Meatless Monday: Banana-Blueberry Smoothie (with Chocolate!)

The recent heat wave has me dreading turning on the oven, which means I’ve had to replace my former breakfast of cookies with one that’s not cooked.

Enter the blender. This smoothie not only tastes great, but it also has some secret nutrition from the hidden veggies. For extra fun, try putting it in an ice cream maker (or the freezer) for almost instant, vegan fro-yo!

The Best Smoothie Ever

• A drizzle of soymilk
• 1 medium chopped banana, frozen
• A handful of frozen blueberries (actually, make that a small container)
• A small handful of fresh spinach leaves (use baby spinach if you find you’re tasting it too much)
• A large spoonful of chocolate almond butter
• A scoop of protein powder (optional)
• As much ice as you need (start with a few cubes and move up if you feel the need)

→Put the soymilk and fruit in a blender or food processor. (I like to use a food processor because I find it blends easier and you can get it thicker). Blend until creamy.

Add the spinach, chocolate almond butter and protein powder (if you’re using it) and blend again.

If you want to make it thicker, add some ice and blend until desired consistency. But be warned: ice dilutes the flavor and it’s fairly easy (at least for me) to add too much.

Enjoy. With a spoon if you wish.