Chocolate-Mint Smoothie Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Silky Smooth Chocolate-Mint Smoothie (with sage leaf garnish b/c no other mints around)

This chocolate-mint smoothie is the 4th of the 7 Christmas Smoothie recipes.  What would Christmas be like without these two fabulously nostalgia-evoking flavours from our Christmas stockings and our office treats and our edible ornaments?  This is a pretty easy smoothie.  If you have some nice fresh mint available, please use it... if not (as in this time of year in my garden), please use a high grade ingestible health supplement Peppermint essential oil.  You only need a drop in your smoothie, and you can use the rest for countless other purposes.*  I'm happy to tell you that this smoothie is a lot healthier than peppermint candy canes and boxes of chockies!

Put the following in your blender carafe and let sit for 15 minutes:
*1 T. Chia Seed
*2 C. Almond Milk
*1 pkt. "Sweet Leaf" Stevia or sweetener (or not) of your choice
After 15 minutes of hydration of the Chia Seed (for improved digestibility), add in:
*2 T. Organic Cocoa or powdered raw Cacao or Cocoa/Carob Powder combination
*2 Frozen Bananas, chunked
*1/2 teaspoon Peppermint Extract, or 1 - 2 drops food grade Peppermint Essential Oil (NO MORE!) OR small handful fresh Peppermint Leaves
Spin up until it is silky smooth!

The other 6 smoothies in the 7 Christmas Smoothie Recipes are as follows:

Cranberry-Apple, Green Grape and Chia Christmas Smoothie

Cranberry Lassi with Coconut Milk, Cumin, Chia and Ginger Smoothie

Mandaringo-Ginger Smoothie

Christmas Cake Smoothie

Luscious Eggless Nog Smoothie

Sweet Pumpkin Pie Smoothie


Click HERE to scroll other luscious Smoothie recipes containing Avocado

Thickalicious Christmas Cake Smoothie

Thickalicious Christmas Cake Smoothie

This Thickalicious take-off on a Christmas Cake as a smoothie
When designing this 'cake' smoothie, I wanted to get the essential flavour "idea" of Christmas cake but without having to expand the recipe to include all the not-so-healthy ingredients you might find in a typical Christmas cake (and I'm not referring to the commercial ones).  There is NO butter, so you don't have to worry about that... in fact, like all of the Christmas smoothies, this one is also vegan which means no yogurt either, or other dairy products.  Of course, if you are not vegetarian, you can go ahead and put in whatever you like from the animal by-product arena.  I'm hoping that the almond milk and the oatmeal carry the mouth-appeal for all the fats-- milk, butter, eggs-- in this smoothie.

I also have skipped most the rum or brandy and the raisins and/or currants.  Instead I'm using frozen  seedless grapes and I believe that these little gems do the trick as a much healthier, tastier sub.  Along with the grapes, the dates provide wholesome sweetness (I also added a packet of Sweet Leaf stevia, and you can opt for more sweetener of your choice, or just stick with the dates).  Too, I kept the spices to a minimum, using a small amount of nutmeg and a more pronounced portion of cinnamon.

I like it-- it satisfies my Christmas Cake urges in a more satisfactory way, and I don't have to start putting it together in October! (I vaguely remember that regimen from my long-ago Trudy Traditional days).

Thickalicious Christmas Cake Smoothie (serves 2)
Put the following in your blender carafe and whirl up:

• 1/2 C. Rolled Oats (Gluten-Free if preferred)
• 1/4 tsp. ground Nutmeg
• 1 tsp.   ground Cinnamon
• 9 pitted Dates (or more if desired)
• 1 C. Frozen Seedless Grapes
• 2. C. Almond Milk (or 1 C. Almond Milk and 1 C. Water)
• 1 pkt. Sweet Leaf Stevia powder (or sweetener of choice and how much you want-- optional)

Try these other Christmas Smoothies too!

Cranberry-Apple, Green Grape and Chia Christmas Smoothie

Cranberry Lassi with Coconut Milk, Cumin, Chia and Ginger Smoothie

Mandaringo-Ginger Smoothie

Luscious Eggless Nog Smoothie

Sweet Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Chocolate-Mint Smoothie

Mandaringo- Ginger Smoothie

This Mandaringo Ginger Smoothie is the third of seven Christmas Smoothie Recipes... if you want the others sent directly to your email box, please sign up under this recipe.

When I was a small child in the 50s and 60s in Canada's Rural Heartland there were certain foods that were pretty much only eaten during the Christmas season, because that is the only time they were available in local stores.  Turkey and mandarin oranges are in that category.  Mandarin oranges were a great treat in our family.  Small children felt so independent in that they could peel the little suckers all by themselves.  They were refreshing and delicious and we couldn't get enough of them!  There was always at least one mandarin orange in our Christmas Stocking.

We now live in a world where those of us in privileged nations can generally find a huge range of fresh fruits and vegetables almost any time of year.  My husband just picked up a box of organic Mandarins and we are teaming them up with frozen organic Mangos from Costco.  The flavours of Mandarin Orange and Mango blend very nicely together, plus the Mango provides the emulsion that any smoothie needs (keeps all the fruit juices from going off their separate ways). Fresh grated ginger provides that lovely warming and zing.  A frozen banana brings in some additional sweet and smooth.  Hope you enjoy!

Mandaringo-Ginger Smoothie (serves 2 - 4 people)

Put the following in your Blender Carafe:

• 1 C. Frozen Mango
• 2 Mandarin Oranges, segmented
• 2 inch peeled, chopped Ginger
• 1/2 to 1 Frozen Banana, chopped

Enjoy!  

Here are the other 6 Christmas Smoothie Recipes for you to sample!

Cranberry-Apple, Green Grape and Chia Christmas Smoothie

Cranberry Lassi with Coconut Milk, Cumin, Chia and Ginger Smoothie

Christmas Cake Smoothie

Luscious Eggless Nog Smoothie

Sweet Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Chocolate-Mint Smoothie

Cranberry Lassi with Coconut Milk, Cumin, Chia and Ginger (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

This delicious, delightful Cranberry Lassi  is the sixth "Christmas Smoothie" in our series of 7 Daily Christmas Smoothies.

A Lassi is an Indian drink generally made with cultured milk, either yogurt or kefir, and flavours from the 5 basic groups: salty, pungent, sour, sweet and bitter.  If you are not vegan/dairy adverse, you could use either of these for the coconut milk/lime juice in following the recipe.  Seeing cumin and cayenne (or chili powder) in a more or less dessert-y type smoothie is a bit of a shock, or was for me.  But the combination, in concert with the bitter cranberries, is just perfect (my husband thinks so).  I used a recipe for cranberry chutney for ideas of workable blends, but you will be happy to recognize that I did not include garlic or an entire chili pepper.

Cumin has been used throughout history in perfume-making, so you can attribute the lovely fragrance partly to that, and partly to the ginger (a wonderful digestion-helper) and other ingredients.  I was left with a very nice after-taste and a warming feeling.  This is not a drink to bolt down, but to savour over a family get-together early in the morning.

Cranberry Lassi 

 This makes about two (2) good-sized Adult servings.
 Put the following in your Blender Carafe:
* 2 C. Coconut Dream (or similar ready-to-drink Coconut Mylk)
* 1+C. Fresh or Frozen Cranberries (Frozen berries act like ice cubes)
* 1 tsp. Chia Seed (ground in Coffee Grinder)
* 1 tsp. Cumin Seed (ground in Coffee Grinder)
* 1 Small Handful Unsweetened Coconut Shreds
* Fresh-squeezed Lime Juice (1/2 Lime)
* 1 tsp. Grated fresh Ginger
* 3 T. Coconut Palm Sugar
* 1 packet Stevia "Sweet Leaf" powder (Optional)
* Pinch of Salt (I use Celtic Sea Salt for the 82 minerals)
* Pinch of Cayenne or Chili pepper
Merry Christmas!  Happy Holidays!

Here are the other 6 Christmas Smoothie Recipes for you to sample!

Cranberry-Apple, Green Grape and Chia Christmas Smoothie

Mandaringo-Ginger Smoothie

Christmas Cake Smoothie

Luscious Eggless Nog Smoothie

Sweet Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Chocolate-Mint Smoothie

Cranberry-Apple, Green Grape and Chia Christmas Smoothie (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

This Cranberry-Apple, Green Grape and Chia Smoothie is tart, but refreshing!  I add a packet of stevia (Sweet Leaf brand) just to give  it a little extra sweetness.  But otherwise, it is dyn-o-mite!  I'm kicking off the Christmas Smoothie Week here-- we will start every day with a lovely, high antioxidant smoothie to fend off the bugs and do some mild detox.  Hope you will join in!  If you are not already on the list and would like to be over the 7-Day Christmas Smoothie-ton, please just sign up below the recipe!
Cranberry - Apple, Green Grape and Chia Christmas Smoothie Recipe: This recipe makes enough smoothies for 2 - 4 people depending on how much smoothie you imbibe! Put the following in your blender carafe and whirl up:

• 1 - 3 C. Fresh Cranberries
• 1 - 2 C. Frozen Seedless Grapes (mine are Green, but any table grapes will do!)
• 1 - 2 Apples, cored and chopped (washed well but not peeled)
• 1 T. ground Chia Seed (grind it in a Coffee Bean Grinder)
• Filtered Water to the 1/2 Mark on your Carafe
• 1 packet Sweet Leaf Stevia with Inulin (Optional)

To Your Health AND Merry Christmas!  ~Cynthia

Here are the other 6 Christmas Smoothie Recipes for you to sample!

Cranberry Lassi with Coconut Milk, Cumin, Chia and Ginger Smoothie

Mandaringo-Ginger Smoothie

Christmas Cake Smoothie

Luscious Eggless Nog Smoothie

Sweet Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Chocolate-Mint Smoothie

Eggless Nog for a Cholesterol-Free Christmas

This Luscious Eggless Nog is #5 of the 7 Christmas Smoothie Recipes.  My husband says he likes this much better than the store-bought egg nog, or what we remember of it.  Hope you like it too!  Sign up for the recipes under the recipe itself!

LUSCIOUS Eggless Nog:

• Add 3 tbsp or so of Chia Seed soaked in 1 cup of Water- for 10 minutes before making nog. I pour this into blender and add 
• 3 cups of Coconut Dream or the milk of a young Thai Coconut,  
• 1 tbsp of Coconut oil, 
• a packet of Sweet Leaf  Stevia, 
• 6-8 frozen Bananas, 
• Blender may be topped up with more Water. 
• Blend up- add Pumpkin Pie Spice and Nutmeg to taste. It really does taste very similar to egg nog.

Perfect Merry Christmas drink for that health-conscious vegan sweetie! 

Here are the other 6 Christmas Smoothie Recipes for you to sample!

Cranberry-Apple, Green Grape and Chia Christmas Smoothie

Cranberry Lassi with Coconut Milk, Cumin, Chia and Ginger Smoothie

Mandaringo-Ginger Smoothie

Christmas Cake Smoothie

Sweet Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Chocolate-Mint Smoothie

Sweet Pumpkin Pie Smoothie (Thickalicious, Vegan, Gluten-Free)

When I was a child, pumpkin pie (with whipped cream or ice cream) was a dessert that my Grandma Sanders always contributed to the holiday meal.  Since I continue to love pumpkin pie but can't make pie crust to save my soul (perhaps fortunately), this lovely sweet pumpkin pie smoothie is a great tribute to that great tradition!

Ingredients:

1/2 C. Rolled Oats (Gluten-free variety, if you are wheat-sensitive)
1 T. ground Chia Seed (Grind in the Coffee Bean grinder)
2 cups Almond Milk
1 cup frozen Banana chunks
1/2 cup Ice
3/4 cup canned organic Pumpkin (unsweetened)
2 organic Mandarin oranges, segmented, seeded if they have seeds
1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
1+ tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice or a mix of Cinnamon/Nutmeg to suit you

Method:

1. Put the Oats and the Chia Seed into the blender carafe first and then pour in the Almond Milk, letting the Oats and Chia soak for 15 minutes or longer.  Their rehydration really helps with digestibility.
2. Put other ingredients in to the carafe and spin up for as long as it takes to produce a nice silk-blended smoothie.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Here are the other 6 Christmas Smoothie Recipes for you to sample!

Cranberry-Apple, Green Grape and Chia Christmas Smoothie

Cranberry Lassi with Coconut Milk, Cumin, Chia and Ginger Smoothie

Mandaringo-Ginger Smoothie

Christmas Cake Smoothie

Luscious Eggless Nog Smoothie

Chocolate-Mint Smoothie