Happy Wednesday, friends! I’m hopping on here real quick today to share a smoothie that I think you will really love. It’s a rich mix of chocolate and coffee with a hint of ancho chili and cinnamon.  It’s a fun spin on the new Starbuck’s mocha flavor, with a lot less calories and sugar. In fact, this creamy vegan mocha smoothie doesn’t have any added sweeteners, and relies on frozen banana for the perfect amount of sweetness. I added maca root for a little superfood power. Maca has been reported to help balance hormones, increase energy, improve mood, support healthy skin, among many other benefits. I love using it in chocolate or nut butter based smoothies.

Chili Mocha Maca Smoothie

• 1 cup of dairy-free milk (almond, coconut, cashew, etc)
• 1 large frozen banana
• 1 – 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
• 1-2 tsp Dandy Blend Herbal Coffee Substitute or instant coffee
• 1/2 – 1 tsp maca powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ancho chili powder (or regular chili powder)
• handful of ice

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy!

To make this a plant-based protein shake, use one scoop of your favorite chocolate flavored plant protein powder (I like Garden of Life Raw Protein) plus 1 tablespoon of cacao powder.