Chocolate Banana Muffin Smoothie

Smoothies are great, huh? Have 'em breakfast, have 'em for lunch, or yes even for dinner (like me). They're quick, healthy, and super customizable, too. I love to try to replicate actual proper meals and make them into delicious smoothies. My French Toast Smoothie was particularly successful and got rave reviews!   French toast...done, now I'm onto muffins! We all want that great taste of french toast or a decadent breakfast muffin, but perhaps we could do without the flour, oil, and sugar involved. That's where smoothies swoop in to save the day...or at least my sweet tooth!

Produce On Parade - Chocolate Banana Muffin Smoothie

This thick and creamy chocolate banana smoothie tastes just a like breakfast muffin! 

Chocolate Banana Muffin Smoothie

Serves 2

• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 medjool date, pitted
• 3 Tbsp. rolled oats
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. whole flax seeds
• 1/2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa nibs (optional)
• 1/2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum (optional but highly recommended) 
• pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high for a few minutes, until well combined and smooth. 

Produce On Parade - Chocolate Banana Muffin Smoothie

Serve cold.

Produce On Parade - Chocolate Banana Muffin Smoothie

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/35129656" params="color=5da87b&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

German Word of The Day: Breakfast --> Frühstück (pronounced: froo-schtug)

Good Deed of The Day: Help me to urge the Forest Service not to poison prairie dogs. The U.S. Forest Service is considering a plan to poison as many as 16,000 prairie dogs in Wyoming’s Thunder Basin National Grassland. Prairie dogs are a keystone species and vital to the survival of many other animals. Tell the Forest Service to reject this heartless plan.

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Creamy Chai Banana-Avo Smoothie

Frozen avocados in smoothies are the best thing ever. I'm notorious for letting my avocados get pretty darn sad. I buy them with the best intentions but for some reason I just forget about them and then, sadness. Usually, I can rescue these avocados by cutting them into quarters and freezing them. They're just delightful when frozen and thrown in smoothies. Frozen bananas are, of course, popular to throw in smoothies. However, I rarely have any bananas in my freezer. I just use them up too quickly, I think. However, I always have some frozen avocado on hand! Try it out next time you've got one that's unfortunately gotten a little...err...past it's prime. 

This smoothie is rich, smooth, and chilled from the addition of frozen avocado. The banana lends a luxurious creamy quality, flavored by a homemade chai spice mix, and sweetened by fresh dates with a little flax thrown in for good measure. 

Creamy Chai Banana-Avo Smoothie

Serves 1 (small serving)

• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used a coconut-almond blend)
• 1 banana, not frozen
• 1/4 avocado, frozen
• 1 date, pitted
• 1 tsp. whole flax seeds (or 1/2 ground)
• 1/2 tsp. chai spice blend (I make my own, here)
• pinch of salt

Throw everything in the blender, starting with the milk first.

Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Serve cold. 

So delicious! Who says you can't have a smoothie for dinner?

Listening to: Our Hen House podcast. You should listen to!

German word of the day: Banana --> Banane (pronounced: bahnon-eh) It sounds kind of how you'd imagine a Brit to say banana. 

Good deed of the day: Even if you do eat meat and wear leather, you can certainly stand behind and sign this petition to stop Tell Craigslist to Help Stop Violence Against Pets. It only takes 5 seconds. I promise. 

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French Toast Smoothie

This is the ultimate breakfast smoothie. Especially when you want your smoothie to actually taste like...well, breakfast! Some of these ingredients might seem like odd additions, what with avocado and nutritional yeast, but I assure you this is the real deal. Make it and see for yourself! This dreamy smoothie really tastes just like french toast. It has that perfect eggy, maple syrup, and sweet vanilla flavor that you find only in french toast. I might have made this for dinner, but breakfast was clearly on my mind. 

French Toast Smoothie

Serves 1 

Notes: I like soy milk here because coconut and almond milk have too strong of a flavor. I used frozen avocado because of it's more neutral taste, though you could use a banana, but I think it's too strong of a flavor. The nutritional yeast is essential to this smoothie. 

• 1 cup soymilk
• 1/4 avocado, frozen and chopped
• 1/2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast, large flake
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. ground flax seed (or 1 tsp. whole)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• small grating of fresh nutmeg
• pinch of salt

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Feel free to blend in a few ice cubes too, if you like. 

Serve topped with fresh nutmeg and a dash of maple syrup!

Listening to: [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/101489187" params="color=96c1b2&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

German word of the day: Arme Ritter --> French Toast (pronounced: armeh ritter)

Good deed of the day: Sign this petition at Change.Org and Speak Out Against Idaho's Dangerous Ag-Gag Bill. It only takes 5 seconds and thousands of farm animals will thank you! And me too!

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