The healthy chocolate-peanut butter (and spinach) smoothie

A few weeks ago walking down Queen Street in Toronto, I discovered the most amazing smoothie ever courtesy of Bolt Fresh Bar. The flavour combination was classic — how can you go wrong with chocolate, peanut butter and banana? — yet it still had health-supportive elements like flax, chia, hemp protein, dairy-free milk and a little natural sweetener. And as I sipped the sweet, savoury blend I knew there was room for even more.

When a drink tastes as good as this one did, it becomes the perfect disguise for those nutrition-powerhouses not everyone loves. A plate of steamed spinach may not excite you, but combine it with some chocolate, and things may change a bit. If you've been searching for a way to get more greens in, this smoothie is your vehicle.

In my version there's a cup of spinach, but any leafy green will do. It may not seem like a lot, but one cup of spinach packs a big punch. It's high in vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, protein and fibre.

Ingredients 1 frozen banana (if using fresh add an ice cube or two) 2 tbsp raw cacao powder 1 1/2 tbsp natural peanut butter or any type of natural nut butter. It can be crunchy or smooth, just no added sugar or oils. 1 cup tightly packed spinach 1 cup coconut milk (or any non-dairy milk) 1 tbsp hemp hearts A dash of pure maple syrup (optional)

Directions Put all ingredients into a blender and blend.

Makes 2 small smoothies or 1 large one

Note:  If you like a little texture to your smoothie, try replacing 1 tbsp of cacao powder with raw cacao nibs…once blended, they are like little chocolate chips!

Nutrition facts | Serving size 304 g Calories 450 Total fat 23 g Saturated fat 9 g Sodium 59 mg Potassium 668 mg Carbohydrates 47 g Dietary fibre 13 g Sugar 20 g Protein 17 g

*Note: This recipe has been adapted from Bolt Fresh Bar’s Chocolate Thunder in Toronto. 

Tara Miller is a Toronto-based holistic nutritionist. Her educational background is from The Institute of Holistic Nutrition combined with a degree in psychology from the University of Guelph. This combination allows Tara to address the challenges individuals face when it comes to everyday healthy living. Tara is also the owner of the Health Hut Boutique in Muskoka where she offers effective and toxic-free beauty, household and specialty food items. You can follow her blog for holistic recipes and tips at taramillernutrition.com.