Warning: You may find this recipe very strange due to a secret ingredient... you'll just have to trust me on this, it really does work... after all it was inspired by one of my favorite fooders ever... Sara Lynn from The Domestic Geek... link below...
So what is that strange, secret ingredient... black beans! I know, sounds like a weird, maybe ever gross to a smoothie, BUT it is may be just what you need if you're using a non-dairy milk in your smoothies. And to be honest, the beans don't have a strong flavor, and the slight flavor they have does actually even out with the other flavors of the smoothie.
Great for non-dairy milk drinkers...
A lot of people don't realize that many non-dairy milks don't contain a lot of protein like dairy milk, so you need to check your label for protein content if you're using non-dairy milk. So if you're substituting non-dairy milk, you may need to supplement the protein in other ways. Beans are the best, cheapest way to supplement the protein you're missing if you're not a huge meat/dairy consumer like I am. Dry beans are incredibly cheap, perfect for a budget, but canned beans are also cheap and easier. Both are loaded with protein and fiber.
Great for a busy schedule...
This recipe is perfect for me on busy days since it includes my coffee, lots of flavors that I love, balanced nutrition for good fuel for the morning, and let's be honest... the combination of coffee and all that fiber from the beans can really stimulate your bowels to flush out waste early in the day so you're not carrying it around all day. Hurray for that!
And chocolate for breakfast?!...
For me, the key flavor in this smoothie is the chocolate. I have cacao powder, it's raw cocoa powder and has more minerals and anti-oxidants than cocoa powder has. Cacao powder is more expensive and a lot harder to find than cocoa powder is, and actually I don't think it's quite all it's cracked up to be since the only difference in process is raw vs. roasted beans. So feel no shame in using plain cocoa powder.
Here are the ingredients...
2/3 cup of milk of your choice - ANY kind of milk you love to drink
2/3 cup of cold coffee - because we all need the caffeine in the morning
1/4 cup of coconut milk for amazing creaminess
1/2 cup of cooked or canned black beans for protein and fiber
1 chopped banana (frozen for colder consistency)
3-5 dried dates for sweetness
OPTIONAL: 1 tsp maple syrup for sweetness (or however much or little you desire for sweetness, remember that cold coffee is bitter)
1 tbls. cacao or cocoa powder for chocolate flavor...mmmm
Method
1. Add all ingredients to your blender. Adding liquids first will help the blades gets started blending everything together.
2. Blend it all up. I blend smoothies for a good 2 minutes. Of course, it all depends on the speed and power of your blender, but for a smooooothe smoothie, I would err on the side of longer blending time rather than shorter.
3. Pour and serve. I always make my smoothies at night, because who has time for that in the morning? Knowing I have this baby in the fridge all ready for me is also some motivation to get the heck up and out of bed.
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