Chunky Monkey Smoothie

this idea now...

When I want to indulge in a healthy sweet treat, I whip up this delicious Chunky Monkey Smoothie. Like most smoothies, this chocolate and banana drink is quick-and-easy to put together, which makes it a great option when you’re craving chocolate but don’t have time a lot of time.

This Chunky Monkey Smoothie recipe has just 5 simple ingredients and is Paleo-friendly, with no dairy or refined sugar. I consider this a dessert smoothie because it’s sweetened with a banana, maple syrup, and dates, but it’s still better for you than typical milkshakes or similar beverages!

My best friend and I visited a new “raw” restaurant and ordered their “Mocha Monkey Smoothie.” It was divinely good! So good that I knew I had to recreate it at home. Luckily smoothies are easy enough and after just a few attempts, we nailed down the perfect recipe.

I’ve renamed our smoothie to Chunky Monkey, because there’s no “Mocha” here. Though I might have to try a version with a splash of coffee soon. What do you think?

The ingredients are simple – all you need is a banana, dates, almond milk, maple syrup, and cacao or cocoa powder. You’ll also need a decent blender to blend in the dates thoroughly. It’s okay if you don’t, you’ll just have little chunks of dates in the bottom of your cup. 

My Ninja blender, which is normally perfect for everything I need, doesn’t quite get all the dates, but I don’t mind bits of date at the end. 

You can let the dates soak in warm water for 20-30 minutes so they’ll soften and blend in better, but to be honest, I rarely do this so that’s why I have date chunks!

In the recipe below, you’ll see I put 2-4 dates. For a real rich smoothie, it’s better to use 4 dates. But that is quite a lot of sweet for just 1 serving, so I usually add 1-2. 

Chunky Monkey Smoothie

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A quick-and-easy way to satisfy a chocolate craving in one delicious smoothie!

• Author: Erika @ Living Well Mom
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 5 mins
• Yield: 1 serving 1x

Ingredients

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• 1 banana
• 2–4 dates*
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp cacao powder

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Instructions

1. Place everything in a blender and blend thoroughly for 30-60 seconds.
2. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Notes

*Soak the dates for 20-30 minutes in warm water first for better blending