This Maca Mocha Cold Brew Smoothie is the perfect start to your day with a superfood boost from maca. Sweetened with Medjool dates, or opt for frozen banana! Not sure what maca is? Read on! 🙂
This post is sponsored in partnership with Almond Breeze. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help bring you new recipes!
Sometimes you need a little chocolate in the morning to start your day…
Just me?
Hopefully not, because this Maca Mocha Cold Brew Smoothie is seriously TOO GOOD. Not to mention a healthy way to get in your dose of caffeine to start the day.
This Cold Brew Smoothie is loaded with nutrient-dense ingredients and is sure to keep you full for quite some time with healthy fats and fiber. You can opt to add protein powder or simply leave out, depending on what you’re looking for.
And if you’ve gotten this far, you may be wondering…
What is Maca?
Maca is one of my favorite superfood powders to add into energy bites, my morning coffee and smoothies.
Maca is a cruciferous vegetable, related to broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale. The edible part of the plant is the root, typically dried and in powder form like we’re using in this smoothie.
Maca is actually an ancient plant native to Peru, said to be of the adaptogenic nature. An “adaptogen” is a name given to certain plants that help the body naturally respond (adapt) to stressors – everything from physical stress to mental stress.
Maca Mocha Cold Brew Smoothie
Okay, so now for this smoothie.
The blend of the maca with the mocha is honestly perfect, and I think you are going to love this Cold Brew Smoothie – it’s creamy, chocolatey, nutty and just downright delicious.
You can even skip the morning cup of coffee, make this smoothie and be on your way!
Ingredients needed for this cold brew smoothie
Cold Brew – Can’t make a cold brew smoothie without cold brew. My coffee pot actually has a cold brew setting which really comes in handy. Of course, you can also purchase cold brew.
Maca Powder – Adding this adaptogen root powder gives this smoothie a superfood boost, while adding a mildly nutty flavor.
Unsweetened Cacao Powder (or cocoa) – Using cacao powder will give this smoothie an antioxidant boost but cocoa powder is fine too.
Frozen Cauliflower Rice – YES, you read that right. Adding cauliflower to smoothies is a great way to add some additional fiber and nutrients to your smoothie, while using the frozen bits helps create the thick smoothie texture.
Almond Butter – I pretty much always add a nut butter to my smoothie because it adds healthy fats to help keep you full, but also a little creaminess. My favorite for this recipe is Almond Butter but you can substitute a couple tablespoons of flaxseed or hemp hearts for healthy fats.
Medjool Dates OR Frozen Banana – Medjool dates adds a natural sweetness to this smoothie, and they’re a good source of fiber and potassium. Medjool dates are a nice option if you can’t do bananas (or you just don’t care for the taste). If you decide to use frozen banana, the sugar content will be a little less.
Optional protein powder – If you’re looking for a little protein boost, add a serving of your favorite powder.
Why Almond Breeze Almondmilk?
I’ve been working with Almond Breeze this year and I am excited to be partnering with them again for this Cold Brew Smoothie!
Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original almondmilk is made from high quality Blue Diamond almonds, grown by families in the Blue Diamond Almond Growers cooperative. Blue Diamond has over 3,000 growers across California, so I feel confident that their almondmilk is equally high in quality and taste.
Along with the Original flavors, Almond Breeze also has a variety of blends like Hint of Honey, Coconutmilk Blend, Cashewmilk Blend and more to satisfy all of your flavor needs. Not to mention one my personal favorites Almond Breeze Almondmilk blended with Real Bananas – more on that here.
Use their product locator to find where you can purchase!
Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original almondmilk can be used for smoothies (like in this recipe), but also great for baking! I bake a lot of dairy-free recipes and it’s the perfect plant-based milk alternative.
Their shelf stable variety is great to keep in the pantry for all your kitchen needs.
Tips for making this Cold Brew Smoothie
- Add the frozen cauliflower and dates at the base of the smoothie, so they get broken up first. The dates take a bit to break down if not super soft, so just be patient.
- Start with about 1/2 cup of cold brew and 1/2 cup of Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original almondmilk – then adjust liquid to desired thickness. Everyone has their own preference.
- If you want a lower sugar option versus using Medjool dates, you can use one medium pre-sliced frozen banana. The smoothie won’t be quite as sweet, and if your banana is super ripe prior to freezing, some banana flavor will come through.
- Feel free to use your choice of nut butter, or simply omit.
- If you’re feeling like a little more protein, add your go-to powder. I would add vanilla here if it were me. Or just an unsweetened powder.
- Feel free to add a cup of spinach or so as well! You won’t taste it 😀
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and review here on the blog! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley
How to Make…
Maca Mocha Cold Brew Smoothie
This Maca Mocha Cold Brew Smoothie is the perfect start to your day with a superfood boost from maca. Made with AlmondBreeze Unsweetened Original almondmilk, Cold Brew, Cacao, Maca Powder, Frozen Cauliflower Rice for a little veggie boost and sweetened with Medjool dates. Vegan and paleo friendly.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 smoothies 1x
- Scale:
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower
- 2–3 pitted medjool dates (depending on how sweet you’d like)
- 2 TBSP almond butter
- 3/4 cup cold Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original almondmilk
- 3/4 cup cold brew coffee
- 2 TBSP cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 TBSP maca powder
optional add-ins
- protein powder of choice*
- 1 cup spinach
- 1/2 cup oats
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in blender, starting with frozen cauliflower and dates so they’re at the base of the blender, then follow with almond butter, liquid and powders.
- Blend on high until smooth. Adjust liquid to desired thickness – see notes on adding more liquid if desired.
- Enjoy!
Recipes Notes:
Recipe easily cut in half for 1 serving.
If you’d like a thicker smoothie, reduce almondmilk and cold brew to 1/2 cup each (1 cup total). If you’d like a thinner smoothie, add about 2 full cups liquid.
*If using a sweetened protein powder, you can probably cut back to 1-2 medjool dates per 2 servings.
If you don’t have dates but like banana, use 1 medium banana, pre-sliced and frozen. (The riper the banana, the sweeter the drink but also the more banana flavor will come through slightly.) OR use maple syrup, to taste.
Nutrition approximate; not including protein powder. Calculated using 2 Medjool dates. If using 1 medium frozen banana,
Nutrition Information:
- Serving Size: 1 smoothie
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 17g
- Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 7g
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