Mint Chip Dessert Smoothie

If you loved mint chip ice cream as a kid, then you are going to freak out over this nutrient-dense but scrumptious dessert. Who knew that a smoothie thick enough to be soft-serve ice cream that is made with greens from spinach and avocados could remind us of one of our favorite childhood treats?

Serves 4

Ingredients

½ cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk

4 cups spinach leaves

4 Medjool dates, pitted

8 sprigs of fresh mint leaves (or ½ teaspoon mint extract if fresh mint is not an option)

1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large ripe bananas, frozen and cut into chunks (peel and slice prior to freezing)

2 tablespoons chocolate chips or cacao nibs

Method

PLACE THE PLANT-BASED MILK and spinach in the bowl of a high-speed blender and blend. Next, add the dates and mint leaves and blend. Toss in the avocado, vanilla, and bananas and blend until the mixture is smooth, thick, and creamy. Add ice if necessary.

Recipe by Elise Museles of Kale and Chocolate. First appeared in The Microbiome Solution (Penguin 2015).