RAW COCAO AND PEANUT BUTTER BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE
Have you ever made a smoothie and felt hungry an hour later?
You’re not alone, many of my clients tell me they don’t find smoothies satiating.
That is until I teach them how to make an energising and filling smoothie that easily takes them from breakfast to lunch.
The key is the right balance of macronutrients. We need to balance the fruit and carbs with good fats and protein.
Let me show you an example with one of my favourite smoothies: Raw Cocao & Peanut Butter
1. Soak a dessertspoon of chia seeds in some filtered water (overnight or for at least 10 minutes)
Chia seeds are full of:
- omega 3 fatty acids
- protein
- fiber
We need to soak these tiny seeds so that they expand and become gel like. Then they are more digestible and the body absorbs the nutrients more easily. The fiber in chia seeds is mainly soluble fiber. These fibers may help to lower LDL cholesterol and slow down digestion, which can prevent blood sugar spikes after eating a meal and promote a feeling of fullness.
2 Add a generous dessertspoon of raw cocao
Cacao comes from the seed of an Amazonian fruit tree and is considered one of the highest antioxidant foods on the planet. It’s full of magnesium, iron, manganese, and chromium and is also extremely high in anandamide (aka the “bliss chemical”). This superfood also contains plant-based protein, good fats & healthy carbs, and can improve cardiovascular health, builds strong bones, is a natural aphrodisiac, and can elevate your mood. What’s not to love?!When both cacao and cocoa are produced, the fat (i.e. cacao/cocoa butter) is separated from the bean. The difference is that to make cocoa, the bean is first roasted. Cacao is left raw and never roasted, leaving its enzymes and many other nutrients intact. The end product is not mixed with anything else.
You may also like to try making raw cocao chocolate. Recipe here.
3. Add a generous desertspoon of cocao nibs
Cacao nibs are a highly nutritious chocolate product made from crushed cocoa beans. They’re exceptionally rich in antioxidants that help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.
I like to add them to smoothies for their crunchy texture, making it ‘chocolate chip’ style. 
4. Add a generous desert spoon of peanut butter or almond nut butter/1/2 avocado
Adding a desert spoon of nut butter or avocado gives us a great dose of good quality fat and protein which makes the smoothie far more satisfying and keeps hunger at bay.
5. 2 desert spoons of hemp seeds
Hemp seeds are rich in healthy fats and essential fatty acids. They are also a great plant based protein source and contain high amounts of vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc.
6. Add 1 frozen banana
I add 1 frozen banana (you can use an un-frozen banana too, it’s just a little creamier when frozen) to add sweetness and additonal fiber and potassium.
7. Add 4 parcels of frozen spinach
Spinach doesn’t have much taste so it’s easily disguised in this smoothie by all the other flavours. I like to add a little of something green to my smoothies for the clorophyll. Also one cup of frozen spinach has more than four times the amount of nutrients, such as fiber, folate, iron and calcium, than a cup of fresh spinach, so if you want to power up, do it with frozen spinach.
8. Optional: 1 drop of doTERRA peppermint oil
I love adding peppermint oil to chocolate. Not only does it make it taste like mint-choc-chip but it also aids digestion.
Not all essential oils are suitable for cosumption, you can learn more about doTERRA essential oils here.
9. Add 2 cups of liquid – plant based milk or water
You can add any liquid you like. For this smoothie I used 1 cup of oat milk and 1 cup of filtered water.
You can read more about my favourite plant based milks here.
Optionally you can add ice.
10. Enjoy!
Smoothies (made the right way) make for a great breakfast as they are gentle on digestion and packed full of nutrition.
Cheers to your good health, Miranda Xx
PS You can watch me make the smoothie live in my free facebook group here: MIRANDA LOVES
