There's only a few weeks left of summer, and - like always - all of us at BEAR have been trying to be really good about eating well. But even with the beautiful and bountiful berries, cucumbers, peppers and melons distracting us (and filling our bellies!), we can't seem to get ice cream off our minds.
We know there's nothing wrong with splurging on a sweet treat once in a while, but we like to avoid those little binges whenever we can. So last night, when that ice cream craving hit, we duped our sweet tooths with a vegan smoothie.
Below is a Mint Chip recipe adapted from Julie Morris' book, Superfood Smoothies.
And it is. SO GOOD.
(Makes one 18 oz serving)
1 cup frozen spinach
1 cup frozen banana (make sure to peel and cut your bananas BEFORE freezing.)
2 tbsp raw cashews
1.5 tbsp cacao nibs (you can sub vegan chocolate chips or 2-ish tsp cocoa powder)
1 tbsp fresh packed mint leaves
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ to 1 cup rice milk*
¼ cup coconut water
Sweetener to taste (We used about one tsp of agave nectar)
Optional: 1/8 tsp chlorella powder (chlorella is a freshwater single-celled algae that's packed with amino acids. It boosts your immune system, lowers blood cholesterol and promotes a good balance of bacteria in your gut.)
Throw all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth. This drink is not only really good for you but it actually tastes like a mint chocolate chip ice cream shake! It is a hefty drink, though, so if you're trying this recipe for dessert, we suggest you share it.
Enjoy! And sweet (sweet, mint chocolate-chippy) dreams,
BEAR
*Note: start out with ½ cup of rice milk. Add more to thin the drink out to your liking.
