Coconut Chocolate Chip
Mint Smoothie

 

This is where we share our favorite tips, tricks, secrets, and ways to "think like a healthy person" so that you can find your own delicious path to healthy living.

"Feel-Good Mondays" are meant to help us get back into that place of feeling energized, nourished, and ready to take inspired action for the week ahead.  


September may be just the corner, but I'm clinging to the warmth and sunshine of the last few dog days of summer for as long as I possibly can!

So I'm keeping things simple and to the (delicious) point this week, since most of you, too, are delighting in summer's last days and are off beaching, vacationing, or relaxing in a hammock somewhere. 

And, let me say – this smoothie is the PERFECT complement to any of those activities!

Our coconut craziness from last week. I went the easy route and had my local juice shop hack open a few coconuts for me to give me a few days of delicious coconut water and coconut meat as base for my weekly smoothies.
 

At some point in the last few years, I had a smoothie from Organic Avenue that blew my mind: a creamy, coconuty concoction blended with mint and chocolatey cacao nibs that was positively one of the tastiest things I had ever tasted. 

A few months and a Vitamix later, I set out to recreate the same smoothie experience. Matt and I were craving something cool and sweet on a balmy summer evening a while back, and a mint chocolate chip smoothie sounded like just the thing to satisfy our ice cream urges in a healthy way (not to mention the whole nostalgia factor: "mint chocolate chip" flavor brings me right back to being 10 years old again..).

The results were blow-me-away good. This smoothie was creamy & luscious, slightly sweet and surprisingly refreshing – and the partially blended cacao nibs added a really fun crunch. 

I think this would make for the perfect post-workout snack (coconut water supplies a ton of electrolytes) or a light, summery breakfast or dinner. Or  do as we did and split the smoothie into 2 fancy goblets, stick in the freezer for about 30 minutes, and enjoy as a faux ice cream treat! YUM.

Coconut Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie
Serves 2 as a snack or 1 very hungry person

Ingredients:

  • The water and meat from 1 young coconut (see this video to learn how to hack open your own coconuts at home)
  • 3 tablespoons cacao nibs
  • Handful of fresh mint leaves 
  • Splash of vanilla extract (I am sure a scraped, fresh vanilla bean would be even better!)
  • Small drizzle of maple syrup (Sweeten to your liking. I used about 2 tsp.)
  • Pinch or two of good quality sea salt

Blend well until smooth (cacao nibs should still stay a bit crunchy, so no need to blend into oblivion – they act as your "chips" in the smoothie!)

Sip slowly and enjoy the remains of a beautiful summer!


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