Hi, friends! I’m here to drop off a little morsel of a post for you this Sunday, and I am so excited about it! There is honestly nothing better than chocolate milk. Except maybe chocolate banana milk. That’s what inspired us to make this Good Energy Chocolate Banana Smoothie! They combine all of the best parts of chocolate and banana milk, but they’ve also got all kinds of great-for-you ingredients. And there are no additional sweeteners beyond a couple of bananas. These are creamy, chocolatey, and energizing, and they are a perfect way to start your morning. Hint: it also pairs well with our buttery, gluten-free banana bread!

Let’s break down the ingredients for this good energy chocolate banana smoothie:

Collagen Powder

I’ve seen collagen powder popping up in all kinds of smoothie recipes lately. People refer its use as a protein, but keep in mind that it is actually not a complete protein. That’s why we use hemp seeds to round everything out for this good energy chocolate banana smoothie.

However, collagen does have great effects on your hair, skin, and nails. These benefits make it a fantastic option for people with thyroid disease, like me. Thyroid disease tends to make your hair and nails dry and brittle, and I’ve noticed that, for me, collagen has really helped to counteract that.

Note: you can easily find both regular and vegan collagen power on Amazon. We like Vital Proteins brand.

Cacao Powder

This has all kinds of great minerals — including calcium, magnesium, and potassium — that are essential for your daily nutrient intake. Plus, it has just a touch of caffeine, so it’s helped me reduce the amount of coffee I plow through in the morning.

Coconut Butter (coconut manna)

First of all, I love the smoothness and slight coconut flavor you get by adding coconut butter to smoothies. It adds nutritious natural fats, and like collagen, helps strengthen hair and nails.

Hemp Seeds

As I said above, collagen isn’t a complete protein, so you’ll need to round things out in order to maximize your daily values. Hemp seeds are a great source of complete protein and omegas, and they are relatively low in carbs. They also break apart easily in the blender, so you’ll hardly notice them (although they do taste great sprinkled on salads or mixed into applesauce)!

Ashwagandha Powder

This is a really interesting new thing I found thanks to the amazing Minimalist Baker. You commonly see it used in Ayurvedic medicine as a way to combat anxiety and help improve mental clarity. Many psychologists will even use it for mild anxiety patients in lieu of pharmaceutical anxiety meds. It’s also great for thyroid patients to help aid in the natural production of T3 and T4.

So take that for what you will. Feel free to leave ashwagandha out of your smoothie if it’s too “woo woo” for you. However, Ryan and I do think it helps with mental clarity and physical relaxation on some level.

So, all of these great benefits are right in this one, simple smoothie!

Click the video, or see the recipe below to learn how to make it!

Leave a comment and let me know how you like it, and I’ll see you all again shortly with a delicious grilled shrimp salad for your summer table! <3