Get your chocolate fix in smoothie form! This healthy chocolate smoothie is smooth, rich & chocolatey, tastes like dessert, and is full of good-for-you ingredients. It's the best way to start the day!
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Is there a better way to start the day than with chocolate? I don't think so! And this healthy chocolate smoothie is incredible. It truly tastes like dessert and is really kid-friendly.
The taste and the texture is just the best. It's velvety smooth, thick, creamy, and so satisfying, and like my other vegan smoothie recipes, you can feel good about it because it's packed with healthy ingredients.
Mel x
Ingredients
This healthy chocolate smoothie is super simple to make. Here is what you need at a glance, along with some important ingredient notes & substitution ideas:
- Banana - Preferably frozen, but if you only have fresh, just add a big handful of ice cubes along with it. Adds sweetness, thickness and creaminess to the smoothie.
- Cooked sweet potato - The flavour works so well with chocolate (did you try my sweet potato chocolate pudding?), and it makes the smoothie extra velvety and creamy. It also adds lots of extra nutrition and sweetness. Yam is fine to use instead, as is pumpkin.
- Cocoa powder - Or cacao powder. To make it chocolatey.
- Flax seeds or ground flaxseed - Flax is such a good source of healthy fat and fibre. You could use chia seeds instead, or you can omit them if you don't have either.
- Dairy-free milk - Any variety will do. My cashew milk, almond milk, or oat milk works well, as does any store-bought milk.
- Maple syrup or a date - Optional for extra sweetness. The banana and sweet potato are already pretty sweet, so blend everything else up first, then taste and add only if necessary.
You will also need a blender. A high-speed blender is such a good investment if you make a lot of smoothies. They come out so deliciously smooth and velvety!
Extras that work well in this smoothie include: Vegan yogurt, some greens, coconut, cinnamon, a shot of espresso, nut or seed butter or a handful of oats, cacao nibs, nuts or seeds for extra staying power. You can also switch it up by reducing the milk to make an extra-thick smoothie, then serve it as a smoothie bowl or soft-serve with toppings like homemade vegan granola and fresh fruit.
Cooking Sweet Potato
Whenever we have sweet potato for dinner, I always cook extra and store it either in the fridge or freezer, ready to add to sweet potato smoothies, sweet potato pancakes, biscuits, or sweet potato chocolate pudding.
If you do need to cook some from scratch though here's how:
- To cook in an oven - If the oven is on for something else, I cut my sweet potatoes in half and lay them cut-side down on a lined baking tray and cook until very soft. They take about 40 minutes, depending on the size. Then, they will keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for a week.
- To cook in a microwave - If you want a quicker option, you can pierce the sweet potato a few times with a sharp knife and microwave on full power until cooked through. Depending on the size, they can take anything from 5 to 10 minutes.
- To cook in an Instant Pot - I love this method because it's so hands-off. Recipe coming soon.
I don't recommend boiling sweet potato because it gets too watery and will dilute the flavour of whatever you're adding it to.
Recipe
Healthy Chocolate Smoothie
Author:Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 mls) dairy-free milk
- 1 frozen banana , or a fresh one and a handful of ice
- ½ cup (100 grams) cooked sweet potato or yam , or pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tiny pinch fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed or chia seed (OPTIONAL ) , or use both
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or 1 date (OPTIONAL for extra sweetness)
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. If you don't have a sweet tooth omit the maple syrup/date.
- Taste and add a drop more maple syrup or a date if more sweetness is needed. Blend again to incorporate.
- Serve immediately.
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NUTRITION
Corinne says
This is my new favorite smoothie recipe! I have been obsessed with chocolate smoothies since going plant based, but I love the health benefits of adding sweet potato and it makes it super creamy and sweet and delicious! I didn’t even need to add any extra sweetener, it was perfect as it.
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed it Corinne! I can highly recommend this sweet potato one too. It's a favourite of mine! https://avirtualvegan.com/sweet-potato-smoothie/
calgal says
I added a Medjool date, and this was so delicious!
Doug says
Easy and delicious healthy chocolate treat. Not overly sweet even with the date included. Will try it with the chia seeds next time. I appreciate that your recipes don't use added oil or fat. Looking forward to trying more!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Doug. Chia seeds are great in smoothies and keep you feeling full that little bit longer. Glad you are enjoying my recipes!