Some things just don’t seem to mix. Oil and vinegar would be a prime example. A conservative and a liberal getting drunk together. But some things maybe seem not to go well together but when mixed actually do. French fries dipped in a Wendy’s Frosty. Blue corn tortilla chips with peanut butter. Another seemingly mistakenly-matched item, that in fact are quite complementary, would be a chocolate berry smoothie. Let’s talk about our Strawberry Cacao Smoothie!
We love smoothies at Naturopathic Earth. We boast amazing blueberry banana, dark chocolate almond butter, cherry banana, and numerous green smoothies. One of the reasons we love smoothies is because you can make them highly nutrient-dense and satiating. Also, you are ingesting the pulp of the fruits and veggies, unlike the somewhat overrated juices which purge that vital fiber out of the drink. The main reason is that smoothies taste refreshing and amazing.
Click HERE for Cherry Smoothie. 
Click Here to Try Our Blueberry Banana Smoothie recipe! 
Click HERE to try our Tangy Tumeric Green Smoothie. 
Click HERE to check our Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie recipe!
Strawberry Cacao Smoothie
So what’s in this Strawberry Cacao Smoothie? We start with the liquid base. In most cases we opt for the unflavored coconut milk. (Click HERE to read our Review of non-Dairy Milk Alternatives to see why.) There is no reason to choose the Original flavor of any non-dairy milk since the other ingredients in the recipe will provide sufficient sweetness. Don’t choose water and heaven forbid, never choose an orange or apple juice because that is just loads of useless sugar. Go for full-fat non-dairy milk….like coconut milk.
Strawberries are great for smoothies. (They are not my favorite fruit for a smoothie, but they are great nonetheless.) Choose frozen strawberries since it will make your smoothie colder. Also choose organic strawberries since this fruit annually scores high on the Dirty Dozen list of fruits which absorb the most pesticides.
To sweeten this Strawberry Cacao Smoothie we use the best sweetener of all time. Medjool Dates! (Check out our Review on non-sugar sweeteners to see why.) The beauty of dates is that when blended you get the fiber of the dates. Plus they taste amazing and are quite nutrient-dense especially when compared to cane sugar, molasses, and even the much-touted stevia. Plus it is an ideal Paleo ingredient.
We throw in some protein powder as well to this Strawberry Cacao Smoothie. In most Naturopathic Earth recipes, we don’t use protein powder but in this one we will. It will likely give you 15-20 grams of extra protein. Now since most Americans eat too much meat and therefore get ample supply of animal protein, this ingredient is not necessarily needed. But for those of you who are more vegetarian in your orientation, it might behoove you to add this protein.
From there, we throw in the chocolate. You have some options here for this Strawberry Cacao Smoothie. The best option is cacao powder. If you can’t get that, than opt for cacao nibs, which are literally dried up pieces of the cacao bean. If you can’t get that than opt for Baker’s Chocolate or crumbled 90% dark chocolate bars.
As with other Naturopathic Recipes, we throw in some crucial yet many times overlooked ingredients. We love chia seeds…the chameleon of foods. You can throw them on any food…from chicken to ice cream, from eggs to fish. They bring a great source of fiber and unsaturated fats while practically being no carb. Sprinkle it on everything!
Cinnamon is one of the most important spices on the planet. It is perfect for a smoothie of this caliber. It brings added sweetness without spiking your blood sugar. It is also a great anti-microbial agent and great for heart and brain health.
One of the ancillary benefits of this Strawberry Cacao Smoothie is the alluring color. It offers a nice crimson hue which is mysterious and alluring. Once you put it to the lips, you will never leave it. It seems like some things which don’t seem complementary, in fact, are very so.
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Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Ingredients
Instructions