-By Suzanne (“Nana”)
Many of my clients are mothers of young children, and I often hear that they wish they had more energy. Relying on caffeine has its drawbacks.
On this blog, I usually suggest recipes with kids in mind. Today, I am going to give you something that’s JUST for moms. It’s my go-to for a great day.
The Miracle Smoothie
A couple of years ago, my husband and I stumbled upon a raw, organic lunch shop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
The shop was tiny, only able to hold two or three customers at a time, but there was often a line of corporate types out the door (not the type of people you would normally see at a health food restaurant).
I asked the middle-aged fellow in front of us why the place was so crowded. We learned that he was an attorney who could not get through his day without the chocolate hemp smoothie from this cafe. In fact, almost every customer was leaving with the same thing–the chocolate hemp smoothie!
When it was our turn to order, we asked the store owner, (a young hippie) why this smoothie was so popular.
“Try one and you’ll be back tomorrow,” he chuckled.
Cacao nibs
Indeed, we returned the next day for another smoothie. Upon our third visit, we asked the guy if he’d give us the recipe because we might go broke buying this smoothie (it was not cheap!). He must be a really bad capitalist because he proceeded to show us all the ingredients and how to prepare them, and even told us where we could buy the everything at wholesale prices!
These chocolate hemp smoothies have become a staple in our home (and we often mix in a variety of other ingredients).
The essential recipe is as follows.
Blissful Chocolate Hemp Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 banana (peeled and frozen overnight)
- 2 dates (pitted and preferably covered and soaked in water overnight, although I have forgotten to soak them and just added them dry)
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs or raw cacao powder (notice that raw chocolate is called “cacao” NOT “cocoa,” which is roasted, making it bitter (requiring sugar) and not as healthy.
Preparation
- Blend hemp seeds with ½ cup of water in a blender.
- Add frozen banana, dates (with soaking water), and the ground raw cacao nibs. Blend. (I grind the raw cacoa nibs in a coffee grinder before adding, but you can also buy raw cacao powder.)
You can experiment with the amount of water depending on how creamy you like your smoothie. I sometimes add more cacao when I want an especially blissful experience. You can buy cacao nibs or powder and raw hemp seeds on Amazon or in your local natural foods store.
A Burst of Energy
I find that on days that begin with a chocolate hemp smoothie, I get a great buzz, feel excited and energetic, and experience no letdown the way I do when I drink coffee.
If you want to make this smoothie kid friendly (I can’t resist!), just skip the cacao and make a hemp smoothie with banana and dates. This variation is also delicious and full of digestible protein.
For health food geeks like me…
David Wolfe, who is a superstar in the raw food movement, has compiled a list of the top super foods. Cacao (raw chocolate) ranks #1, and raw hemp ranks #4.
Cacao (raw chocolate): The seed/nut of a fruit of an Amazonian tree, cacao is the highest antioxidant food on the planet–it’s also our #1 source of magnesium and chromium, and is extremely high in PEA, theobromine (for cardiovascular support), and anandamide (the “bliss chemical”). Raw chocolate improves cardiovascular health, builds strong bones, is a natural aphrodisiac, elevates your mood and energy, and increases longevity.
Hemp products eaten in their raw form: Hemp seeds are packed with 33 percent pure digestible protein, and are rich in iron, amino acids, and vitamin E as well as omega-3’s and GLA. Hemp is a perfect food for growing children and adults looking to increase protein intake.
I hope you will enjoy increased energy with the help of this smoothie. Please share your own recipes for empowering breakfasts.
Be well,
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Gillian says
This sounds delicious, and I would love to try it, but I can't have bananas. Can you recommend something else that might give the smoothie the same texture?
Suzanne Weaver-Goss says
Hi Gillian,
The great thing about smoothies is that you can experiment with different ingredients and if your diet doesn't include something you can try something else! Bananas give sweetness and creaminess to a smoothie but so do nuts, seeds, and dairy. I mix the hemp seeds with water so you could add more hemp if you wanted to replace the banana. Or raw cashews and water add a creamy texture. If you eat dairy you could add yogurt, either whole or low fat. The banana also adds sweetness, so you could include more dates, which get really soft and creamy when soaked. Experiment and keep us posted Gillian as to what combinations work the best and best of luck!!
Warmly,
Suzanne
Gillian says
Thanks – I don't know why I didn't think of yogurt! I can't eat nuts either, so sadly they can't replace the banana. I'm going to try to find the rest of the ingredients this week, so I'll let you know if I have any success 🙂
Suzanne Weaver-Goss says
I would love to hear how it tastes with yogurt. Don't forget the hemp seeds make a creamy base if you don't want the yogurt. Dates are sweet so you could try without the banana and see what happens.
Gillian says
I made this yesterday … kind of. I put yogurt in ice cube trays to use instead of the frozen banana. I bought carob powder because the cacao powder was prohibitively expensive. I added a dash of stevia powder to help make the carob sweeter. My son LOVED the smoothie, but he's never had chocolate so he doesn't know the difference. I didn't like it very much. I'm not sure if it's the hemp or the carob that I don't like. I added a dash of cinnamon which made it more palatable, but I'm still not a fan. I might try once more with the carob powder that I bought. If I still don't like it then I'll buy some cocoa powder and add stevia for sweetness. Or maybe honey. I'll keep you posted!
Suzanne Weaver-Goss says
Gillian,
This is great that you are experimenting. Maybe since strawberries and other berries are in season, maybe you would like to throw in some berries. They are always yummy in smoothies.
Enjoy!
Warmly,
Suzanne
Kate says
Hi – I'm wondering if this smoothie is safe while expecting (specifically the cacao)? I recently found out I'm pregnant and am looking for a coffee alternative in the am. Thanks!
Suzanne Weaver-Goss says
I am very sensitive to caffeine and avoided it when I was pregnant. Some women still drink small amounts of tea or coffee. Cacao which is raw chocolate does have caffeine, just like chocolate with sugar. The benefit is that it doesn't have sugar. You can certainly make the smoothie without raw cacao if you want to avoid caffeine. The hemp banana smoothie is what I would give my grandchildren.