Chocolate Nut Butter Smoothie (Nut Milk Base)

What better way to start the morning than with a smoothie? Better yet, make your own nut milk! What suits your fancy? Almond milk, sunflower seed milk, cashew milk? I used to buy the boxes of almond milk until I discovered the joy of making it on own. It is therapeutic for me. Sometimes, I use a nut milk bag to strain the  nuts and sometimes, I just leave the nut meat in. Or you can use cheese cloth and Lowe's carries "Paint Bags" that work too and are super cheap.

 Chocolate Nut Butter Smoothie
Ingredients:
 1.5 Frozen Bananas (or any fruit, berries, mango, etc)
1 Tbsp nut butter
1 Tbsp Raw Tahini  or Fresh Raw Halvah
1 Tbsp Raw Cacao Powder
1 Tbsp Ground Flax Seeds (I mix dark, golden and hemp)

Directions:
* In order to receive the nutritional benefits from flax seeds, they must be ground.

1. Ground flax seeds get rancid quickly, so only grind a small amount and keep refrigerated)
2. 2-3 Organic kale leaves, stem removed (opt)
3. 1-2 Dates soaked, to sweeten (opt)
4. 1 tsp Organic Almond Extract (or any flavor you prefer) 
5. Combine water and nuts and grind in a high speed blender.
6. Pour through a strainer or nut mylk bag. 
7. Add frozen banana (break in pieces) and blend on "ice crusher" mode. Add remaining ingredients, blend and enjoy! 

There are so many variations to this. Use your imagination. (Add shredded coconut, skip the cacao and peanut butter, and make a Very Berry shake.)  The combinations are endless.

How to Make Nut Milk

I use 1 cup of soaked nuts to 4 cups of filtered water. (Will keep in refrigerator 3 days). Brown skinned nuts should soak over night. Light nuts can soak for a couple of hours.


Blend until creamy. Place nut milk bag inside a bowl or pitcher. Pour milk into the bag, hold closed at top and gently squeeze the milk thru the bag. Leftover nut pulp in the bag can be dehydrated and used in cracker or bread recipes.