CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE PEANUTS

Decadent Chocolate Milkshake You’d Never Know Is Healthy (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar Free, Easily Made Raw)

I’ve shared a few healthy treats this month (like these and these) but so far they’ve all been practical “tide-you-over-till-lunch” kind of recipes. A nice sweet treat, but not really dessert.

Now that we’re coming to the end of these 31 Days Of Healthy Recipes, I figured, it’s time to celebrate. And what better way than with the most decadent — but secretly healthy — dessert I know?

Enter, the most decadent chocolate milkshake evah!

I’m a big believer in not depriving myself entirely when I’m trying to eat healthier. Completely eliminating the things I crave just isn’t sustainable — at least, not for me — so instead I make allowances and give myself permission.

Dessert doesn’t have to be guilt-ridden, and it doesn’t have to be a “cheat” from your normal way of eating. Dessert can be healthy, too. Or at least, it can be a healthy part of our overall diets. A milkshake a day keeps the giant-bag-of-skittles away, amiright?!

This luscious glass of chocolaty goodness is sweet and indulgent, but made with just a handful of healthy ingredients that will leave you feeling good from the first sip to the last.

You’ve heard me say it before: I don’t like cold foods in cold weather. But I make an exception when it comes to ice cream, and all things ice cream related.

This milkshake is naturally vegan and gluten-free (no ice cream here) but it is thick, creamy, and feels just as indulgent as regular ice cream. It’s also made just a handful of ingredients, and takes seconds to make. Even my husband, who is a chocolate and ice cream snob of the highest order, dubbed this recipe a success.

I believe his words were “can I have another?”

For the past few days I’ve been making a tall glass for each of us to share, and it does double duty satisfying his sweet tooth, and my desire for something a little less gut-bomby or cloying than a regular dessert.

I topped this one off with some chopped hazelnuts and cocoa nibs, and a drizzle of super simple chocolate sauce for even more cocoa flavor. Next up on my list of things to try is making this shake with hazelnut milk in place of the almond milk, and maybe a splash of coffee. Frozen hazelnut mochachino, here I come!

Thank you so much for following along with these 31 Days Of Healthy Recipes. If you’re just stopping in, you can see all the recipes from the past month HERE. (And stay tuned for more healthy — and not so healthy — recipes to come!)

DECADENT CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE YOU'D NEVER KNOW IS HEALTHY

  

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Melan Cooking

Recipe type: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar Free, Easily Made Raw

Serves: makes 1 large or 2 small servings

INGREDIENTS

1 large banana, peeled, sliced, and frozen

5-7 ice cubes

1 cup almond milk, or other dairy-free milk (this homemade hazelnut milk would be amazing -- or you could replace some of the milk with cold coffee, if you want a coffee/chocolate shake)

1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder, or raw cacao powder

2 TBSP pure maple syrup (grade B if you can find it)

Optional, for serving:

Chocolate fudge sauce (1 TBSP cocoa powder or raw cacao powder + 1 TBSP maple syrup + ½-1 TBSP water, as needed. Mix until smooth.)

A few roasted hazelnuts, chopped, or other nuts (almonds, peanuts, or pistachios would all be good)

Pinch of raw cacoa nibs, or other add-ons like shredded coconut or crushed banana chips -- whatever you like

INSTRUCTIONS

Add everything to your blender, and blend until smooth. Depending on how powerful your blender is, you may need to add a splash more liquid, or use the plunger-stick-thingy to keep the mixture moving. I tested this milkshake in a vitamix and a less powerful blender, and both did a great job -- the vitamix was able to handle more ice and less liquid, but both were churned out thick and delicious shakes.

Pour into a tall glass (or two smaller ones) and serve as is, or with a drizzle of chocolate "fudge" sauce, chopped nuts, cacoa nibs, or other add-ons. Devour.

NOTES

This makes one massive milkshake, or two (probably more reasonably sized) smaller shakes. If you'd like smaller portions, you can certainly try halving the recipe, but depending on your blender it might be difficult to blend the smaller amount.

This recipe contains affiliate links. This means if you follow a link to amazon.com and make a purchase, I get a small percentage at no extra cost to you. Win-win! I am not sponsored by any of the products or brands that I link to, they are only things I personally use or would recommend.

AUTHENTIC LUMPIA INDONESIAN SPRING ROLLS

AUTHENTIC LUMPIA SPRING  ROLLS

This is a recipe I learned while traveling through Indonesian. The ingredients are relatively simple and easy to find in any grocery store. I've cooked this a number of times since getting back and it's always been a hit. They taste great with dipping sauce.

Prep:   1 hr

Cook:   5 mins

Total:   1 hr 25 mins

Additional:       20 mins

Servings:         12

Max Servings: 12

Yield:   24 spring rolls

Ingredients

Original recipe yields 12 servings

2 ounces dried thin rice noodles

¾ cup ground chicken

¼ cup shrimp - washed, peeled, and cut into small pieces

2 larges eggs, beaten

1 carrot, grated

4 wood fungus mushrooms, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

½ teaspoon white sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

24 rice paper wrappers

2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Step 1

Soak rice noodles in cold water until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain well; cut into 2-inch long pieces.

Step 2

Combine the noodle pieces, chicken, shrimp, eggs, carrot, wood fungus mushrooms, and green onions in a large bowl. Sprinkle in sugar, salt, and black pepper; stir filling mixture well.

Step 3

Soak 1 rice paper wrapper in a shallow bowl of warm water to soften, about 15 seconds. Remove from water and place on a damp cloth laid out on a flat surface.

Step 4

Place 1 tablespoon of filling mixture into the center of the softened rice paper. Fold the bottom edge into the center, covering the filling. Fold in opposing edges and roll up tightly. Repeat with remaining rice paper wrappers, soaking and filling each one individually.

Step 5

Heat oil in a work or large skillet over medium heat.

Step 6

Fry the spring rolls in batches of 3 or 4 until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Cook's Notes:

Ground pork can be used instead of chicken if desired.

 Shiitake mushrooms can be substituted for the wood fungus mushrooms if desired.

Editor's Note:

We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. Amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and specific type of oil used.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

132 calories; 5.2 g total fat; 45 mg cholesterol; 225 mg sodium. 14.4 g carbohydrates; 6.5 g protein; Full Nutrition