Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Smoothie

I shared my peanut butter and banana smoothie a while back and one of you mentioned using hazelnut butter. It sounded heavenly. This version pairs chocolate with hazelnut butter, the two important flavors of Nutella. Banana sweetens it, with extra creaminess from whole milk, coconut milk, or milk of choice. It’s now my favorite variation of this nut butter smoothie idea. I love it so well, I thought it deserved it’s own post.

Hazelnut butter is more a specialty item. You can make your own out of soaked or sprouted nuts or I’d recommend buying roasted hazelnut butter. I found Kettle’s Roasted Hazelnut Butter, at my local store, which made it simple. But you can also buy a few brands on Amazon, such as Fastachi® Hazelnut Butter or Fresh Roasted Hazelnut Butter. While certainly not the cheapest nut butter, it definitely has a lovely, distinctive flavor.

This has made a lovely snack mid-afternoon. I often have had it not for breakfast, but as a boost for me while working on planning/scheduling/writing.

If your banana isn’t very sweet, or you’d just like it a bit sweeter, add a drizzle of real maple syrup or raw honey. Delicious!

Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Smoothie-Serves 1

1 frozen banana, or a banana and a handful of ice
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of hazelnut butter
1/8 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of whole milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or milk of choice (Or 2 tablespoons of coconut cream plus 1/2 cup of water)

Blend thoroughly in a blender. Pour into a glass, and enjoy!