Frozen Hot Chocolate Protein Smoothie

 

Okay, so you know I'm always encouraging you to consume fewer processed foods, right? Because then you can control the quality of the ingredients, and the quantity of sugar and salt in your meals. And that's still totally true, you guys. Buuuut....sometimes I used package shortcuts in the kitchen. This, my friends, is one of those times.

I blame my youth! I was thinking about a childhood favorite: the Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity in New York City. My sister and I grew up in Manhattan; on a very special occasion, our mom might take us out for this sweet treat. And when I say sweet, I mean it. The Frozen Hot Chocolate—the oxymoronic name totally blew my mind as a kid—was incredibly sweet and super rich and really needed to be shared by at least two people.

That famous/infamous dessert inspired this smoothie, which employs a good ol' (totally processed) packet of hot cocoa mix in it. It's still a sweet treat but with much less sugar and much more protein than the original, thanks to Kura's Chocolate Smoothie Starter (sent to me, free of charge, by the company). I'd recently used it in my Almond Joy Smoothie Bowl and thought it'd be perfect in this drink. And it was! 

  Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 packet organic Hot Cocoa Mix
• 1 scoop chocolate Kura protein powder
• 1 cup ice

Blend in a high-speed blender (I used my Vitamix) until smooth, frothy, and icy. 

So, 14 grams of protein in the Kura smoothie starter + 8 grams in the milk + 3 grams from the Trader Joe's hot chocolate mix = 25 grams total. All that protein makes this an especially filling and satisfying dessert. The delicious chocolate doesn't hurt, either!

If you'd like to try a free sample of Kura, you'll get one (and so will a friend) through their "get a sample, give a sample" promotion.

And don't forget to check out my Almond Joy Smoothie bowl.