Cacao banana smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 frozen bananas, sliced
• 1½ cups unsweetened oat milk
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon cacao nibs, to serve

Method

1. 1. Add the frozen bananas, oat milk, cacao, cinnamon, almond butter and maple syrup to a blender.
2. 2. Blend until smooth and thick, adding one tablespoon more oat milk only if needed.
3. 3. Pour into glasses and finish with cacao nibs.

Estimated nutrition

calories

245 calories

fat

8 g fat

carbohydrate

43 g carbohydrates

protein

6 g protein

fiber

8 g fiber

Approximate values per serving. Nutrition varies with ingredients, brands and portion sizes.

Substitutions

• Use dairy or soy milk in place of oat milk.
• Sunflower seed butter makes a nut-free alternative.
• Use a pinch of cayenne for gentle warmth, if you enjoy it.

Good to know

A small pinch of salt can make unsweetened cacao taste rounder without making the drink taste salty.

Cultural context

Mexico / Cacao and warm-spice drinks

Cacao has deep cultural roots in Mexico and across Mesoamerica. This smoothie uses cacao as a food ingredient with cinnamon and banana; it is inspired by those flavors, not a historical recipe.

Traditional use: Cacao has been prepared in drinks and foods across Mesoamerican cultures for centuries, often with spices and varied sweeteners.

What research suggests: Cacao contains naturally occurring flavanols, though the amount varies widely by product and processing and does not turn this recipe into a treatment.

Safety note: Cacao contains small amounts of caffeine and theobromine. Choose a lower amount or skip it if those compounds do not suit you.

Questions, answered.

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