Coffee Smoothie

I managed to get through college, grad school, and motherhood of three young kids without coffee crutches. I didn’t really like the taste – not in a cup, a cappuccino, or even a scoop of ice cream. But in the past year I’ve found myself lured into the cult of coffee.

At first I drank it in small cups, which my husband poured. I ended up brewing it myself. A natural next step was to combine my newfound appreciation for coffee with my longtime love of smoothies.

Coffee smoothie in one snapshot

• Creamy, slightly mocha-colored mixture
• Made from nourishing ingredients
• Protein and healthy fats help keep you full
• Can be made with decaffeinated coffee

In short, this creamy concoction tastes like a frosty mocha shake, only a little on the lighter side since no ice cream is involved. It’s just sweet enough and thanks to the addition of cocoa powder, it delivers a smooth coffee flavor with a chocolaty undertone.

How to make a coffee smoothie

This recipe consists of just a handful of ingredients.

Coffee: You start with a cup of strong, cold coffee. You can either brew it yourself and chill it or buy a bottle of cold brew at the market.

Milk: If using cow’s milk I would recommend at least 1% milkfat. If you choose a plant-based milk, look for an unsweetened variety that has some body, like oat milk or coconut milk.

cocoa powder: You can’t call it mocha without a hint of chocolate. For this recipe, that comes in the form of cocoa powder, which makes the smoothie taste delicious and provides hearty healthy plant-based flavonoids. If you’d rather use cocoa powder, the raw version of cocoa powder, then go for it. It has a slightly bitter taste but is rich in antioxidants.

Smoothie Add-ins: A ripe frozen banana will add sweetness and viscosity to your smoothie. Finally, a scoop of chia seeds and almond butter provides protein and healthy fats that give the smoothie some staying power (translation: you won’t be hungry 10 minutes after slurping it).

Mix it up: be your own smoothie barista

The recipe below is just for starters. There’s a lot more you can do to switch things up based on your mood. Here are a handful of ideas to change the flavor profile or improve nutrition:

• Add 1/3 cup fresh or frozen cauliflower florets to pump up the produce in your breakfast mix (you can’t actually taste it, I promise!).
• Top the smoothie with some dark chocolate (peel pieces of a chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler).
• For extra protein and calcium, mix a few tablespoons of non-fat dry milk powder into the smoothie. Alternatively, you can add 1 scoop of your favorite unflavored protein powder or collagen peptides.
• Swap 3 tablespoons of oatmeal for the chia seeds.
• Swap out the almond butter and use sunflower, cashew, or peanut butter instead.
• Top with a few teaspoons of cacao nibs for fiber, crunch, and more chocolate flavor.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon (or more) cardamom, cinnamon, or pumpkin pie spice to the mixture.
• For a dessert shake, swap 1/2 cup of frozen vanilla yogurt for milk.

Benefits of Coffee

My previous aversion to coffee had more to do with taste than the idea that caffeine wasn’t good for me.

In fact, over time I’ve learned that coffee has potential benefits. When consumed in reasonable amounts, caffeine has been linked to increased mental alertness, focus, and improved athletic performance. The key is not to overdo it.

Too much coffee can make you jittery, not to mention interfering with bedtime if you drink it too late in the day. The 2/3 cup serving in this recipe shouldn’t pose a problem for most people, and if so, there’s no reason why you can’t make your smoothie with decaf.