I know I promised a final installment to the Dole Summit recaps (and I’ll be posting that one next), but I just had to share this amazing smoothie that I guzzled created this morning!
After spending the past three days with a miserable cold (damn you, recirculated airline air), I woke up today feeling marginally better and craving something substantial–but also comforting. This drink hit the mark perfectly, since it combines a few of my very favorite things: breakfast; chocolate; my VitaMix; quick; and easy. I mean, with a quintet like that, how can you go wrong?** For me, it’s just what the doctor naturopath ordered.
I adapted this recipe from one I came across in Ladies Home Journal magazine (May 2012 issue). I loved the concept of a mocha/nutella mix, but wasn’t crazy about the 305 calories, 15 grams (!) of fat, 6 grams of fiber and only 7 grams of protein in each serving.
My version replaces banana with pear (and if you can do banana, please feel free); coffee with Dandy blend; and nutella with the base ingredients of hazelnuts and raw cacao. I also used some chocolate rice protein powder to increase the nutritional content.
This low glycemic, dairy-free and whole foods version clocks in at 275 calories per serving, with 11.5 grams of fat, 12 grams of fiber and 12.5 grams of protein. I’d say that’s an improvement. . . and it seems to have given the boot to my cold today, too. Way better than a musical serenade, any time.
Chocolate Hazelnut Breakfast Smoothie
adapted from Ladies Home Journal, May 2012
This smoothie is a perfect combination of dessert-like flavors with nutritional value. Quick and easy, it provides a good balance of healthy fats, carbs and protein. I keep cored, quartered pears on hand in the freezer for just this type of recipe.
1/2 pear, frozen
2/3 cup (160 ml) rice milk, plain or chocolate
2/3 cup (160 ml) water (use ice if your pear isn’t frozen)
3 Tbsp (45 ml) whole hazelnuts, lightly toasted
1-1/2 Tbsp (22.5 ml) chia seeds
1 tsp (5 ml) Dandy blend or other instant coffee substitute
1 serving chocolate rice protein powder (I use Nutri-Biotic)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) raw cacao powder (or use cocoa, but increase the stevia)
10-15 drops plain or chocolate stevia liquid, to your taste
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.
Suitable for: Anti-candida diet Stage 2 and beyond; dairy-free, egg-free, sugar-free, Diabetic-friendly.
** Actually, there is one quintet I’d rather be greeted with in the morning (which we heard live a few years ago). But giventhat the HH was born without a “romance gene,” I’d say there’s no chance he’ll be arranging a private concert for me any time soon.
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Other smoothies on DDD:
- Chocolate Mint Milkshake (ACD All Stages)
- Cranberry-Oat Smoothie (ACD Stage 2 and beyond)
- Swamp Thing Smoothie (ACD All Stages)
- Groovy Green Smoothie (ACD Stage 2 and beyond)
© Ricki Heller, Diet, Dessert and Dogs
[Disclaimer: this post may contain affiliate links. If you buy using these links, at no cost to you, I will earn a small commission from the sale.]
Hi! I'm Ricki, cookbook author, professional recipe developer, holistic nutritionist and anti-candida crusader. Let me show you how easy it is to eat plant-based, sugar-free, gluten free food that tastes great! 
Oh boy, this sounds like dessert!
I know–and yet, it was breakfast! (and a pretty healthy one, too). 🙂
Hi Ricki,
I can’t think of a better way to start the day! Love it!! 🙂
I have to agree. . . nothing better than chocolate in the morning! 😉
Oh this is totally my kind of breakfast Ricki. Holy moly 🙂 Who needs a coffee! Do you use the Dandy for anything else? I was off coffee for months, and then slowly hopped back on the bandwagon 🙂 Hope you’re feeling better now! xo
Thanks, Maggie! Yes, I drink Dandy the way I used to drink coffee. . . every once in a while, I like a change from my beloved matcha tea in the morning! It’s a great warming drink that is “reminiscent of” coffee (though don’t let anyone fool you into thinking it tastes just like coffee–it’s yummy, just not coffee). 😉
Looks great. Have been eating a bit of cacao again since it was on sale…….really do love it. Have not heard of Dandy!! Sounds cool.
I love Dandy! It’s a great sub for coffee for those who can’t have/don’t like coffee. 🙂 And who doesn’t love cacao? 😉
Looks lovely! I can eat banana but I don’t always have one around when I want to make a smoothie – so seeing this makes me wonder if chia seeds would help give that thickness – I always have them in the kitchen these days! And am interested in Dandy as a coffee substitute because I can’t stand the stuff (you see you appeal to fussy eaters as well as other diets!)
Thanks, Johanna! The chia does help thicken it, but I find that it’s a fine line if you use just chia for thickening (too much and it becomes a bit gummy). I really love the Dandy–it’s similar to the Krakus brand that I used to use all the time, but Krakus isn’t certified gluten free and Dandy is. 🙂 So glad to appeal to fussy eaters! 😉
You know we are ALL about chocolate for breakfast around here, Ricki! Thanks for sharing- looks delish. I make a very similar version for brekkie with avocado in place of the banana (or pear). Mmmmm….
Yum! Yes, I use avocado often as well. . .this one is lighter but just as good. 🙂
Recycled airplane air is the worst! Would never have thought to combine pear with chocolate and hazelnut but I like the sound of it.
The pear and chocolate work remarkably well together–pear is such a mild flavor that it doesn’t really contribute much but sweetness. 🙂
Nice! Thanks for the tip
This looks so yummy Ricki! Funny I just posted about raw chocolate hazelnut spread giveaway. I like your idea of adding the protein powder to give it some body! Mint choco milkshake sounds divine too.
I’ll go check that out! For breakfast smoothies, I always add an extra protein source. . . otherwise, I find they don’t tide me over too long. 🙂
You had me at chocolate and hazelnut..now this is the way I want to start my morning tomorrow!
You won’t regret it, Laura, I promise! 😉
another good one Ricki…a recipe I can;t wait to play around with!
Yes, I think it offers lots of variation with the fruit and nuts! 🙂
Oh, I am so buying hazelnuts to make a version of this!
Are you eating chocolate again?!
Hope you enjoy it! And yes, I’ve been eating cacao and unsweetened chocolate again for. . . oh, maybe a couple of years?! You mean you didn’t notice the brownies, orange-goji-chocolates, or approximately 5,182 other chocolate-based recipes on my blog? Hee hee!! (It IS my favorite food. . . .). 😉
Oh, I’m sorry to hear you’ve been under the weather! As if returning home after a blissful break isn’t hard enough 😉 Love this idea! I’ve never been the biggest fan of hazelnuts but oh, imagine this with pistachios or pecans!
You know, I think pecans would be delish in this! Trying them next time. 🙂
A divine & tasty breakfast smoothy! 🙂 That’s my kind of breakfast!
Me, too! (and it was, both things!). Thanks, Sophie! 😀
Wish I could wake up to this in the morning – but first I need hazlenuts. Dreamy, creamy, and chocolate – it looks like dessert!
It does, doesn’t it? It also tastes like dessert. I had to tally up the nutritional content just to be sure! 😉
This looks divine, Ricki! I have been wanting to make a chocolate hazelnut dessert (.. er, breakfast) this week but I am scared to put Hazelnuts in my non-high speed blender. Any idea if that might work? Perhaps I should toast them a bit extra? Glad you’re feeling better!
Hi Kasandra,
What I’d do is make a bit of hazelnut “butter” first by whirring the hazelnuts in a mini processor until they appear to be soft and spreadable (they won’t be perfectly smooth, but they’ll be like a chunky nut butter). That should soften them enough that you can then add the “butter” to your blender with everything else and it should blend up pretty easily. Let me know how it works out if you give it a try! 🙂