Raw Seed Nut Cacao Smoothie
OMG, this is so good, and there are so many ways to make it. Here is one of my favorites:
Nut & Seed Ingredients
Take any combination of 2 or 3 of the ingredients below to make a seed milk. Almonds will do on their own, as well Sunflower and Sesame Seeds. I like combining a few to make a larger amount of milk to last me a few days while stored in the fridge.
¼ cup Sunflower Seeds
¼ cup Pumpkin Seeds (Stryian Pumpkin Seeds are the best-read about them here)
¼ cup Sesame Seeds (white hulled)
¼ cup Almonds
¼ cup Hemp Granules
Any variation of the above will rock. Basically you are making a seed milk. Have flax meal on hand to thicken the shake and add value of EFA’s.
Flax Meal
Barlean’s makes a great Forti-Flax. And if you purchase their wonderful products here through my website, you will receive 20% off.
If you do purchase your own flax seeds then you want to make sure they are very fresh, and you will need to grind them into a powder and keep them refrigerated so that they retain their beneficial EFA's (Essential Fatty Acid's). Fresh is best for flax.
Soak and rinse the nuts or seeds. Then blend in a blender with about 3 cups of water (the amount of water you use depends on how you like the taste, strong or weak. Some people like to strain their seed milks. I don't. It is one more step I don't have to take, and besides I like the whole seed/nut. If they are too thick or intense just add more water.
Sweetener Ingredients
Honey: raw local honey is best
Dates: soaked and softened so they blend well (my favorite)
Whole raw sugar or coconut sugar
Stevia: I have found that Stevia works well with bitter foods. Cacao is bitter, so Stevia works well with Cacao. Also, please note that many protein powders are flavored/sweetened with Stevia already.
Other Ingredients
Raw or roasted non-sweetened Cacao Powder
Protein Powder: I personally use Whey Protein Powder. I like the vanilla flavored and think there are health benefits to Whey. You can use soy, rice or any vanilla flavored protein powder, or not, if you prefer to enjoy it with a protein powder. I have found that the vanilla flavored adds such a dimension to the drink plus valuable protein.
Let it rip: (my favorite recipe)
8 oz. of choice of milk (for me, almonds, and/or sunflower/pumpkin/hemp
2 dates soak with some of the sweet soaking water
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1-2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1-2 tbsp. of flax meal
Blend the above ingredients and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the flax to thicken the mixture. While it thickens I do my cleanup. Then add about 5 ice cubes and blend thoroughly.
*Caution: Don't add the flax power until you are ready to make it to smoothie to drink right then. In other words, the other nuts and seeds store well when made into a milk, but if made with the flax seeds, it most likely get to thick. Perhaps you will like it than way, but I don't.
YUM. This will taste like a yummy thick milk shake.
Speaking of milk, you can also use milk, Raw, preferred if you can get it. If so, then you can leave out the seeds.
*Note
I soak ½ cup of 3 different seeds at once, and then blend with the dates for my base. That way I have the base in the fridge for at least 3 days for making instant smoothies. All I have to add is flax, protein powder and ice.
Love this for an afternoon pick me up!