Thick & Creamy Superfood Chocolate Dessert Smoothie (V/GF)

There’s nothing I love more than a thick, creamy, luscious dessert smoothie. Specifically, a chocolate one. Makes me weak at the knees.

I’m sure you’re already well aware of this, but one of my favorite things to do is venture out into Los Angeles and eat dessert. For the past few months, I’ve been on a very specific dessert mission: I’ve been trying as many chocolate smoothies/shakes as possible at restaurants in L.A. in order to find the best one.

Let’s talk criteria. First of all, the smoothie obviously has to be very delicious. I’m looking for a thick, rich, deep chocolate flavor. A real chocolate flavor. None of that fake stuff. I don’t want it to taste artificial, like Hershey’s syrup. That rich and creamy chocolate flavor also needs to be paired with a super thick, smooth consistency. I’m OBSESSED with thick smoothies. The creamier, the better. All about dat texture.

So I traveled from restaurant to restaurant, and I happily taste-tested. There were some fails, and there were also some serious successes. With the help of my friends, I settled on a winner. (Buuuut you’ll have to wait for a future blog post to find out where it’s from!)

While on the hunt, I realized that the top contenders all had very similar ingredients. So I took the best of each of my favorite smoothies and decided to create my own. To be honest, I prefer making my own smoothies so that I know exactly what’s going into it. I don’t want anyone secretly tossing cane sugar in there. Also, most of the restaurants’ smoothies contained a gazillion ingredients. That’s wayyyy too complicated for me, so I wanted to simplify the ingredient list.

Speaking of ingredients, this Chocolate Dessert Smoothie is full of amazing ingredients. The stars of the show? Cacao and goji berries – two of my favorite superfoods. Cacao has a ridiculous amount of antioxidants and is full of magnesium, iron, and calcium. It’s also a fab source of those feel-good chemicals – serotonin, dopamine, anandamide, and phenylethylamine. The addiction is real. Literally.

Goji berries are also full of a ton of antioxidants. They’ve been shown to support the immune system, improve skin due to their beta-carotene content, detox the liver, stabilize blood sugar, increase energy, support digestive health, and boost your mood. BAM.

This smoothie is also bursting with healthy fats from coconut milk and coconut butter. Y’all know how I feel about healthy fats. They’re my fave. Coconut milk is made up of medium-chain fatty acids that our bodies happily use as energy. The healthy fats and electrolytes in coconut milk also help improve gut health by soothing the gut lining! YAAAS. Not only do the healthy fats in coconut milk and coconut butter give the smoothie an amazingly creamy texture, but they also help manage blood sugar. I always pair sweet treats with healthy fats to help control the insulin spike that comes along with any kind of sugar.

The sweetener in this smoothie is MAPLE SYRUP, which is a kickass ingredient. No, you probably shouldn’t pull a Buddy the Elf and guzzle down containers of maple syrup every day, but it does have its health benefits when consumed in moderation. And I’m talking about real maple syrup. All-natural, organic, 100% maple syrup. Not Log Cabin. REAL maple syrup contains a ton of antioxidants as well as minerals like manganese, zinc, potassium, and calcium. It’s been shown to fight inflammation, decrease oxidative stress in our bodies, provide antibacterial benefits, and improve the immune system.

It took me quite a few tries to nail this recipe, but it was so worth it. This bad boy has the creamiest texture and the richest flavor. It tastes soooo luxurious – like a thick chocolate waterfall.

In my opinion, smoothies are the perfect at-home dessert option, especially if you live alone. They’re quick and easy, and you can make enough for just one serving. Don’t get me wrong, I love brownies, muffins, cookies, and all other baked goods, but sometimes I don’t want to make an entire batch of something. A dessert smoothie is the perfect solution. Plus, it’s a healthified dessert, so INDULGE.

Alright, enough talking. Who’s ready?

Thick & Creamy Superfood Chocolate Dessert Smoothie (Vegan / Gluten-free)

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp 100% pure organic maple syrup
• 2 tbsp coconut butter
• 1/3 cup goji berries
• 1/2 cup ice

Toppings: shredded coconut flakes, goji berries, cacao nibs

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend thoroughly. Top with toppings of your choice and enjoy!

If you make this, take a pic and tag me (@addicted_to_lovely), or send me a Snapchat (@addicted_lovely)! Let me know what you think! (But let’s be real, I know you’ll be obsessed…)

Are there any other recipes you want me to create?! Send over any and all suggestions – I love hearing from you guys! XO