What if Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream could be transformed into a delicious green smoothie for weight loss and more? Friends, meet the Chunky Monkey Green Smoothie. It’s equally perfect for a healthy breakfast or a nutritious dessert. While this smoothie isn’t green in color, it is loaded with hidden veggies that add major creaminess to this protein shake.

This green smoothie is gluten free, vegan, and refined sugar free plus loaded with plant based protein to keep you full well until lunchtime!

Here in the Healthier Together kitchen, we’ve been remaking Ben & Jerry’s flavors, like my Vegan Cherry Garcia, into easy breakfast recipes that offer health benefits for the body and mind. What better place to start than with a green smoothie, chunky monkey style? ⁣

This amazingly tasty series is in collaboration with one of my favorite social media friends, @justine_snacks. I started following Justine at the beginning of the pandemic and have just been blown away by her food knowledge, perspective on life (and especially health, wellness, and body image), and personality. ⁣I even snagged her for an episode of my Healthier Together Podcast! She’s on the first episode of the Healthy Cooking Secrets series, spilling her best science-based baking hacks. Be sure to give it a listen on your next circadian walk. You can check out the episode here on Spotify and here on Apple podcasts!

What makes the best green smoothie?

Oh, I’ve learned a thing or two about crafting the perfect green smoothie recipes over the years. You’ve probably heard me say how green smoothies are the quickest, easiest, and most delicious ways to transform your health because they’re the best way to pack in as MANY nutrients as possible, all before noon. You could say I became a little obsessed with trying out different dessert flavors, which led me to create the Green Smoothie Society. If green smoothies for breakfast are essential to your morning routine, you’ll love GSS to get access to my exclusive green smoothie recipes, all in one place!

Health benefits in this chunky monkey smoothie

Here’s a few things this green smoothie is great for helping with:

• Loosing weight: natural ingredients full of fiber like cauliflower, cacao, and walnuts have are shown in studies to help burn fat and keep you full longer, so you don’t over-indulge.
• Relieving anxiety and depression: walnuts, pure vanilla extract, and bananas are proven to be as powerful for relieving depression and mood disorders as SSRI prescription drugs.
• Busting constipation: bananas, cauliflower, rolled oats, and cacao nibs are studied for their constipation relieving benefits!

What’s in Ben & Jerry’s chunky monkey smoothie?

This protein smoothie has hidden veggies to fuel your day with healthy fats, fibers, omega-3’s, and vitamins!

Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Frozen cauliflower: Behold, the hidden veggie that I promise you can’t taste at all. Cauliflower makes this smoothie so creamy and adds those weight loss and digestive benefits I was mentioning!
• Frozen bananas⁣: did you know bananas are proven to be mood-boosting and constipation-busting? Plus, when frozen, they make smoothies super thick.
• Vanilla protein powder: plant-based protein is great for digestion and energy. I use  used @nuzest_usa. Use code healthiertogether20 for 20% off your order!
• Rolled oats: a high fiber food that’s proven to boost digestion. Keep this green smoothie recipe gluten free by using certified gluten free rolled oats. No need to cook them first!
• Pure vanilla extract⁣: Vanilla reduces inflammation in the body and is proven to boost mood!
• Fine grain mineral salt: adds healthy minerals and makes flavors stand out
• Cacao nibs: These antioxidant-rich superfoods are shown to be anti-inflammatory, bust constipation, and help with weight loss.
• Walnuts: lauded as one of the most healing foods in the world because they are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and fats! They bring the “chunk” to the “monkey”.

Tips for a creamy smoothie

This green smoothie uses frozen cauliflower and banana for a super creamy base. We add in uncooked rolled oats, then pulse in cacao nibs and walnuts. I like to use the tiniest amount of water possible— just enough to get her to blend — to give my smoothie the consistency of ice cream!

If you have a regular or personal blender that struggles to make creamy smoothies without a lot of liquid, here are some tips for making thick and creamy smoothies with whatever blender you have!

1. Used riced frozen cauliflower. You can find this in the frozen section of most grocery stores. This will help your blender because it’ll already be broken down into tiny pieces.
2. Set frozen ingredients at room temperature. Just for a few minutes prior to blending to help them be easier to blend while maintaining their creamy, coolness.
3. Blend at 10-second intervals. Between intervals, use a silicone spatula to scrape the edges and help get the ingredients closer to the blade.

Watch the recipe video!

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A post shared by Liz Moody (@lizmoody)

More healthy green smoothies

• Healthy Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia Smoothie Oats
• Healthy Chocolate Chai Smoothie
• The Ultimate Constipation Busting Smoothie
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Vegan Milkshake
• Detox Green Smoothie

Enjoy, and tell me what Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor we should remake next in the comments or on Instagram (@lizmoody)—I can’t wait to hear your ideas!

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