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After the seemingly endless holiday buffet of donuts, coffee cake, and muffins, our bodies are yearning for a fresh start! Those treats were all tasty at the time, but there’s nothing better than starting the day with a healthy breakfast like this Chunky Monkey Protein Smoothie!
When the cold, gray reality of a February morning sends you running for the pastries or a quick cup of coffee, don’t let your New Year’s Resolutions and positive intentions fall by the wayside.
Instead, you can spend less than 5 minutes whipping up a nutritious meal that your entire family will devour. Loaded with the delicious flavors of chocolate, bananas, and peanut butter, this Chunky Monkey Smoothie is a simple way to power you through the day!
Here’s a reality check:Â Green smoothies are all the rage, but if I serve my boys (or husband) a glass of thick, brownish-green sludge, there is no chance that they will actually ingest the beverage — regardless of how many vitamins it contains. Instead, if I want them to fuel up with fruit, protein, and healthy fats, I better make it all taste ah-mazing.
Mission accomplished! This Chunky Monkey Smoothie is so rich, so chocolatey, and so thick that the kids prefer to eat it with a spoon!
How to Make a Chunky Monkey Protein Smoothie:
You’ll need the following ingredients for this healthy smoothie recipe:
- Chocolate Protein PowderÂ
- Almond Milk, Cashew Milk or other milk of choice
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Frozen, sliced banana
- Peanut butter
- Ice
This IdealLean Chocolate Brownie is my favorite protein powder, which has 0 grams of sugar and only 80 calories per scoop. It adds the perfect thick, creamy texture to the smoothie! I also like this Quest Chocolate Milkshake protein powder.
Oh, and one more note: one key to the thick, creamy texture of this shake is definitely the FROZEN banana! Don’t skip that! It’s a great way to use up overripe bananas, too.
When you have dark bananas on your counter, just peel them, slice them, and wrap them individually. Stick the sliced bananas into the freezer and pull them out as you need them.
Then simply combine all of the ingredients in your blender with plenty of ice and your healthy Chunky Monkey Protein Shake is ready in seconds!
My family might think that they’re getting away with dessert for breakfast, but I know that their little bodies are nourished with a plant-based powerhouse smoothie giving them a fresh, healthy start to the day. And with my own tall glass of chocolate and peanut butter goodness, what more could I ask for?!
COOK’S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:
- If you’re preparing this healthy smoothie for kids, you can omit the protein powder and substitute with Greek yogurt. Since the protein powder adds not only thickness, but also flavor to the smoothie, you’ll want to use a sweetened vanilla Greek yogurt or use a plain Greek yogurt and add your own sweetener, to taste. You will also need an additional 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder for that chocolate taste. The taste and texture of the smoothie recipe with yogurt will not be quite the same as the protein powder version, but your family will still love it!
- Keep the healthy smoothie recipe low sugar by using unsweetened vanilla almond milk and a sugar free protein powder.
- I prefer whey protein for flavor and thickness in this smoothie, but if you prefer a plant-based breakfast, you can substitute with a vegan protein powder.
You might also like these healthy smoothie recipes:
- Cake Batter Healthy Smoothie
- Chunky Monkey Protein Smoothie
- Apple Pie Protein Smoothie
- Chocolate Almond Protein Smoothie
Chunky Monkey Protein Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1-2 cups ice I like to use 2 cups for a very thick smoothie
- 1 banana sliced and frozen
- 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Cashew Milk or other milk of choice
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-2 tablespoons peanut butter
- Pinch of salt
- Optional Garnish: chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and puree until thick and smooth. Garnish with chocolate chips, if desired. Serve immediately!
Notes
- If you’re preparing this healthy smoothie for kids, you can omit the protein powder and substitute with Greek yogurt. Since the protein powder adds not only thickness, but also flavor to the smoothie, you’ll want to use a sweetened vanilla Greek yogurt or use a plain Greek yogurt and add your own sweetener, to taste. You will also need an additional 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder for that chocolate taste. The taste and texture of the smoothie recipe with yogurt will not be quite the same as the protein powder version, but your family will still love it!
- Keep the healthy smoothie recipe low sugar by using unsweetened vanilla almond milk and a sugar free protein powder.
- I prefer whey protein for flavor and thickness in this smoothie, but if you prefer a plant-based breakfast, you can substitute with a vegan protein powder.
- For purposes of calculating nutrition information, I used my favorite IdealLean Chocolate Brownie Protein Powder (which has 80 calories per scoop). You can substitute with a different protein powder, but the nutrition information may vary. Nutrition information does not include optional toppings.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in January, 2017. It was updated in February, 2019.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
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