Healthy Chocolate Vanilla Smoothie Recipe

One secret to making flavorful, creamy smoothies is to use frozen fruit rather than ice. We almost never add ice to our smoothies, choosing instead to use frozen banana slices. We buy several pounds of bananas at a time, and once they're ripe, we peel them, slice them into 1/2 inch portions, and freeze the slices in an air-tight bag or container in the freezer.

Another secret to making flavorful smoothies is to add real vanilla. To get all the specks of vanilla goodness out of a cured vanilla bean, cut off the tip of each end, use the tip of your knife to split the bean length-wise into two halves, then use the sharp edge of your knife to scrape the aromatic substance out of each half. Scrape two or more times along each half to maximize yield.

The following smoothie recipe calls for just four simple ingredients, and the result is a ridiculously rich, tasty, and healthy chocolate vanilla smoothie that's rich in flavonoids, which are phytonutrients that can help keep your cardiovascular system healthy as you age. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Two handfuls of frozen sliced bananas
1 flat tablespoon of raw, organic chocolate powder
Vanilla bean specks from one whole vanilla bean
Non-dairy milk (organic soy, almond, cashew, rice, or any other variety that's available to you)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a powerful blender. Use as much non-dairy milk as you need to submerse about 3/4 of the banana slices in liquid - this proportion leads to a thick, milkshake-like smoothie that you might want to eat out of your favorite mug with a spoon.

For a boost of chocolate flavor and to add more flavonoids to this smoothie, sprinkle a teaspoon of chocolate nibs or chocolate chips on top just before devouring.

If you can't locate whole, cured vanilla beans at a local grocery or health food store, you can order some online here: Grade A Premium Gourmet Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans