Keto Chocolate & Mint Smoothie

When you give up grains such as sugar-laden cereal, croissants and muffins, it may seem challenging to find healthy low-carb breakfast options. If you get bored with the usual eggs & bacon, give this smoothie a try! It's filling and will satisfy your sweet tooth. Just like all keto smoothies, it's the ideal on-the-go snack any time of the day. As a bonus, I included a quick guide on how to make any nut or seeds milk at home in just a few steps!

Preparation time:

Hands-on:    5 minutes
Overall:     5 minutes

Nutritional values (per serving):

Total Carbs	14.3	grams
Fiber	7.8	grams
Net Carbs	6.5	grams
Protein	5	grams
Fat	40.3	grams
of which Saturated	26.6	grams
Energy	401	kcal
Magnesium	78	mg (20% RDA)
Potassium	589	mg (29% EMR)

Macronutrient ratio: Calories from carbs (6%), protein (5%), fat (89%)

Ingredients (makes 1 serving):

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or cashew milk (240 ml/ 8 fl oz)
• ¼ cup coconut milk (60 ml/ 2 fl oz) - I like Aroy-D
• ½ medium avocado (75 g/ 2.7 oz)
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder (5 g/ 0.2 oz)
• a few leaves of fresh mint or few drops of mint extract
• 2 tbsp powdered Erythritol or Swerve (20 g/ 0.7 oz oz) or ¼ tsp NuStevia Cocoa Mint Syrup or ¼ tsp NuStevia Cocoa Syrup or 3-5 drops liquid NuStevia
• 1 tbsp MCT oil or Brain Octane Oil
• a few ice cubes
• Optional: whipped cream or coconut milk on top
• Optional for extra protein: ¼ cup chocolate or plain whey protein or egg white protein powder (Jay Robb) or collagen powder or plant-based NuZest (25 g / 0.9 oz)

Instructions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender: almond or cashew milk, coconut milk, ...
2. ... avocado, raw cocoa powder (Dutch process cacao can be used too), ...
3. ... a few mint leaves, or a few drops of mint extract, ...
4. ... and MCT oil or Brain Octane Oil.
5. Add sweetener of choice (see list of ingredients). Optionally, add protein powder.
6. Throw in a few ice cubes and blend until smooth. Optionally, top with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream.

How to Make Nut Milk

I love Plenish nut milks because they are delicious and only contain 3 ingredients: nuts, water and salt. However, they may not be available in the US (I buy mine on Amazon UK).

If you can't find quality additive-free nut milk, you can make your own using any nuts and seeds - organic cashews or organic almonds work best. To make it at home:

1. Rinse 1 cup of any nuts or seeds (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, hemp seeds, etc.) and transfer them into a bowl. Add 3 cups (720 ml) of water and leave to soak for 12 to 24 hours.

2. Then, strain them through a colander and rinse well with water. Discard the water and place the soaked nuts or seeds into a blender. Add 3 cups (720 ml) of fresh water.

3. Pulse on high speed until smooth. Use cheesecloth or nut milk bag and pour the mixture through it. Squeeze out the milk and discard the pulp or dehydrate it in the oven and. You can leave the milk plain or add any spices or low-carb sweeteners of choice (vanilla, cinnamon, stevia, etc.). Pour the milk into a sealable glass bottle and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

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