Chocolate and peanut butter in a smoothie recipe? YES! This low carb smoothie recipe is a perfect option if you are following a carb-conscious diet or want to make a smoothie that doesn’t have a lot of sugar in it. I highly recommend making this chocolate peanut butter smoothie for your next breakfast or snack!
It’s no secret that I’m a huge smoothie fan. I’ve been drinking them for YEARS and really feel like they are the perfect way to get a huge boost of fruits and veggies first thing in the morning.
However, the one downfall to smoothies is that they typically have a good amount of sugar and carbs. Of course, this all comes from fruits and veggies. So, while these sugar and carbs are coming from healthy sources, if you’re watching carbs then it could be a problem.
In the last few weeks, I’ve been paying close attention to the carbs I’m consuming. In fact, I’ve been eating more keto-style meals and unfortunately, many smoothies don’t fall on that eating plan.
While I don’t plan on giving up smoothies forever (heck no), I am taking a break from my typical fruit smoothie for a little bit. Once I have a better handle on carbs and sugar, I plan to add them back in.
In the meantime, I’ve been creating more carb-conscious or low carb smoothies that are higher in protein and lower in carbs.
One of the reasons I drink smoothies is because I love adding different types of superfoods to them. This new chocolate peanut butter smoothie recipe takes 2 of my favorite flavors (chocolate and peanut butter) and infuses them with high protein greek yogurt and superfoods.
It’s 28 grams of carbs, 14 grams of sugar, 8 grams of fiber, and 14 grams of protein making this a delicious carb-conscious breakfast (or snack) that will keep you full and satisfied.
Why I Love This Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
First of all, I absolutely love the peanut butter flavor in this smoothie!
It’s just a great way to give yourself a boost of protein and some superfoods first thing in the morning. I’ve also enjoyed this smoothie for a snack during the day, in between lunch and dinner, and it definitely satisfied me and held me over until dinner time.
So even though it might not seem like there’s a lot going on, these smoothie ingredients are higher in protein and very nutritious so it will make you feel satisfied in between meals. Also, because it’s lower in sugar and carbs (plus higher in protein), it’s not going to give you that crash and burn that you would typically get with a highly processed sugar drink.
Ingredients For Low Carb Chocolate Smoothie
The ingredients in the chocolate peanut butter smoothie recipe are beyond simple. Most of them are low-carb and keto-friendly!
Cacao Powder
I used this instead of unsweetened cocoa powder because it has more antioxidants and is healthier.
Cacao powder is actually considered a superfood. It does have a chocolate flavor but it’s much more bitter than cocoa powder. When you first start drinking this, you might need to add a little more sweetness to counterbalance the bitterness of the cacao powder. However, once you get used to it, you’ll enjoy the chocolate flavor it brings.
You can find cacao powder at all grocery stores. I will say the best prices I’ve found on organic cacao powder is online from Thrive Market!
Cacao Nibs
I use these to sprinkle on top for a little crunch. Cacao nibs are the same as the powder but just in bite-sized form.
Organic Peanut Butter
In this smoothie recipe, I used creamy organic peanut butter. I think that organic peanut butter is the best for this recipe because it’s the healthiest.
Organic peanut butter is only made with peanuts. Other types of peanut butter are often made with added sugar, hydrogenated oils; and you don’t want to have any of those ingredients in a smoothie that is meant to be healthy.
Siggi’s Vanilla Greek Yogurt
I decided to use vanilla over plain yogurt for the added sweetness and flavor. Also, Siggi’s Greek yogurt has a lot less sugar than other brands. If you choose to use other brands, then make sure to read the label.
Organic Vanilla Extract
I used vanilla extract in this smoothie to add even more flavor.
I know vanilla extract is currently really expensive in the grocery stores. The best price that I have found is online from Thrive Market because they can offer their own brand for a really good price. A 4oz bottle of organic vanilla extract can cost around $11.99 which is a lot cheaper than in the stores.
Dates
I personally chose to use dates in this recipe for added sweetness which is not keto. However, dates are Paleo-friendly, so, if you’re enjoying a Paleo eating style, then this smoothie will fit in great to your diet. You can also add a couple of teaspoons of pure maple syrup instead.
Another reason I used dates to sweeten up the recipe is that I don’t like artificial sweeteners. Most of the keto recipes that need added sweetness call for ingredients like powdered erythritol (which is what things like monk fruit have in it.) I’m not crazy about it but if you want to keep this keto and reduce the carbs even more, then you can use a sweetener like that rather than dates.
Chia Seeds
I always use chia seeds in my smoothie recipes and I definitely wanted to use it in this one too. Chia seeds add omega-3 fatty acid fiber and protein, and it’s one of my favorite superfoods to add in smoothie recipes.
Unsweetened Coconut Milk
In all of my smoothie recipes, I use unsweetened coconut milk. It’s my favorite non-dairy milk to use because it is very creamy and adds a nice texture. However, if you don’t have unsweetened coconut milk or want to use almond milk, you can definitely do that too! I recommend staying away from dairy if you can as it can cause bloating.
Ice
Typically, I don’t use ice in smoothie recipes because it does result in more of a slushy texture, but for this chocolate peanut butter smoothie, ice is necessary because there really aren’t a lot of ingredients that are going to create a thick smoothie texture.
How To Make A Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
Now that we have all of the ingredients, it’s time to get blending! This chocolate peanut butter smoothie recipe is super easy to make.
All you need to do is:
- Take all of the ingredients
- Put them into a blender
- Add the ice
- Blend
- Enjoy
That’s it!
Smoothie Tips
- If the smoothie seems to be a little too much on the chunky side, then you can add more liquid to make it thinner and smoother.
- If it’s too thin, then you can add in some more ice to thicken it up. I use one cup of liquid and two cups of ice and that seems to do the trick for creating the perfect consistency of this chocolate peanut butter smoothie.
Something to keep in mind with this smoothie is that it will have a different consistency compared to my other smoothies. My other fruit smoothies tend to be more thick and smooth, where this smoothie recipe will have more of a slushy consistency because you’re using ice instead of meaty fruits (like mangos or bananas.)
Of course, if you want a rich and thick smoothie consistency and you’re not overly concerned with carbs, then you can add in a medium-sized banana. If it’s frozen, that’s even better and it will definitely give you that thick smooth consistency.
How To Meal Prep This Smoothie Recipe
With all of my smoothie recipes, I always recommend putting together some smoothie freezer kits. I truly think that’s the best way to prep smoothies ahead of time! But, for this recipe, you really can’t make smoothie kits with the ingredients that it includes.
One of the ways that you can put it together ahead of time is to make a couple of batches and put them into 16oz mason jar containers to keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
When you’re ready to drink it, just give it a couple shakes and it will be ready to drink. Of course, it might not have the exact same consistency as when you first blended the ingredients, but it will still be just as tasty!
In case you’re wondering here’s my recommendation for the best blender for smoothies.
More Healthy Smoothie Recipes
If you loved this chocolate peanut butter smoothie recipe, you’ll love some of these easy healthy smoothie recipes!
- Cherry and Blueberry Green Smoothie
- Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie
- Frozen Vegan Mango Smoothie
- Blueberry and Kale Smoothie
- Peach Raspberry Superfood Smoothie
- Blueberry Smoothie
Share a picture and tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you decide to make this!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie {Low Carb}
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon organic peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons vanilla Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 pitted dates
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 cups ice
Instructions
- Add in all the ingredients into a high power blender and blend. If needed, add more liquid until you get the consistency you desire.
Nutrition
Valerie says
Thank you for your motivational weight loss tips, and recipes! Love the overnight oats and smoothie recipes. Will try your other recipes as well. Planning and meal prep ahead keep me on track.
Hanna says
You can buy or freeze avacado chunks and add those to your smoothie to up the fat and give it a creaminess. So good!
Tammy Kresge says
Yes I’ve seen these in the freezer section! That’s a great idea!