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Home » Recipes » Breakfast » Chocolate Banana Smoothie (with veggies)

Chocolate Banana Smoothie (with veggies)

By Taesha Butler June 25, 2019 (Updated December 31, 2022) 2 Comments

Servings2 large
Prep Time3 mins
Total Time3 mins
Jump to Recipe
5 from 3 votes

An easy, veggie-loaded Chocolate Banana Smoothie made from good-for-you ingredients. It’s chocolatey, perfectly sweet, loaded with healthy foods and can easily be made with dairy or dairy-free.

Jump to Recipe
Veggie-loaded Chocolate Banana Smoothie served in two glass jars with two straws on a white piece of fabrics with some greens blurred in the background

Chocolate banana smoothie

When we first moved to California 9 years ago, my husband and I discovered the magic of In-N-Out Burger. The animal style fries. The secret sauce. And most definitely those amazing chocolate milkshakes. Oh those milkshakes are probably what got me through my pregnancy in the dead heat of summer.

And, while we are a family that believe in moderation over deprivation, we do try to limit our In-N-Out trips to once every few months. Because, while delicious and seemingly better than other large fast food chains…. In-N-Out still has nothing on the goodness of homemade.

But those chocolate milkshakes haunt me, friends. When the heat of summer hits, the first thing I want to kick back with on a lazy Saturday afternoon by the pool is a frosty, chocolatey milkshake. So, I did what I do best and created my own healthy chocolate banana smoothie to sip on instead of those sugar-amped milkshakes….and I did it with some added veggie goodness.

A big blender with lots of ingredient inside, ready to blend them all with a touch of a button

I have been a smoothie lover since the day I really started paying attention to what I was eating. I love that I can toss healthy fruits and veggies into my blender and have an amazing smoothie 30 seconds later.

Smoothies is one of the first places I started veggie-loading our family’s foods and is the first thing I often recommend to people asking where to start transitioning to a real food way of eating. And this chocolate banana smoothie with veggies is going to be a game changer for many of you!

Can you taste the cauliflower in the smoothie?

People are always a bit surprised (and dare I say, suspicious) when I mention that I like make cauliflower smoothies. But, friends, it seriously adds to the creaminess of a smoothie and the cauliflower flavor disappears into the banana and chocolatey goodness.

If you are super iffy about this whole cauliflower in smoothie thing, then go slowly! Maybe only add 1/2 cup of the riced cauliflower and see how you like it. Then work your way up!

Oh! And I personally like to use frozen cauliflower to help give the smoothie a frosty milkshake vibe.

Incredibly inviting chocolate banana smoothie jars with two striped straws as well as banana skins blurred in the background

Do you cook the cauliflower before freezing?

This is a personal choice and requires you to reflect a bit on your history with cauliflower. Like broccoli, cauliflower is a cruciferous veggie. Cruciferous vegetables contain complex sugars that some people find hard to digest when eaten raw.

So, if you get belly issues right after eating raw cauliflower, then lightly steaming it prior to freezing is probably a good idea for you when making this smoothie.

Suggested adaptations

  1. Add some extra goodness! Amp up the nutrients in this smoothie by tossing in a tablespoon of chia seeds/flax meal and/or hemp hearts!
  2. Make it as sweet (or as mild) as you like. We all have different palates and some of us like things sweeter than others. The bananas are the source of sweetness and natural sugar in this chocolate banana smoothie. Play with the amount of banana you add depending on your personal preference.
  3. Add some healthy fat. Adding some healthy fat can really help this chocolate banana smoothie fuel you on to your next meal. Add 1/2 an avocado or a scoop of your favorite nut butter to the blender!
  4. Add some extra protein. I like to use collagen peptides in my smoothies to up the protein. However, the addition of hemp hearts or your favorite protein powder is also a great way to go.

Want to make sure you always have spinach on hand for this chocolate banana smoothie? Check out my tips & tricks for keeping spinach fresh all week!

Chocolate banana smoothie tips

  1. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, consider blending in stages. This will help you to achieve a smooth consistency. Start with the milk and spinach. Blend until completely pureed. Add the cauliflower. Blend. And so on.
  2. Add more (or less) liquid to achieve desired consistency. Depending on how thick you like your smoothies, you might find you need to add 1/2 cup or so of water to this blend. Or, if you find your smoothie is too thin for your liking, toss in a few ice cubes to help thicken it up.

Other recipes you are going to love…

  • Creamy Cauliflower & Blueberry Smoothie
  • Vitamin C Immune Boosting Smoothie
  • Oatmeal Green Smoothie Muffins

Loving the chocolate banana smoothie and hungry for more?

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Overhead on two jars full of healthy and delicious chocolate banana smoothie each, with straws and slices of banana on top
Veggie-loaded Chocolate Banana Smoothie served in two glass jars with two straws on a white piece of fabrics with some greens blurred in the background
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Chocolate Banana Smoothie (with veggies)

An easy, veggie-loaded Chocolate Banana Smoothie made from good-for-you ingredients. It’s chocolatey, perfectly sweet, loaded with healthy foods and can easily be made with dairy or dairy-free.
Prep Time3 mins
Total Time3 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate banana smoothie, healthy smoothie, smoothie with vegetables
Servings: 2 large
Calories: 62kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
  • 1 handful baby spinach
  • 1-2 large very ripe bananas frozen, depending on desired sweetness
  • 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower or 2 cups frozen florets
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions 

  • Combine ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.

Notes

  • Add some extra goodness! Amp up the nutrients in this smoothie by tossing in a tablespoon of chia seeds/flax meal and/or hemp hearts!
  • Make it as sweet (or as mild) as you like. We all have different palates and some of us like things sweeter than others. The bananas are the source of sweetness and natural sugar in this chocolate banana smoothie. Play with the amount of banana you add depending on your personal preference.
  • Add some healthy fat. Adding some healthy fat can really help this chocolate banana smoothie fuel you on to your next meal. Add 1/2 an avocado or a scoop of your favorite nut butter to the blender!
  • Add some extra protein. I like to use collagen peptides in my smoothies to up the protein. However, the addition of hemp hearts or your favorite protein powder is also a great way to go.
  • If you don’t have a high-speed blender, consider blending in stages. This will help you to achieve a smooth consistency. Start with the milk and spinach. Blend until completely pureed. Add the cauliflower. Blend. And so on.
  • Add more (or less) liquid to achieve desired constancy. Depending on how thick you like your smoothies, you might find you need to add 1/2 cup or so of water to this blend. Or, if you find your smoothie is too thin for your liking, toss in a few ice cubes to help thicken it up.

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1405IU | Vitamin C: 28.3mg | Calcium: 261mg | Iron: 1.7mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, No Cook, Paleo, Smoothies & Drinks, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: cauliflower, spinach

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Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Fituro Fitness

    June 16, 2020 at 5:26 pm

    These look SO intense and chocolatey-serious deliciousness! I have all the ingredients-just might need to make them TODAY!

    Reply
  2. Helena

    November 5, 2020 at 1:50 pm

    5 stars
    This is such a great way to enjoy chocolate flavor, yet make the smoothie extra healthy. Any day is special with a smoothie like this!

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

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