozen cherries from Costco because I do not want even five minutes to get in the way of me being able to whip up this chocolate delight at a moment’s notice.
I’ll be honest, when Theresa, a sweet MKC reader sent me the recipe, I wasn’t sure if it would make my soul sing. I mean, it’s a smoothie after all! If I want a chocolate fix, I’m going straight for the cookies. But I knew no one in my family would complain if I found a way to change up our rather boring kefir smoothies that we drink literally every morning for breakfast. Especially if the new and improved smoothie was all-out chocolate.
And wow. I’ve never had a healthy smoothie (or a chocolate smoothie, for that matter) taste this amazing.
A few tips (and notes on ingredients):
-You definitely want to use unsalted cashews for this recipe. You can experiment with other nuts as well, but I’ve found cashews blend amazing well in this smoothie recipe. If you only have salted nuts, try rinsing them really well.
-I have and use a Vitamix. You can see a comparison I did between Vitamix and Blendtec here. I don’t think you necessarily need either of these blenders for this smoothie recipe, but you definitely want to use a blender that can…well…blend pretty darn well so all those magical ingredients combine into the spectacular frothy creaminess that is this chocolate protein smoothie.
-The protein powder I use regularly is Vital Collagens (I get it at Costco). It is unflavored/unsweetened. Any protein powder you like the taste/texture of will work great here. And you can leave out the protein powder, too.
-Frozen bananas and frozen cherries are key for a super cold smoothie vs just a pitcher of chocolate liquid. I haven’t subbed in other fruits (yet). Also, I’ve discovered that frozen cherries on their own make the most amazing snack (totally worth the tummy ache later).
-If you are new to throwing greens in your smoothie, please, please trust and believe me that you literally cannot even remotely taste the spinach. Not at all. That’s a pretty sweet deal considering the pumped up vitamins it adds to this smoothie.
Ok, there you go! More words than you probably needed to read about a smoothie, of all things, but it was necessary for you to fully understand the life changing power of this chocolate smoothie.
If you try any variations, be sure to report back! I’m not brave enough to venture out quite yet because this particular set of ingredients has made me just so very happy.
And I feel so healthy with all those added vitamins that I almost have the energy to run a marathon! Or maybe just continue to walk slowly on the treadmill. Don’t want to go too crazy. 🙂
One Year Ago: Super Soft Chocolate Drop Sugar Cookies {Thin + Crispy Variation Included!}
Two Years Ago: Thai Coconut Milk Grilled Chicken
Three Years Ago: Turkey and Brown Rice Taco Burritos
Four Years Ago: Easy 5-Minute Thai Peanut Sauce
Five Years Ago: Overnight Raised Waffles
Delicious Chocolate Protein Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup kefir or almond milk (see note)
- ¼ to ⅓ cup unsalted cashews
- ⅓ to ½ cup packed spinach
- 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder, natural unsweetened or Dutch-process
- 1 scoop, or more protein powder
- 10 to 15 frozen cherries
- ½ to 1 frozen banana
Instructions
- Add the ingredients in the order listed to a high-powered blender and process until smooth, scraping down the sides if needed.
Notes
Recommended Products
Other Drink Recipes:
Recipe Source: sent to me by a reader, Theresa (inspired by her sister Annie’s made up smoothie recipe) – thanks, ladies!
208 Comments on “Super Healthy Delicious Chocolate Protein Smoothie {That Doesn’t Taste Like Grass}”
Thanks For Sharing This Info To The User.super Healthy chocolate Protein smoothie
Thanks For Sharing This Info To The User.
Thanks For Sharing This Info To The User. Healthy Chocolate protein smoothie
Delicious! I modified the ingredients based on what I had on hand, so I ended up using water and Greek yogurt for the base, and I left out the cashews and protein powder and used full fat powdered milk instead to add creaminess. So yummy!
Chocolate and healthy…WIN WIN!!
I’ve been drinking this smoothie every morning for years. I’m addicted! I use about 5 cashews to cut down on calories, and it’s still so delicious.
Yum!! This is very similar to the one we make almost every day, but cashews sound amazing and I haven’t tried them yet. Because we love chocolate and peanut butter, we always add flax seed and peanut butter to ours. I can’t wait to try this!
We LOVE this smoothie and have it anywhere from breakfast to snacks to dinner with hamburgers (and pretend it’s a chocolate milkshake ha). Yesterday I threw in Orgain chocolate protein powder and WOW. Thanks for this!
Thanks for sharing; I’ll try making it soon. And, I too have a recipe to share, Kindly check it out: https://nextdayboost.com/recipes/recipe-boost-chocoloco-coffee-cooler-recipe-for-glucose-control-and-original/
Just wanted to say a HUGE thanks to you for this recipe! I’m pregnant & very nauseous 24/7 & struggling between cravings & trying to get nutrients in.
This milkshake is not only healthy, but tastes AMAZING! I didn’t have frozen cherries on hand, but will buy some!
And you’re right, you can’t even tell there’s spinach in there.
I will now be making this everyday!!! Thank you! I just added some extra ice cubes and a tad of vanilla extract and it’s heavenly!
My favorite chocolate smoothie recipe! I put frozen coffee in and left out the bananas. It tasted amazing! The texture of the almonds I subbed for cashews was the only indicator it was healthy thanks for a great smoothie recipe!
I can’t find frozen cherries anywhere, but I’ll keep looking. I live in rural CO. I used frozen raspberries and bananas. I used regular ol’ cocoa powder. Maybe the cherries are the secret ingredient? Mine didn’t taste quite as good as I’d hoped. Do I need to use sweetened almond milk? Maybe I eat too many sweets for this to taste sweet…totally possible! I LOVE Mels Kitchen…I tell everyone I know about it! Thank you for your work!
Hey Jennifer, the cherries will be much more naturally sweet than the raspberries – it will make a pretty big difference!
Excellent! Best ever! I used almond milk and Dutch processed cocoa powder. It was so quick and easy to assemble. We love it! I want more healthy smoothies from Mel! Yum yum yum!
Best chocolate smoothie I’ve had TO DATE.
Delicious chocolate cherry flavor, and you can not taste the spinach or cashews.
This was really good! I got the chocolate fudge protein powder from Costco so I used that and didn’t add in the cocoa powder. It takes like a very rich chocolate milkshake!
So good! It reminded me of a Wendy’s frosty, but better. It even worked in my little Hamilton Beach individual cup blender – I soaked the cashews for just a few minutes in boiling water. My Super Target has frozen sweet cherries (store brand). !
It’s so funny, a friend gave me this exact recipe last year! I loved on it all summer but had forgotten about it since then. I’ll have to start making it—I still have frozen cherries in my freezer. I also sometimes add a date (I keep them in my freezer and microwave it right before using so I can take the pit out and so it blends better. It makes it a little sweeter.
The best!!! How have I not tried this. Delish, kids loved it too. Yum
McMullin Orchards in Payson, Utah has the BEST sweet cherries that I freeze every year for smoothies. They also have tart cherries you can buy that are frozen-and added bonus- they ship… they would be perfect for this recipe! Thank you for always providing yummy recipes!
Best smoothie ever!! I have made it many times since you posted the recipe and it’s our family favorite by far! Question- have you tried it with frozen tart cherries? I’ve had a difficult time finding the sweet cherries I bought when you first posted the recipe- I’m sad my Costco doesn’t carry them anymore and the grocery stores are hit and miss. Costco just started carrying frozen “tart cherries” and I’m wondering if you’ve ever tried them? Or if you have a good place to get sweet frozen cherries besides Costco? Thank you Mel!!
That’s a bummer, Haley! I haven’t tried tart cherries, but it’s worth a try – the smoothie will obviously be less sweet so you may need to adjust the sweetener to balance it all out.
I love this recipe! Tastes amazing as written. It’s also surprisingly good substituting vanilla protein powder (and leaving out the cocoa powder). And guess what—I use salted cashews, because I have a Costco sized jar of them, and they work perfectly. Frozen cherries are a revelation.
This is CRAZY good!!! This will be on repeat at my house!! Sending love and prayers that you are having a smooth recovery.
I made this smoothie but with walnuts instead of cashews.. I just roasted the walnuts for 12 mins at 300 degrees. I didn’t use banana but used a organic probiotic chocolate protein powder. This is so delicious. You don’t taste the spinach at all!! I’m a very picky adult eater and this is the first smoothie I ever loved.
Buy a bag of frozen cherries at Costco so worth it
Mel,
This sounds wonderful! Would by chance have the calorie count on it? I can’t wit to try it! Thank you! Elizabeth
I just plugged it in MFP: it’s 689 calories. I used 1.5 scoops of vanilla protein powder.
I just put it into mfp and got 259 calories, 31 g carbohydrate. Made it with 1c unflavored almond milk and plain protein powder. Followed directions exactly. It’s good.
I really wanted to try this but was out of frozen bananas and only had salted cashews, so I had to improvise. I used a non-frozen banana and just added some ice to help it be cold enough, and I just used a scoop of peanut butter in place of the cashews (I make a similar smoothie that uses peanut butter, so I knew it would taste good). The result is a success! I love that this gives me my chocolate shake fix, because I’m allergic to dairy and can’t have shakes (but I love them to death). I love that this also has cherries in it, because the other smoothie I make only uses banana, so I like that there are more fruits in this one. I also don’t have any protein powder so I left that out (I put a few drops of vanilla in it though). I’m excited to try this with all the right ingredients!
Mel, this is SO yummy!!
And your right it doesn’t taste like grass I am actually a little confused at how these ingredients all come together and taste so amazing. I have feed it to all my kids and they have no idea that it’s heathy. Definitely taste like a treat. My daughter is doing six months no sugar and this will help get her through!!
Thanks again for sharing!
So I’ve been making this a lot and I love it but it doesn’t really look like yours… Like an actual chocolate shake. Mine is definitely like a smoothie. You can still see the tiniest bits of banana or whatnot. I’m guessing it’s the blender? I have a ninja, which I consider to be pretty good but I know people rave about Vitamix. I also always have to add more almond milk than in the recipe to make it drinkable. I still really like it but I’m just curious why mine looks so different and needs more liquid.
Hi Alyssa, I’m guessing it does probably boil down to blender and how smooth each brand of blender can get the mixture. Have you tried blending it for longer?
Hi Mel
What do you suggest as a substitute for cashews for someone with a tree nut allergy
I haven’t tried it but you could try a combination of flax and sunflower seeds or something like that?
I decided to try this when you posted it as one of your top recipes for the year because I am feeling all jazzed about eating healthier and this has been a life saver for me! I get to eat a chocolate shake every day and I don’t even feel bad about it! Thank you!
I wanted to say I’ve made this recipe virtually every single day since you posted it! I love it SO much!
Lately I’ve been skipping the protein powder, but do add a bit of Amla powder (an antioxidant; ordered from Amazon). I also use cacao instead of cocoa, and sometimes add riced cauliflower, but only if I’ve only bought it a day or two ago. As it gets older it seems the cauliflower scent is too strong.
Thank you so much for such a winner! It’s a staple for me!
So happy you are still loving this one, Kelly!
An important note for smoothie novices like myself : Peel the banana before freezing it! I froze mine with the peel on, and it was impossible to peel it frozen, and had to cut the skin off with a knife… Otherwise, delicious!! I also did not have frozen cherries, so I used grapes.
Hi Mel, I’m excited to try this smoothie. It sounds so delicious but I do have one question. The only unsalted cashews i could find at my store were raw cashews. Is that what you use?
Yes, those are great!
Thanks so much Mel. I’m drinking the smoothie right now and it is fantastic, as all your recipes are. Thank you for all you do and especially for being so generous with your time and your recipes. You are greatly appreciated.
Which protein powder do you recommend?
I use vital proteins collagen protein powder (unflavored).
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe! My 4yr old will not let a single veggie pass his lips, but he loves this smoothie! I have tried so many hidden vegetable smoothies but this is the only one. He even watches me add the spinach and still asks for more. We usually double the recipe for our family of 4. (Side note: we use dairy milk, no protein powder (yet), and a little drizzle of pure maple syrup)
I just made this using 1/2 banana milk instead of frozen banana because it’s what I had in hand and cacao powder instead of cocoa just to up nutrients and my 3 year old is currently drinking it and asking if I’m giving him marshmallows and chocolate for breakfast that’s a win in my book!!
This is sooooo good!! I was nervous about spending the money on unsalted cashews because I was skeptical I would like this smoothie. But the allure of getting my chocolate and cherry fix in a healthy smoothie instead of Cherry Garcia hooked me, so I tried it. It really is delish! The cashews blended completely smooth, which I was worried about. I have had it for breakfast all week and I’m still not sick of it. Thanks again, Mel! You have not let me down once. Your recipes are amazing!!!
Yay! So happy to hear it, Lisa!
Hi Mel! The last time I ate fresh cherries I had the worst stomach ache of my life. I saw your stomach ache comment about eating frozen cherries and was wondering if this is a common thing. Does it always happen to you? I love cherries but I’m afraid to eat them now 🙁
I think it really depends on the person – my husband and kids never get tummy aches from cherries but every once in a while, I do. I think my stomach is just more prone to feeling a bit upset after eating them. Having said that, I’ve never felt tummy sick after this smoothie so for me, it’s more when I eat cherries plain.
So good! I used raw almonds and left out the protein powder. I also used way more spinach.
The whole family loved this. Vital Collagens is the only protein I will use as I hate all sweeteners. It was a great to change it up as they get burnt out on a smoothie recipes. These are some of our favorites.
https://www.thenaturalnurturer.com/blog/green-grinch-smoothies
http://www.nutritiouseats.com/wild-blueberry-coconut-smoothie/
(I add spinach to this one so it is not as pretty as the picture but still tastes great.)
Hey Mel! This smoothie has been so yummy! Thank you. Question – are your recipes syncing with the Prepear app? I keep going to find the latest there and I can’t find them. Is there a way to follow all your new recipes there? Thank you!!!
Hey Michelle! They should be! Let me do some digging and see what’s going on…
My husband is allergic to cashews. What would you recommend for a replacement?
I think almonds would make a good substitute (maybe soaked overnight to help them blend well?)
Finally got around to making this and I’m glad I did. Used chocolate protein powder. I felt like I was drinking from the river of Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. So much rich and chocolaty goodness. Wow! And you’re right, it totally doesn’t taste like grass–not a thing! Thanks for the recipe. I definitely think I can keep the chocolate craving in check with this one!
I love this smoothie! But I have to up the cherries because the cherry+chocolate combo is amazing. Thanks for sharing this goodness!
This is a game changer!! I would easily take this over a bowl of chocolate ice cream (I really enjoy chocolate ice cream). I made it with whole milk since that is what I had on hand.
I’ve been enjoying this for the past couple of weeks since you posted it but today I used ideal fit chocolate coconut protein powder. Oh my goodness! Try it now!
My sister just told me the same thing tonight. Yum!
I used whole milk (because it’s what I had) and omitted the protein powder (because it’s what I didn’t have). Turned out great, especially when paired with your oatmeal applesauce muffins! Thanks for giving me a healthy breakfast option!
Thanks, Amy!
SO SO yummy! Looks like I’m keeping these ingredients on hand!
Yesss!
This is DELICIOUS!! We love smoothies at our house, and this one is going in the rotation. My toddler tried it, and said, “Yum! I like chocolate milk!”
Haha, can’t argue with that reaction!! So cute!
This is absolutely delicious! I made it without the protein powder since that isn’t something I keep on hand, and I used a whole banana to make it extra thick and creamy. I’ve also substituted frozen blueberries for the cherries when my grocery store ran out of frozen cherries (gasp!), and it’s still delicious. The blueberries don’t change the flavor or texture, but they do change the color a bit. The cherries keep the smoothie a chocolatey brown color, while the blueberries darken it into a purplish/dark grey color. Not quite as appetizing to look at, but still very tasty!
Thanks, Margo! Glad to know blueberries make a great sub for the cherries!
I love this!! Absolutely delicious chocolatey goodness. I left out the protein powder since it’s not something I keep on hand. I used the full 15 cherries and a whole banana and it was still nice and thick and creamy. This is my new go to smoothie! Also, in a pinch, when my grocery store was out of frozen cherries, I substituted a couple of handfuls of frozen blueberries. Using blueberries doesn’t change the flavor or texture, but it does change the color of the smoothie. Rather than turning out a nice chocolatey brown, it turns a kind of purplish/dark grey. Not nearly as pretty to look at, but still very, very yummy!
So I feel really dumb asking this, especially since I’ve been cooking homemade meals for my family for over 11 years, but what is kefir?
Hey Chantel, that’s not a dumb question! It sounds odd but kefir is a fermented milk drink (ends up being like thin yogurt) that has tons of healthy probiotics and bacteria that’s really good for gut health. I have a post about it here: http://melkitchencafe.com/lets-talk-all-about-milk-kefir/
Reporting back I love this so much I ordered a 6-at-a-time cherry pitter from Amazon so that when it’s cherry season I can pit and freeze my own cherries. I’ve never had those frozen before. Yum!! They are amazing in this smoothie.
Haha. Love this! I freeze cherries in the summer, too, and they are divine. One tip: I freeze the pitted cherries in a single layer on a baking tray before popping them in freezer bags (or food saver bags).
I’ve made this a few times now, and I LOVE it. It actually keeps me full! Do you think it would work to add in some iced coffee? I love the smoothie, but I’m a little too full to drink my coffee along with it. My tummy feels all sloshy.
I’m sure you could try!
Wow! My kids and I just had this for a snack. I used chocolate almond milk, and the rest of the ingredients were the same. It was delicious!! You can’t even taste the spinach, cherries, or cashews- pretty much just chocolate and banana! Thank you for the recipe!
THIS IS SOOOO YUMMY! I like my smoothies really cold and thick, so I froze ALL the ingredients (separately) except the almond milk. When blended together, it’s the consistency of a thick shake! Yum.
Kristen, (who commented April 10 and said it tastes bad), do you think it’s your protein powder? I just left it out completely. There are some really gross tasting protein powders out there.
Thank you again, Mel, for a fantastic and healthy recipe! Love, love, love your site! You are such a blessing to me and our family! My husband says he is going to put a sign in our kitchen that says “Mel’s Kitchen.” Ha.
Haha. Your husband is funny (I hope he’s joking). 🙂 And thanks for your review on this one! We’re still making it nonstop – so good! And it makes me happy that so many are loving it, too.
Hey – so I used the same protein powder as Mel and once I tried it with a whole banana and more cherries, and left out the spinach completely it tasted much better! Maybe my spinach was bad… Anyways, I like it now!
Yay! Glad it was better this time, Kristin! 🙂
I’ve had it pretty much every day the past week and I keep craving it.
I decided to check when I commented on this smoothie, curious to see how long I’ve been drinking this.
OH MY GOODNESS, I’ve been drinking this smoothie almost EVERY DAY for 4 YEARS!! I still love this, and crave it every morning. Thanks so much, Mel! 🙂
Oh yay, I love that, Jill!!
Tastes fantastic, and healthy! What else should I ask for? More great recipes! Thank you very much, Mel!
Thank you!
Finally made it! Love it! Love you!
Yay, yay!
I actually made this exactly as written–except I used a room temperature banana. I would have used a cold banana but who knew you couldn’t peel a frozen banana??? Excellent smoothie–one that we will use as a meal replacement in the summer when we come home late from a bike ride. Love that there is no sugar added and it is plenty sweet!
I’m glad you liked this one, Cinda! I also have it pegged for a summer treat already too!
But with coconut milk. The canned kind. Oh. My. Goodness.
Mel – Thank you so much for sharing your recipes! I love them! Except this one is not turning out for me…. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. I used half a frozen banana instead of a whole, and fresh spinach that I had thrown in the freezer – would either of those things make a difference? Thanks!
Hey Kristin – can you help me understand what’s going wrong? Is it the texture? Or the taste? I have never used frozen spinach and so my guess it that may be the culprit since I can only vouch for using fresh spinach. But let me know what’s going on and we can try to get to the bottom of it!
It’s the taste – it’s awful and it’s not very cold. So I know something is wrong because everyone else loves it according to the comments. Everything else I’ve made from your recipes has been amazing. Maybe I’ll try leaving out the spinach to see how it tastes, then only use fresh spinach going forward if that’s the problem. Thanks 🙂
Hmmm. You might also try adding in a few extra cherries and upping the banana to a whole frozen banana.
Frozen banana makes a big difference in texture. It will be more runny if it’s not frozen; thicker if frozen. Maybe cut down on the spinach too. Frozen might be smaller in size and so you are ending up with too much in there.
Hi Mel. This is Lucy. I’m at Costco and I’m having a hard time finding which protein powder you use. Would you be able to take a picture of the one you have for me? I would appreciate that.
Hi Lucy – this is the one I buy: https://www.vitalproteins.com/collections/collagen/products/collagen-peptides?gclid=CjwKCAjwhbHlBRAMEiwAoDA342F23O7NEbmb3LLdTypY8C7sI4529p0ny9nkAHndx2dUZXyA4hYKoxoC7OgQAvD_BwE
This is good. The combination of tangy kefir and rich chocolate and sweet tangy cherries and the thick creaminess from the bananas and cashews…it’s like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. No flavor overpowers another. It’s the trifecta of smoothies–healthy, filling and crazy delicious! This is my third day in a row drinking it and I never share it with anyone and I can’t wait to drink it again tomorrow.
Thanks for letting me know, Rachell!
We recently made your Incredible Chocolate Pudding that used the dark chocolate almond milk. Would that be good with this in place of plain almond milk and the cocoa powder?
Yes I think it would be tasty!
I just bought all the ingredients to make this. So excited to try it! How much do you multiply this recipe to feed your family of 7?
I triple it (mostly) – I kind of eyeball it. Not everyone drinks the same amount but that gives us a pitcher full.
This is a new favorite. Thank you for posting!
Thanks, Amy!
Mel, my family loooooves this smoothie recipe. I quietly assembled the ingredients last week and nonchalantly made it this past Saturday morning. I have pledged to keep frozen cherries on hand at all times from now on (that’s the only ingredient that isn’t in our regular lineup).
The thing about smoothie recipes is that you’d like to think that you barely need a recipe and how hard could it be. But that is SO untrue. One false move and you’ve ruined a bunch of frozen bananas with a barely drinkable sludge.
I already loved you, but this recipe made my kids feel like they too know and love you. Thank you, Mel!
Hahaha. “barely drinkable sludge” YES. That has happened too many times in my life to ever look down my nose at a smoothie “recipe” ever again (although I confess, I do get tempted at times to start the high road of no-recipes-needed-for-innocent-little-smoothies and then am quickly corrected). I’m SO thrilled you liked this, Nicole, and it pleases me to no end to hear your kids loved it so much, too! I also have taken the frozen cherry pledge. Thanks for letting me know!
THIS IS THE BEST SMOOTHIE EVER!! Thank you! Thank you! My entire family loved it!
I used So Delicious coconut creamer since we are dairy free and it worked great.
So happy to hear it, Elizabeth! Thank you!
Another great recipe from you. Most smoothies don’t fill me up. I’m starving in no time, even when I add protein powder but this one has kept me full and it’s almost lunch time. I think maybe the cashews help make it more filling. I’ve never thought to add nuts to my smoothies. The chocolate taste is amazing. I sent it right away to my sisters who are chocolateholics as well. Thank you.
Thanks, Loni – I agree with you – I think it’s the cashews that help keep me full, too, which I love.
I must have done something wrong. It was so sour and gross I dumped it out.
I have the Kefir. I used a different sample of some unflavored collagen protein (couldn’t find the one you use!) and maybe that made the difference? I also didn’t have spinach but rather a mixed greens salad box which I (un-carefully) pulled spinach out of.
Maybe it was because I used too much Kefir.. I was close (but eyeballing) a cup of kefir..
Either way, I’m on a mission to taste what you’re all tasting! I love my Kefir, strawberry, mango, banana smoothie every morning but it’d be nice to have some varietY! Heading to whole foods today because I’ve seen them having a bunch of the sample sizes of the protein powders.
Hey Amy – were the cherries you used sweet cherries or sour cherries?
I buy the Vital Proteins at Target. It is great and has no flavor. Maybe some of your mixed greens that are more bitter got in. Adding a little more banana could help too if you like things on the sweeter side. I used almond milk, Kefir is more sour so maybe that was it.
This is SO delicious! I had to scrounge up the ingredients to make it. But I’m going to Costco soon to restock. My whole family loved it enough it might dethrone their favorite smoothie. Thank you!
Thanks, Ann!
Tried this smoothie this morning. It’s my new favorite smoothie recipe! Thanks for a winner!
Thanks, Lisa!
Well, you were right….again. You cannot really taste anything but the chocolate! I have one prepped and in the freezer for tomorrow morning! I now buy that Silk Dark Chocolate milk, because you have ruined me forever and I love that stuff and I used that instead of regular almond milk. I should not have added the cocoa, but I did. I will skip the dark chocolate almond milk from here on out. Great recipe!
A new grocery store here carries that dark chocolate almond milk in gallon size!!! It’s revolutionary.
Ran to Costco last night for the cherries and a plant-based protein powder. Made this for my daughter this morning — WOW! I can see why this has been on repeat in your house. It’s delish!
Yay, Alicia! Glad it was worth the trip to the store!
This was so good! I didn’t add the cashews since my blender probably couldn’t handle it but it still turned out great! I always add frozen spinach to my smoothies and it works really well, still blends mostly smooth, no weird green color just a few flecks of green throughout (probably would be totally smooth in a Vitamix)
Glad you loved it, Lexy!
This is also delicious with frozen cranberries.
Great idea!
I am looking forward to trying this! I just picked up the Vital Proteins powder at Costco. It is on sale until April 21–woohoo! However, our Costco doesn’t have any frozen cherries. Any thoughts on a good substitution? Thanks!
Oh darn it! Does your local grocery store have them? If not you might try strawberries or blueberries (I haven’t tried either of those so I can’t say for sure how they’d work out)http://melkitchencafe.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php?comment_status=moderated#comments-form
Walmart carries smaller bags of frozen cherries. That’s where I usually buy mine for other shakes I make on a regular basis (until I read Mel’s post about getting them at Costco!)
I Found A nice big bag of frozen cherries at my Local Walmart. I don’t live close to Costco and Sam’s also doesn’t have them.
Bummer, my Costco carries frozen cherries.
Um…this was the best smoothie I’ve ever had! I just made it for a light dinner for the family and, after they’d all rated it a 10/10, I took maybe too much joy in telling them that there was oodles of spinach in it. My brand new Vitamix just arrived today. Perfect timing. Thank you for yet another incredible recipe, Mel!
Yay, Natalie! So happy…and love the idea of serving this for a healthy dinner.
I’m not a huge protein powder lover but this was surprisingly delicious! I’ll definitely make it again.
Thanks for letting me know, Jayme!
I am so excited to try this! We have been making a smoothie every single day for YEARS (go Vitamix!!!) and my kids…well…they are far from excited about having to drink it every day. (To be honest so am I). I always figured, even if the rest of the day we eat horribly, at least I know we got SOMETHING healthy in us. I will totally be trying this next week! I think my kids will die of excitement. Chocolate! For breakfast!
Sounds delicious! What brand of cocoa powder do you use?
I usually use Hershey’s (regular or special dark) or Guittard. 🙂
I’m glad you liked it Mel! I made it this morning for breakfast before I read your post. 😉 Just love you lots around here! Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much, Annie! Love this recipe and appreciate you for sending it to me!
I was wondering whether frozen spinach would yield a similar result…I’m thinking it would turn everything green…I’ll try it.
You’d definitely want to use less (which you probably already know) – report back if you try it!
I buy the bags of prewashed baby spinach at the grocery store and pop those in the freezer. That way I never have slimy spinach if I don’t use it all within a few days. It also helps keep the smoothie nice and cold! I wouldn’t want to use it for a salad after it’s been thawed, but for smoothies it works awesome!
I’m so happy you loved the smoothie! Wow! Thanks for posting, Mel. I am grateful for the work you do to make our home a happier and tastier place to dwell.
Thank you so much, Theresa! So many others are falling in love with it, too. You are a smoothie genius!
This looks very appealing and after reading all the glowing reviews I am very tempted to try this, however, I really hate the taste of banana which rules out a lot of smoothie recipes. Is the banana taste strong in this, and if so, what would you recommend in place of?
I like the taste of banana so I’m probably not an objective reviewer of the flavor profile. If you don’t want to use it you might try googling a good substitute!
Can I use anything instead of the banana?
Is the protein powder necessary? Or is it tasty also without.?
Yes, you can leave out the protein powder. It might be slightly less creamy, but still tasty
CAN I USE COCONUT MILK INSTEAD OF ALMOND MILK.
Yes, I think so
I’m making this tomorrow morning. Don’t normally want any chocolate that early but it’s got me intrigued. Does that collagen really help you?
I really like it. I’ve tried so many natural protein powders over the years and it’s the only one I’ve used consistently (can’t stand the taste of most others). I don’t know if I’ve seen any miraculous benefits, but I like the boost of collagen protein it gives.
I love smoothies but 2 of my boys do not. Hopefully they will love this one because it is chocolate. I get my Vital Proteins at Target and love that you have it in this. I am allergic to nuts but we have chickens. I am thinking I will use 3 freshly laid eggs’ yolks in place of the nuts. I will report back. This looks so yummy and nutritious.
You could always put in a seed butter- tahini, sunflower, etc.. since you’re allergic to nuts and still get that creamy add in!
I just whipped up an improvised version and I can definitely taste the potential! I used half milk and half strained yogurt; in place of cashews I soaked some almonds in boiling water to soften (and inadvertently learned how easy it is to blanch almonds!); I only had tart pie cherries but used them anyway; and the only banana I had was room temp and supremely brown, which I know from experience would overpower the flavor, so I added two pitted dates and some ice instead. Definitely a departure from the recipe as written, but it’s still pretty tasty and I can’t wait to try it with the right ingredients. Thanks for sharing!
Haha, love how it can transform into something different with all the slight ingredient variations, but I love that you went with what you had on hand and made it work!
I went to Costco today to get the right stuff, and ended up only getting bananas. I think I’ll stick with the tart cherries and almonds for now (gotta respect the grocery budget!). I’m excited to try it again.
If you’re looking for a more affordable protein powder option, I really like the Nature’s Bounty Protein & Vitamin Shake Mix with Collagen, Fiber & Probiotics. My friend introduced it to me and I really like the flavor compared to others I’ve tried. CVS almost always has it on sale buy one (16oz) container for $19.99 and, get a second one for free. Higher price, but they also have a chocolate plant-based option for the same deal. https://www.cvs.com/shop/nature-s-bounty-optimal-solutions-vanilla-protein-shake-16-oz-prodid-1010581?skuid=888098
Do you know how many cllories are in this smoothie. Most tend to be high in calories and not just a “snack”. Sounds darn good though
I’m sorry, I don’t!
I added the ingredients into My Fitness Pal as 2 servings, and using unsweetened almond milk. I got it as 268 calroies per serving. Of course, it will depend on what protein powder you use. I have chocolate Orgain right now. I want to try Mel’s though.
Can you substitute regular low fat milk for the almond milk or Kefir? If so, have you tried the substitution and was there a big difference in the taste?
I haven’t tried subbing in cow’s milk in this smoothie, so I can’t say for sure, but I’m guessing it will probably work!
I use a chocolate plant based protein powder, I add, almond butter, 1 tbsp of chia seeds and flax seeds. I also do a chocolate protein powder, pb2 powder, banana, chia, flax, almond butter, and 1/2 cup quick oats. Delicious.
Sounds tasty!
Mel, do you freeze your bananas with the peel on or off? Thanks
Hi Connie – I peel the bananas and throw them in a freezer bag.
Yum!! This is very close to the one we make almost daily, but I haven’t done cashews, that sounds amazing. We always throw peanut butter and flax seed in ours as well, because chocolate and PB . Can’t wait to give this a try!
YUM!
I have bags and bags of frozen cherries from my tree last year. Can’t wait to use them up before this year’s cherries come.
Lucky!!
We are not cherry fans in this house. Is the cherry flavor strong? What substitute would you recommend?
Hi Angie, I don’t think the cherry flavor is strong at all. It’s very subtle and when I made this the first time, no one could even tell there was spinach or cherries in it.
I have a few smoothie recipes that I ADORE that take frozen unsweetened cherries. I don’t think the cherry flavor is strong at all, and I don’t like cherries. I think this smoothie sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it! My kids still have spring break for another week this week (WOOT) so we will be making this for sure.
Oh my gosh! Proof read! Nut allergy! It’s early where I live.
Exactly which Vial Collagens protein powder do you use in the smoothie?
Hey Marcia, I use the Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides (in the blue canister)
I am getting the ingredients today!!!
Do you think this would hold if I made it the night before? My hysband gets up before me, and this would be great for him to have in the morning
Ha! i just reread your post and saw where it said it would be chocolate liquid, I don’t think he’ll mind
This recipe is perfect timing! My husband is having some jaw work done tomorrow and will be living on smoothies for a couple of weeks.
I’m allergic to dairy and blended cashews are a great way to get things creamy without dairy. A tip for getting cashews blended well even if you don’t have a professional grade blender is to soak them. Either soak them in water overnight or if you didn’t plan ahead, you can pour boiling water over them and let them soak for 15 minutes. Then drain, rinse, and blend. They’ll be softer to start with and blend more easily.
Good luck to your husband!
Thanks for this! I was just going to ask for details about possibly soaking the cashews because our blender isn’t a superstrong Vitamix or Blendtec. I’ll give it a try!
So I’m one of those people with a bit allergy in the family. Are the cashews simply for health benefits (and probably some yumminess) or are they vital? I guess I can give it a try without them, but I thought I’d ask first.
Oh my gosh! Proof read! Nut allergy! It’s early where I live.
Cottage cheese will add creaminess and protein! I love using it in a smoothie recipe I use that ends up tasting like a milkshake!
Such a great idea!
Hey Kim – good question. The cashews add creaminess and a bit of protein. Is there a nut-free type butter (like sun butter) you use with good results? You might try subbing in a couple tablespoons of something like that.
Had to try this today. I used half an avocado instead of chasews and coconut milk instead of almond milk (because I’m doing a whole30 to get an autoimmune disorder under contro). It worked well! Still creamy and couldn’t taste the avocado. AND DELISH!!!!
Yum! Sounds delicious!
Does the cherry flavor really come through in the smoothie? Could I leave it out or would that alter the finished taste?
I just made it and I don’t taste the cherries at all. I’m sure you could sub blueberries as well.
Hey Laurie – I agree with Laura – I don’t find the cherry flavor noticeable. You wouldn’t want to leave them out without subbing in another frozen fruit for texture and sweetness. I’ve only made it with cherries but you could try to sub in another fruit.
Any particular reason cow’s milk wasn’t included in the substitutions? We have a tree nut allergy in our household, so we can’t use any tree nut based ingredients. Thanks!
Hey Tiffany – no reason other than I’ve only made it with kefir and almond milk so I hesitate to give substitutions if I haven’t tried them myself. But I’m sure cow’s milk would work just fine!
Can you tell me how many calories are in this shake?
I haven’t calculated the nutritional info so I’m not sure. Sorry! There are a lot of online nutritional calculators that can do that for you if needed.
I added the ingredients into My Fitness Pal as 2 servings, and using unsweetened almond milk. I got it as 268 calroies per serving. Of course, it will depend on what protein powder you use. I have chocolate Orgain right now. I want to try Mel’s though.
Wahoo! I always look forward to a good smoothie recipe. Thanks!!
Any suggestions for something other than a banana? I absolutely hate bananas and can taste them in everything, no matter how small the amount. I have heard about freezing an avocado for smoothies but haven’t tried that yet.
Hmmm, the avocado definitely sounds like a good idea for a frozen creamy substitute.
I’ve found that frozen pear works really well as a banana replacement. Adds the sweetness like a banana but not an overpowering flavor.
Thank you.
I use a frozen avocado all the time and it gives the same creamy texture as a banana but just like the spinach, you don’t taste it. I cut up a whole one into chunks and freeze, then usually use 1/3 at a time.
thank you!
I’m allergic to raw bananas and have been looking for a replacement in smoothies as well. I’m allergic to avocados too.
I read the comments on another one of Mel’s smoothie posts and someone recommended a few frozen grapes for added sweetness. I’m also planning to try frozen coconut chunks from Trader Joe’s.
The pear suggestion is a good idea but I never have pears on hand. I wonder if I could get canned pears and freeze them?