Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Hidden Greens Chocolate Protein Shake
Yield
3 cups (750 mL)
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
This smoothie calls for 2 tablespoons of hemp hearts which provide a huge nutritional boost to this smoothie, including more than 6 grams of complete protein, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and more. Hemp hearts, kale, and dates require a strong blender to blend them smooth (a Vitamix blends them into a super creamy shake). If your blender can't blend the hemp hearts, kale, or dates smooth, I recommend swapping out the hemp for a serving of your favourite protein powder and swapping the dates for pure maple syrup (otherwise, you'll just have a grainy end result). You can also swap the kale for baby spinach as it blends easier.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 (375 mL) cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup frozen organic kale
- 2 to 3 pitted large Medjool dates, to taste*
- 2 tablespoons hulled hemp seed
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 large frozen banana
- Dash of cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon avocado (for thickening)
- Ice, if desired
Directions
- Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Adjust sweetness to taste, if desired.
Tip:
- * If your dates are dry or stiff, I recommend soaking the pitted dates in boiled water for a half hour and then draining well before use.
This is a lot like the cheerful chocolate smoothie in your cookbook! I love it, thanks for always sharing recipes even while taking care of Adrianna. Can’t wait for you to complete the second cookbook! Have a wonderful summer!
So glad you enjoyed it Hannah!! It’s my current favourite. :) Hope you are enjoying your summer too!
Thank you for your wonderful recipes! : )
Sorry if someone has already said this, but I’m just concerned about the option for frozen greens. I think that for food safety reasons, frozen veggies are generally meant to be cooked thoroughly before eating. Personally I’d just use fresh greens that I know are okay raw!
Good thought, but that’s not exactly true. Most frozen vegetables are frozen at the peak of their nutrition, often resulting in them being healthier than “fresh” that have been sitting in the grocery store for a few days. :) so you’re good to go with frozen, especially organic.
Yes, I’m just concerned because I think that commercial frozen vegetables are meant to be cooked thoroughly. I think they are at risk of containing bacteria that would need to be killed by cooking, for food safety reasons.
Interesting! I always thought that frozen veggies were typically blanched before freezing (thus killing bacteria)?
I guess they are blanched. But I read they are always supposed to be cooked fully for food safety–I guess they are not usually intended to be eaten raw and thus aren’t held to the same food safety standards as, say, frozen fruit intended to be eaten raw? After I read about this, I noticed some of the frozen vegetables I buy even say right on the bag “For food safety, please fully cook all frozen vegetables,” but I think that applies even when it doesn’t say so.
Thanks for sharing – I’m certainly going to look into this! I wonder what food safety steps make the frozen fruit any different from the frozen vegetables?
I think for the most part it’s a CYA thing. If you have been eating frozen veggies without cooking I’m sure it’s no big deal.
Umm…my kids eat frozen peas right out of the bag…I think its ok…
I just buy my greens fresh and stick them in the freezer. Problem solved!
They definitely are before freezing. I’m more leary of fresh uncooked greens.
Yum!!! I discovered chocolate smoothies this spring and made them almost exactly like this but without the dates and I used chia instead of hemp. I bet this is even more delicious! Can’t wait to try it and everything in your next cookbook. I’m counting down the months until it’s available! Thanks for posting :D
This sounds amazing. I love how much protein this has without the addition of protein powder! Totally making this for breakfast tomorrow.
What do you do with the rest of the avocado though? I would hate to waste it…
I recently opened and pitted an avacado. I used half (I know this calls for less) but then drenched the other half that was open with fresh lemon juice and put it in a storage bag in the fridge. I left the skin on and when I got home from work about ten hours later, it was fine to use for guacamole for that night. I’ve also frozen them before after cutting in chunks, but I like using it later that day better.
Like Lisa, I also store leftover avocado (with the pit) in the fridge to eat later that day. I always have avocado with my lunch so it’s usually not hard to use it up (and my daughter eats it now too!).
Another option, is to freeze the leftovers in 1-2 tbsp portions perfect for smoothies. :)
This sounds amazing! What could I sub hemp hearts with? I can’t get them where I’m from :/
protein powder – see my recipe headnote :)
Love this! Where did you get the glasses in the picture from? I really love the gold pattern.
They are from Chapters/Indigo book store (ordered online earlier this year) :)
I just made this and I couldn’t even wait to finish drinking it to get on here and tell you how delicious this is! It makes a generous serving. It made a pint glass size for me and a smaller glass for my three year old daughter (who LOVES it, by the way!)
So glad you both enjoyed it! My daughter loves it too! hah
I just made this and it was deelish! I used cacao instead of cocoa powder. Is there a reason you didn’t use cacao? Is there a bigger benefit using one over the other?
I use them both – no real rhyme or reason when I use one or the other, I just am out of the cacao right now :)
Looks simple, healthy, and delicious! It’s the perfect cool-off treat for hot summer days like today!
It also looks like a great way to sneak in greens for little kids… did Adriana get to try it? :)
https://peanutbutterandle.wordpress.com
yes she loved it! hah
Hi, seems like a really amazing recipe! I was wondering if I could omit the dates or sub stevia instead? Do you think that would greatly affect the recipe? Thanks in advance. :)
try adding a small handful of fresh mint for a chocolate mint smoothie. Umm, hi! Amazing!! ;)
u = genius!
I can’t wait to make this! It looks so delicious! Hemp seeds are my absolute favorite way to add protein to pretty much anything.
This was amazing!! My dates didn’t get fully blended though (I have the ninja blender) any suggestions on how to make sure they do? Thanks :)
Try pouring boiling water over them and letting them sit for, say, 15-minutes? Drain them well, and they should be softened enough to mix. Or get a Vitamixer!
My Breville blender will liquify an iphone, but even when I soak dates, I still end up with date chunks, too!
If you also have this problem, try making a batch of date paste. Soak 1 cup of pitted, halved dates in 1/2 cup of hot water for 30 minutes. Pour the whole shebang into the food processor (the smaller the bowl, the better) and process until smooth. Then, just use it to taste. It keeps in the fridge for about 2 weeks and freezes well. You can even pre-measure it and freeze in ice cube trays if you want to make your own “smoothie pack” ahead of time, no thawing required.
The smoothie was really nice, it wasn’t too sweet which is a bonus. I loved the addition of avocado to add to the thickness, I might even try chia seeds next time if I am short of avos. The only issue is, I still found the colour of the greens (I used English spinach) tried to fight back in my blender, so my smoothie had a green tinge to it. I had to use chocolate protein powder as I can’t get hemp seeds where I am from. Other than that, great smoothie!
Hi!
I am curious, I cannot eat bananas and have avoided smoothies because most contain them. What would be a good substitute for the banana?
Thanks!
Just leave the banana out. It will be fine.
This is a great smoothie. I often dislike hemp hearts as they taste like grass to me – but this recipe is a perfect balance of rich chocolate flavor and sweetness. Made it exactly as written minus the avocado and I’ll definite make it again! Thanks, Angela!
This smoothie sounds delicious! I love that there’s no protein powder but it still has a good amount of protein from the hemp seeds.
I’m also curious where you go those cups. They’re adorable!
Angela, you are my hero for making this recipe! I didn’t have any avocado, but it’s still delicious! Thank you so much for all of your healthy recipes and advice! May the Lord bless you and keep you!
Hey Angela!
I’ve been following your blog for about 5 years now and love it! I was curious to see if you ever have used essential oils in your recipes? Maybe a new idea? I use dōTERRA Oils and love love love them! If you aren’t familiar with them I would love to talk with you! Hope you’re enjoying your summer with your family .
Genie