Chocolate Espresso Protein Smoothie

Once upon a time there was a girl who obsessed over coffee house mochas. Hot, iced, blended, she loved them all...

Okay yes, that girl is me, and I still obsess over mochas. The chocolate + coffee combo, don't even get me started. It's right up there with chocolate & peanut butter.

A coffee house mocha is a treat for me, saved for those rare days when I leave the house for errands and want something warm to sip - or something cool and refreshing in the summer sun. They make me smile and motivate me to seize the day. Powerful stuff right there, those mochas.

Fact #1: I worked at a coffee shop for 7 years, further fueling the mocha madness.

Fact #2: I've consumed waaaaaaaaaay too much sugar due to my obsession. Sad kittens.

Fix: The homemade Chocolate Espresso Protein Smoothie.

I can definitely seize the day with this version and it has way less sugar! I use a chocolate whey protein powder + a small bit of unsweetened cocoa to up the chocolate factor {because yum}. A trick I use for the creaminess and to lower the sugar content is to use a green-ish banana. Green, or unripened bananas, contain less sugar than their yellow ripened versions. Did you know that? Using them in their green state also reduces the strong banana flavor so our tastebuds can focus on the irresistible chocolate & coffee flavors.

Tip: I buy a lot of bananas on each grocery trip. I chunk and freeze them weekly for smoothies - some green and some yellow. It makes smoothie makin' much more convenient!

For this smoothie I used {decaf} instant coffee grounds by Maxwell House, but you can also brew and use chilled coffee to achieve the same flavor. If you do use the liquid version, just reduce the amount of milk used. I added a bit of sweetener too in the form of coconut palm sugar, but that can surely be left out or a different sweetener can be used such as stevia or honey. The great thing about this recipe is that you can customize it to your liking. Simply use my ingredients as a blueprint!