Malted Chocolate Cauliflower Smoothie

No fruit smoothies are a thing! This chocolate cauliflower smoothie is thick and creamy without any added sugar or fruit.

Meet your new favorite smoothie ingredient — frozen veggies.

Most of the smoothie recipes on EBF use frozen banana as the base because it gives smoothies that perfect thick and creamy texture. I still use bananas for smoothies occasionally, but lately I’ve been experimenting with using frozen veggies like zucchini and cauliflower instead.

Frozen Banana vs. Frozen Veggies

Zucchini works great, but I feel like frozen cauliflower is the new banana when it comes to making smoothies super thick and creamy. Literally cauliflower makes the texture so smooth it’s almost velvety. And it does this without making your whole smoothie taste like cauliflower or adding a a ton of sugar. It’s pretty awesome!

Just FYI — one banana has around 15 grams of sugar where as one cup of frozen cauliflower has about 2 grams. Obviously, if you’re watching your sugar intake or trying to keep your blood sugar balanced, cauliflower is the better choice.

Can I Use Frozen Cauliflower Florets?

In general I’ve found that frozen riced cauliflower works better than frozen florets for smoothies because it blends up easily and quickly. Some stores, like Trader Joe’s, carry riced cauliflower in the freezer section but you can easily make your own too. Either buy a package of fresh riced cauliflower and freeze it or buy a whole head, pulse it into rice using your food processor, place in freezer bags and freeze.

Ingredients Needed:

• almond milk – I prefer almond milk, but any milk will work here.
• frozen cauliflower rice – store-bought or you can make your own
• chocolate protein powder – I love Nuzest’s Rich Chocolate Clean Lean Protein powder (use code eatingbirdfood for 15% off your order).
• ice – to get the smoothie super cold.
• maca powder – if you’re new to maca powder, it’s a Peruvian superfood made from the maca root. I’ve heard some people describe the flavor as malty or similar to butterscotch. Personally, I think it has a unique flavor that is slightly bitter sweet. Feel free to skip this if you don’t have maca powder or aren’t a fan of the taste.
• cacao nibs – cacao not only adds a rich chocolate flavor but is also packed with powerful nutrients; including antioxidants, fiber, magnesium, and iron.

Maca Powder Health Benefits

Maca is rich in essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron. It’s best known for its ability to enhance libido and stimulate fertility, but it also helps increase energy, stamina and endurance, support the immune system, reduce chronic fatigue and regulate and support endocrine system. 

Maca powder is readily available in most natural grocery stores now, but you can also buy it on Amazon. If you don’t have maca powder or don’t love the flavor, no worries at all. This chocolate cauliflower smoothie is worth trying because it will still taste delicious without the maca.

More Smoothie Recipes to Try:

• Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie
• Orange Banana Smoothie
• Banana Almond Butter Smoothie
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie
• Strawberry Banana Smoothie
• Chocolate Coconut Mint Chip Smoothie

More Cauliflower Rice Recipes to Try:

• Cauliflower Rice Mujadara
• 17 Genius Ways to Use Cauliflower Rice
• Tuna Curry Bowl with Cauliflower Rice
• Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad

If you make this malted chocolate cauliflower smoothie, please be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other readers who are thinking about making the recipe. 

Malted Chocolate Cauliflower Smoothie

5 from 10 votes

No fruit smoothies are a thing! This chocolate cauliflower smoothie is thick and creamy without any added sugar or fruit.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Servings 1

Ingredients

• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, I like Nuzest
• 3/4-1 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup frozen riced cauliflower
• 1/3 cup ice
• 1 Tablespoon maca powder
• 1 Tablespoon cacao nibs

Instructions

 

• Blend: Add protein powder, milk, cauliflower rice, ice, maca, and cacao nibs to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
• Taste: Add more liquid (if necessary) to get the consistency you like!
• Serve: Pour into a glass and sprinkle a few extra cacao nibs on top and enjoy!

Notes

maca powder – feel free to skip this if you don't have maca powder or aren't a fan of the taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1smoothie Calories: 250kcal Carbohydrates: 22g Protein: 22g Fat: 4g Fiber: 10g Sugar: 4g

Author: Brittany Mullins

Course: Smoothie

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cauliflower smoothie, no fruit smoothie

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