Chai Coffee Protein Smoothie

I love a good smoothie.

It’s an easy way to for me to get a dose of fruits and/or veggies first thing in the morning (or anytime of day, really).

Getting enough fresh fruits and veggies is a struggle for me. I love them but have a hard time cramming in the recommended amounts each day. Smoothies are a great solution to this problem.

I make multiple smoothies each week, and while my usual version is of the green variety featuring lots of baby spinach and berries/bananas, I do like to switch things up every now and then.

This chai coffee smoothie is a delicious way to start off the day. It’s loaded with healthy fats, protein, fiber, fruit, veggies (cauliflower!), and a little caffiene kick. Which is oh so necessary in the morning, am I right?

Because I just can’t get enough of the flavors of chai spice, I add a couple teaspoons of the spice mix. I make my own (recipe linked below) in big batches and keep it in the pantry so I can add it to all sorts of things. It gives the smoothie a cozy, spiced vibe, and I love that this time of year. Smoothies in the winter time are not always the most appealing, especially on super cold mornings. Amping up that cozy factor helps!

This smoothie features an awesome hack for getting a rich, thick, and creamy smoothie with a ton of health benefits: riced cauliflower!

I have made my own in the food processor many times, but I also love stocking up on the steamable cauliflower rice bags from the freezer section at the grocery store. We eat it all the time. Essentially any time a recipe calls for rice as a base carb, I swap it for cauliflower rice. Dan and I both love it and really don’t miss regular rice at all.

By the way, I’m not knocking regular rice. We still eat it, but I DO feel better after making the swap. It’s another check in my daily veggie column!

And adding cauliflower to this smoothie is awesome because it very easily incorporates (thanks to the riced texture) and thickens everything up beautifully. I love a thick smoothie. It functions the same way the frozen banana does.

For those of you who may feel squeamish about adding cauliflower to your smoothies, you cannot taste it at all. I promise! You’re just left with all the fantastic health benefits and an incredible smoothie texture. No cruciferous veggie taste at all. In fact, if you served this to someone and didn’t tell them there were veggies in it, they would never know.

It just takes like a creamy, dreamy, slightly spiced coffee situation. And who can say no to that?

Not me!

Chai Coffee Protein Smoothie

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• Yield: 2 servings (easily multiplied) 1x

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Ingredients

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• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
• ¾ cup cold brew coffee (you can also use cooled espresso or regular coffee)
• 1 banana, sliced and frozen
• ½ cup frozen cauliflower rice
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (use non-dairy yogurt if preferred)
• 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
• 2 teaspoons chai spice
• 1–2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (to taste)
• 2 scoops protein powder of choice (optional – I like this one)
• Ice
• Additional chai spice, for garnish
• Additional hemp seeds, for garnish

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Instructions

1. To a blender, add the milk, coffee, frozen banana, cauliflower rice, yogurt, hemp seeds, chai spice, honey/syrup, and protein powder (in that order).
2. Blend on high until everything is well mixed and pureed. Add in a handful of ice and blend again until the smoothie is thick and creamy (you may be able to skip the ice – depends on the consistency you like!).
3. Pour into two glasses and garnish with a sprinkling of chai spice and hemp seeds. Enjoy immediately.