Chocolate Banana Smoothies – Nutritiously Delicious!

Today in the news:

Cornell University food scientists found that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times the amount found in green tea. Research has demonstrated that the antioxidants in cocoa are highly stable and easily metabolized by the human body, which means they can be readily used by the body. Cocoa has a high concentration of anti-aging polyphenol antioxidants, so it’s possible that incorporating dark chocolate into your diet might alleviate the signs of aging.

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I’ve known for a long time that dark chocolate came with health benefits (and needed no better excuse to make it part of my regular diet). Somehow, though, it had never occurred to me that I could get those same health benefits by adding cocoa to some of my recipes. I decided to tweak my standard smoothie recipe, to see if I couldn’t come up with something that was delicious, AND met my nutrition requirements. This is what I came up with.

Chocolate Banana Smoothie recipe
(makes 1 very large serving):

Ingredients:
– 2 cups cold water
– 1/4 cup almonds
– 1/8 cup flaxseed (pre-ground, if you don’t have a Vitamix)
– 1 tbsp agave (or maple syrup)
– 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
– 2 frozen strawberries
– 1 frozen banana (peeled)

Instructions:
Put water, almonds, flax, agave, and cocoa in blender – blend til smooth. Add frozen strawberries and banana, blend til smooth.

If you don’t currently have a blender, or you do have one, but it’s not up to the task of blending frozen bananas and strawberries, consider purchasing your own Vitamix! To get free shipping (regular $25) on your shiny new Vitamix, click on my affiliate link, or mention my affiliate number (***06-006010***) when you order.

If you prefer to order by phone, here is the Vitamix contact information:
Jean-Pierre “J.P.” Minard
Direct Household Sales Consultant
Vitamix Corporation
Phone: +1 800 848 2649 ext 2303
UK: 0808 156 6633
IE: 0766 709 854

Nutritional breakdown [nutritiondata.com] :
This food is very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Magnesium and Copper, and a very good source of Manganese.

– calories 460
– glycemic load 11 (very low – that’s good)
– fat 28 grams (of which 3 grams saturated fat) – high in both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids
– protein 15 grams
– dietary fiber 18 grams
– Vitamin C 32% DV
– Vitamin E 48% DV
– Thiamin 32% DV
– Riboflavin 31% DV
– Niacin 15% DV
– Vitamin B6 30% DV
– Folate 17% DV
– Calcium 23% DV
– Iron 26% DV
– Magnesium 69% DV
– Phosphorus 41% DV
– Potassium 30% DV
– Copper 59% DV
– Manganese 106% DV
– Phytosterols ~19mg