Rich Cocoa Chia Smoothie Bowl

Just because it’s Fall doesn’t mean smoothie season is over all of a sudden, does it?

While I’ll admit that I am less likely to whip up a fresh berry smoothie in the cooler months, I still love a good smoothie that’s maybe, let’s say, a little richer, deeper, and robust in flavour! Ha, I love that word… robust! It reminds me of a cartoon big-bellied opera singer…

Any who…(awkward cough) in the cold months I’ve been inclined to whip up carrot cake smoothies, red velvet smoothies, pumpkin pie smoothies, and ginger-laden lemon detox smoothies. So, with Fall now in full swing, I started thinking along these lines again and came up with this Rich Cocoa Chia Smoothie Bowl!

It’s ROBUST! Chocolately, creamy, dreamy, rich, and full of deep dark cocoa flavour. Seriously delicious.

Oh, and it’s also super duper healthy! Don’t let the ” rich cocoa” fool you into thinking this smoothie bowl is built like an indulgent dessert… even though it tastes like one!

I decided to use chia seed pudding in the smoothie, not just whole raw chia seeds, because the pudding blends up wonderfully to create an even creamier consistency in the smoothie, and chia also does wonders for the digestive system.

We all know how much I love chia!! (chia here, chia there, oh, and here’s some more chia)

Along with the fibre and omega rich chia, I added in my new fave pumpkin seed protein powder (seriously, the best find everrrrr!), bananas, a ton of raw cocoa powder and cocoa nibs for a POW! of antioxidants, frozen papaya (a sneaky and totally undetectable vitamin rich ingredient I threw in for added volume and variety so there wasn’t a banana overload), and shredded coconut!

A combination of epic proportions!

Come on… you totally want to dig a spoon right in that bowl, don’t ya!?

Do you make smoothies/smoothie bowls in the colder months? If so, what kind of ingredients do you use?? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Rich Cocoa Chia Smoothie Bowl

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

Cocoa Chia Pudding:
1 tablespoon whole chia seeds
1 tablespoon raw cocoa powder
3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
Smoothie:
1 medium frozen banana
½ cup frozen papaya (or use more banana if you prefer)
5 ice cubes
all of the cocoa chia pudding
1½ tablespoons pumpkin seed protein powder (or another unflavoured protein powder of choice)
½ cup unsweetened almond milk (add more if you desire a thinner smoothie consistency)
Smoothie Bowl Toppings:
sliced banana
1 tablespoon raw cocoa nibs
½ tablespoon shredded unsweetened coconut
1 tablespoon grain free or regular granola

Instructions

Prepare the chocolate chia pudding by adding the chia pudding ingredients to a small bowl or glass, stirring until well combined and letting sit for 5-10 minutes.
Once the chia pudding is thickened, add all of the smoothie ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, thick, and creamy (the smoothie should be very thick (thick enough to eat with a spoon!) so a high powered blender is best)
Add the blended smoothie base to a bowl, and top with the toppings!
Enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Serving size: 1 Calories: 405 kcal Fat: 15g Carbohydrates: 54g Fiber: 16g Protein: 18g

Have a fantastic Thursday and if you haven’t picked up your copy of the Healthy Treats Cookbook by Brilliant by Brooke – it’s a must! Click the photo below!