Nutritious drink meets delightfully decadent treat in this chocolate peppermint smoothie. Almond milk, banana, dates, unsweetened dark cocoa, peppermint extract, and maple syrup provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, while a handful of crushed peppermint candy adds color and fun. All of these ingredients combined together make a festive drink that is so tasty, you might forget it is so healthy!
The holidays always make me crave the chocolate-peppermint combination, and this smoothie is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it! Plus, it fills the body with lots of good energy, which we all definitely need at this time of year. Treat yourself or treat someone you love to this delicious drink! And with the crushed peppermint candy around the edges of the glass, it looks pretty too.
I am not a huge fan of eating dates, but when they are pureed in a smoothie (or baked in something), they make a really good sweetener, full of minerals natural goodness, and with such a mild flavor that they just kind of blend in, especially with the more powerful flavors of the peppermint extract and dark chocolate. The banana gives this smoothie a bit of richness, while the maple syrup and vanilla extract fill out the flavor.
I hope that you all are having a happy holiday season! It has been a bit hectic for me lately, but I am hoping the next couple of days will be less about rushing and more about savoring time with family and celebrating this special time. (Hopefully the man who was tailgating me on the road today will be able to slow down soon too!!) I plan to make my husband and kids a chocolate peppermint smoothie tomorrow morning, and for a change, nobody has to get up early!
Our daily lives are not always peaceful, and the events going on in the world are not always peaceful either. But in spite of all that, there is a special stillness about this time of year. I don’t know if it is the muted light or the alignment of the stars or what, but if I stand outside and stay still, I can feel a quiet peace. My husband and I were outside with our dog yesterday around sunset, and with the fading light, black tree branches, and white snow all around, I felt a sense of quiet peace. It has always been that way at this time of year. There is a hush to the air. I hope you all have a great weekend! A very festive Fiesta Friday is happening today at Angie’s, and I am sharing this recipe there.
Chocolate Peppermint Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk
- 2 dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 banana, sliced
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract
- 2 tablespoons of dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa
- 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup (to taste)
- 2 ice cubes
- 2 candy canes (or a handful of crushed peppermint candy)
- a bit of honey for the rim of the glasses
Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a blender, except the candy canes and honey. Pour the smoothie into two glasses. With your finger, line the rims of the glasses with honey. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the rims of the glasses, so it sticks to the honey. Some candy will fall into the glasses, but that is fine! Enjoy!
