[Recipe] Creamy Chocolate Smoothie from less than 200 Calories

I grew up drinking lots of milk and have had many a delicious hot chocolate on cold frosty days.

When I’ve been ‘on a diet’ I’ve often craved some chocolate but found those low-calorie chocolate drinks never satisfied. I had heard that chocolate smoothies were a great way to satisfy a chocolate craving. And I must confess I was very surprised to find a chocolate smoothie worked – and it is so much more healthy than hitting on that chocolate bar, lol!

I’m also a recent convert to hulled hemp seeds, or hemp hearts as they are sometimes called – the whole seeds almost broke my teeth, but the hearts are good. They are packed full of nutrients as you’ll see in the quote below. I love them on top of a bowl of homemade bircher muesli.

Angela Liddon at OhSheGlows writes that her family are …

… big fans of adding hulled hemp seeds into our smoothies for a natural protein, fibre, and omega-3 boost. One 3-tablespoon serving has an impressive 2.5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids, 10 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fibre. It also has oodles of manganese, magnesium, iron, zinc, B6 and more. You can find the huge bags of hulled hemp seed at Costco for a good price … Luckily, hemp pairs with chocolate effortlessly so it’s a no-brainer.

In his article linked below, Dr Axe gives 7 benefits of hemp seeds and says …

If you’re looking to improve digestion, balance hormones and improve metabolism, then hemp seeds may just be the superfood you’re looking for.

This smoothie is delicious and very chocolaty. I enjoy adding a little coffee to chocolate things as it really enhances the chocolate flavor, so give that a try if the idea is new to you.

Drink this as a meal-replacement, especially if made with dairy milk, yogurt or kefir for extra protein, or as a snack. As two meals, each has about 250 calories and as three snacks each has about 165 calories.

Recipe: Creamy Chocolate Smoothie from less than 200 Calories

Serves 2-3

All calorie calculations are an estimate. Calorie-content varies according to product and accuracy of measurement. Check the info on your packaging if you require exact numbers for what you eat.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Almond Milk, or your choice of Milk (add more if you prefer a thinner drink)
2 Medjool Dates, pitted & soak briefly in warm water
3 Tbs Cocoa Powder
3 Tbs Hemp Hearts
1 large Banana, frozen, if possible
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
Ice cubes, to taste

Blend until smooth and enjoy.

Serves 3; approx 170 cals each
Serves 2; approx 250 cals each

All calorie calculations are an estimate. Calorie-content varies according to product and accuracy of measurement. Check the info on your packaging if you require exact numbers for what you eat.

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Recipe Option 2: Creamy Chocolate Smoothie from only 165 Calories, with increased protein

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 cup dairy Milk, skim works well, giving loads of protein without the fat
1/2 cup Water
4 small Dates, pitted & soaked in a little warm water while you prepare everything else
3 Tbs Cocoa Powder,
3 Tbs Hemp Hearts
1 large Banana, frozen
2 tsp instant Coffee – really enhances the chocolate flavor
OR a small Espresso
OR a few drops Coffee Extract
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
Ice cubes, to taste

Blend until smooth and enjoy.

Nutritional Notes:

Remember, it’s fat that fills us up. Plus fat is necessary for our bodies to get the nutrients from fat-soluble vitamins (A,D, E and K). Lack of fat in our diet has been a major problem over the last 50 years with low-fat diets being considered healthy. We have been indoctrinated, making it very hard for many of us to accept modern research that contradicts all we’ve been taught.
Note we changed the requirement from Medjool dates in the 1st recipe, which are about 60 calories each, to 4 small dates that are about 20 cals each, thus saving 40 calories.

Serves 3; approx 165 cals each
Serves 2; approx 245 cals each

All calorie calculations are an estimate. Calorie-content varies according to product and accuracy of measurement. Check the info on your packaging if you require exact numbers for what you eat.

Calorie Notes:

Calorie calculations are based on using skim milk.

Semi-skimmed milk will add 30 cals to the whole recipe; ie 15 for each of 2 glasses and 10 for each of 3 glasses;
Whole milk will add 67 cals to the whole recipe, ie 34 for each of 2 glasses and 22 for each of 3 glasses.

Additional Tips:

Swap up to half your milk for Kefir or Yogurt to include healthy probiotics in your smoothie.

1/2 cup Kefir made with whole milk is approx 52 cals;
1/2 cup nonfat Greek Yogurt is approx 65 cals; made with 2% milk it is 85 cals; and made with whole milk it is approx 138 cals.

Why the difference between yogurt and kefir? The kefir grains digest the natural sugar in the milk, reducing it by about 80%.

NOTE: If you make your own Greek-style yogurt keep the whey that is strained out. Use it as the liquid in your smoothies as this will also give a little protein. (It also makes great, light pancakes!)