Nutella and banana has got to be my all time favorite dessert combination.
Whether its on crepes, waffles, pancakes—-nothing even comes close!!
And when it comes to gelato, chocolate hazelnut or bacio, as they call it in Italy, is definitely my flavor of choice!
But of course, indulging myself with these sinfully-delicious vices of mine on a regular basis (which are fully-loaded with empty carbs, sugar, calories), would completely destroy any gains from those killer workouts at the gym.
NOT good!
So whenever that craving hits, and we all know it comes out of nowhere, how can I enjoy this decadent dessert flavor of mine without sabotaging the physique (too much)?!
….While at the same time, help build muscle and nourish my body with nutrients??
Enter my Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Smoothie!!
This smoothie will more than satisfy that sweet tooth, as it is chock full of muscle building protein and loaded with vitamins and minerals to nourish the body.
The taste of the rich, hazelnut flavor dominates the palette in this smoothie, while the luscious dark chocolate and banana round it out to give you that satisfying, delightful finish.
The hazelnuts is what makes this smoothie super duper delicious, so I made sure that no other ingredient overpowered its robust flavor.
I also made sure to use cacao powder instead of cocoa powder because this is real chocolate in its purest form, with its nutrients still intact. Cacao powder is unprocessed, raw chocolate, while cocoa powder usually has added sugar, and is roasted at a high temperature, which destroys some of its nutritional value.
Cacao is true dark chocolate, and darker chocolate reigns supreme in taste and nourishment.
The dark chocolate and hazelnut flavor is further enhanced by the frozen banana slices, thickening the smoothie, and completes the trifecta of goodness, elevating this smoothie’s flavor to another level.
I could have definitely added more chocolate to this smoothie recipe, and I did experiment with that (and they all came out pretty good), but I feel that the way the recipe is formulated as it is right now, it’s just too damn good to mess with.
I consider this a masterpiece of a smoothie recipe, like The Godfather movies.
Or Back To the Future I and II.
Or The Sandlot.
Beloved movies.
CLASSICS.
Yes, dare I say, this could even be better than my Ultimate Acai Blueberry Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie.
And if you haven’t tried that yet, you’re missing out on a whole lotta greatness right there!
But of course, feel free to customize this recipe as you wish, add more cacao, use cocoa powder instead, add more banana—-all up to you…
But if you try it as is, I guarantee you won’t want it any other way!
OK, here’s a quick rundown of the nutritional benefits of the smoothie ingredients:
-Hazelnuts are known to be some of the most nutritious nuts found on the planet, as they are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Studies have shown that regular consumption of this nut helps to fight cancer, help prevent heart disease, protect the brain from degeneration, and its high Vitamin E content helps keep the skin and hair healthy. Although a bit high in fat, hazelnuts are great tasting and provide great nutrition for your body.
-Dark chocolate has higher fiber content than regular chocolate, which is necessary for smooth digestion. Dark chocolate has been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants, and these are believed to help fight free radical damage to cells in the body. Also, according to some studies, dark chocolate has also been shown to improve blood circulation, protect the skin from sun damage, and may boost brain function.
–Bananas are loaded with important vitamins and minerals, most notably, potassium, which helps keep the circulatory system healthy by regulating blood flow and helps deliver oxygen throughout the body. They also contain fiber, good for digestive health, and manganese, which supports brain functions and the skeletal system.
One last note, this is a very decadent, and rich smoothie. It may not be as bad as a nutella/banana crepe or pancake made with processed flour, loads of butter, and topped with sugary syrup—but this smoothie can be quite unhealthy if you overindulge.
I usually reserve this smoothie as a reward for myself, or as a cheat meal.
Although it is full of healthy nutrients, this is best consumed in moderation. Hazelnuts have a pretty high fat content (but shown to contain mostly healthy fats), as a 1 ounce serving contains 18 grams of fat. This recipe serves about 12 ounces total, so that makes about 3 four ounce servings. And even though we aren’t using much of it, dark chocolate is still high in saturated fat, and bananas are high in sugar…it is still worth noting.
Don’t finish this all by yourself! I never finish that whole thing at once! Sharing is caring! Just an F.Y.I…
OK, here’s what you’ll need for my Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Smoothie:
If you like this, then I’m sure you’ll love these other recipes….
- Dark Chocolate Blueberry Hazelnut Protein Bars
- Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Protein Donuts
- Dark Chocolate Strawberry Hazelnut Protein Crepes
Alright then, let’s get to it!
| Prep Time | 3 minutes |
| Cook Time | 5-7 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 1 cup roasted hazelnuts
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1 1/2 scoop chocolate whey protein powder (or any other flavor preference)
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp cacao powder
- chopped hazelnuts
- cacao nibs
- 1 or 2 squares dark chocolate bar (70% cacao or higher) (optional)
Ingredients
smoothie
garnish
|
|
- Throw hazelnuts into blender. Blend until it becomes a powder-like form. You may need to stop the blender every 30 seconds or so and scrape the sides with a butter knife. Repeat 2 or 3 times.
- Add protein powder, banana, cacao powder, and almond milk into blender. Blend until thick.
- Pour into glass. Sprinkle cacao nibs, chopped hazelnuts on top. Enjoy!
-Depending on the power of your blender, it may take a bit longer to break down the hazelnuts.
-Make sure the hazelnuts have been broken down into almost a flour-like form before adding the other ingredients.
-Cocoa powder can be substituted for cacao powder if you wish.
-Hazelnuts are the dominant flavor here. But if you want more chocolate-y flavor, add another tsp of cacao/cocoa powder.
-I use Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Double Rich Chocolate flavor. This powder has a great chocolate taste with no weird aftertastes whatsoever. This is why I only need 1 tsp of cacao powder. Your protein powder may differ and alter the taste of the smoothie. Experiment until you find the right taste.
-Vanilla extract can be added to enhance the flavor a bit, but I didn't really notice much difference.
-Melt a square or two of the dark chocolate bar in a microwave for a minute or two. After about a minute, stir up the chocolate with a fork just to help it melt down before you blast it in the microwave again. Just drizzle it on top of the smoothie or mix it in with a spoon.
-I use about 4 squares of the Lily's 70% Extra Dark Chocolate for the garnish. With the Ghirardelli 72% Intense Dark, I would use about 1 or 2 squares. Both go great with this smoothie! I still have some leftover chocolate afterwards. Adjust accordingly to your chocolate bar.
-To freeze the banana, remove it from the peel and chop it up into smaller pieces. Then place them separate from each other on a plate in the freezer for at least 45 minutes. Do this well in advance!
-This recipe is formulated for a nice, thick smoothie. If the smoothie is too thick for you, add more almond milk to water it down some.
**Nutritional information is an approximation using Nutrifox, information from Google, and my own calculations to the best of my knowledge. It is not the definitive values or guaranteed to be 100% accurate information. Use only as a reference.**