This smoothie seriously tastes like a chocolate milkshake! Made extra creamy from protein rich Greek yogurt and anti-inflammatory chia seeds it’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular ones on the blog! Frozen bananas, cocoa powder and dates add the perfect natural sweetness and peanut butter rounds it out into a perfect balanced meal! This smoothie is super quick to make and can even be meal prepped for busy mornings. You’ll want to bookmark this dietitian-designed smoothie to make again and again!
This chocolate banana smoothie is one of my go-to’s. It is thick, creamy and so delicious! As a Registered Dietitian, I love developing quick and easy breakfasts and snacks that taste amazing and will actually keep you full longer than 30 minutes. This one checks all the boxes. The combo of protein from the Greek yogurt, satiating fats from nut butter and chia seeds, and fiber from the banana and dates keeps you full and satisfied while also keeping your blood sugars (and energy) stable.
My Dietitian Tips for Building a Filling Smoothie
Do you love a good smoothie but find yourself hungry 30 minutes later? Here are 3 of my Registered Dietitian tips for making a filling smoothing.
Add Fat: Don’t forget to add fat to your smoothies. Fat is our satiety factor, without fat you may not feel satisfied after a meal. Some of my favorites are avocado, nut butters, and hemp hearts.
Include Fiber: Fiber helps balance blood sugar levels and prevent energy crashes. Fruits and veggies will give you a good start on the fiber (like the watermelon in this delish 5 minute Watermelon Banana Smoothie), but for that extra boost, consider topping it up with a complex carb for that extra boost of fuel. I like to add oats and sometimes even beans (these double as both a carb and protein) because they have a subtle flavor and also provide a thick and creamy texture!.
Don’t Forget Protein: Protein will help both fill you up and stay full longer after meals. It is also great for balancing our blood sugars. Protein also works to rebuild and repair muscles, which helps keep your metabolism humming. Some of my favorite proteins to add include Greek yogurt, hemp hearts, tofu and even black beans (like in this Mint Chocolate Black Bean Smoothie).
What You Need For This Yogurt Smoothie Recipe
This smoothie is packed full of delicious ingredients that blend together to create a creamy and chocolate-y smoothie. This one includes 7 simple ingredients that are often found in your pantry or freezer. What you need:
Milk: Milk is the base of this smoothie. When I first developed this recipe, I would make it with almond milk but now I use whatever milk I have in the fridge (aka whatever my kids are drinking these days haha).
Greek yogurt: I love this smoothie with 2-5% plain Greek yogurt. The milk fat adds to that creamy, milkshake-like texture while also adding to the satiety factor of this smoothie (more on that here). You can also use vanilla Greek yogurt. If you go with a sweetened yogurt like vanilla, you may not need the dates or any added sweetener.
Chia seeds: I’m often asked if you can put chia seeds (or any seeds for that matter) into a smoothie and my answer is always the same – YES! I use them all the time (like in my Strawberry & Basil Smoothie). Chia seeds are great because they blend well and are relatively flavorless, but they’re also packed full of nutrition.
Not only that, they also add to the thickness of the smoothie. When chia seeds are soaked in liquid, they get soft and gelatinous which adds to that creamy texture we all love. All you need to do is add 1 tablespoon to your smoothie to get both the nutrition and texture benefits of these powerful seeds.
Frozen banana: Frozen banana is key to this recipe. You want to use frozen because it adds to that creamy texture and helps thicken the smoothie without needing to add ice.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Cocoa powder adds that chocolatey goodness to this smoothie. It pairs well with the sweetness from the banana, giving it that flavor I love so much in this smoothie.
Nut or seed butter: I try to create recipes that are flexible to your likes, preferences, and dietary needs. This recipe is great with any nut butter. I have tried it with peanut butter, almond butter, and sunflower seed butter for a nut-free alternative! All three add a nutty flavor that compliments the chocolate and banana combo perfectly. If you try it with another type of nut or seed butter, I’d love to hear about it in the comment section!
Medjool Dates: Dates are a natural sweetener in this smoothie and add a little extra fiber as well. You can also use honey or maple syrup if you prefer.
How to Make This Smoothie
Place all ingredients in a blender.
Blend until smooth and enjoy!
Nutritional Benefits of This Recipe (Nutrition by addition)
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I love finding tasty ways to add an extra dose of nutrition to a recipe. This practice of nutrition by addition is quite popular among us intuitive eating dietitians. It allows you to look at what you can add to your plate vs cut out. Here are some of the additions I’ve made here.
Chia seeds: I love incorporating chia seeds into my smoothies and breakfasts (I like to have a couple of chia seed puddings prepped in my fridge for quick grab and go breakfasts). Chia seeds are packed full of fiber, Omega-3’s and antioxidants. These tiny nutrient-rich seeds pack a powerful punch and help with feelings of fullness, with muscle repair and in supporting heart health.
Greek yogurt: Packed full of protein and vitamin B12, Greek yogurt not only keeps you feeling full longer it also adds a creamy texture to any smoothie (like in this Creamy Pumpkin Spice Smoothie). Greek yogurt may also help in bone health, gut health, and muscle recovery.
Nut butters: Nut butters are not only packed full of protein, fiber AND healthy fats, they also have plenty of micronutrients like Vitamin E and B6, zinc and potassium.
Bananas: I always try to have bananas on hand because they’re a great way to bulk up a smoothie and add a delicious natural sweetness. Bananas contain a source of fiber which helps keep blood sugar levels balanced. They’re also a great source of vitamin B6 that helps with the breakdown of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats.
Recipe, Kitchen, & Time Saving Hacks
Meal prep your smoothies: I love batch prepping smoothies for those busy weeks. I love it so much I created a list of 15+ healthy meal prep smoothies for you here. When meal prepping this particular smoothie, I like to batch it. I’ll double or triple the recipe and eat it throughout the week. I find that the chia seeds help maintain the thickness of the smoothie. When you’re ready to drink, give it a good shake and enjoy!
Freeze brown bananas: I recommend peeling and freezing bananas that are browning in a ziploc bag. This helps reduce food waste and ensures you always have some ingredients on hand for a quick and easy smoothie.
If you make this Chocolate Banana Chia Seed Smoothie it would make my day if you would leave a comment and/or star rating below— I love hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @lindsaypleskot.rd so I can see your versions! It makes me so happy to see these recipes come to life in your kitchens! Xo
Print5 Minute Chocolate & Banana Chia Seed Smoothie
- Total Time: 5min
- Yield: 1 1x
Description
This smoothie seriously tastes like a chocolate milkshake! Made with cocoa powder, frozen banana, dates, Greek yogurt, chia seeds and nut butter, this chia seed smoothie is quick to make and absolutely packed with nutrition! It’s a terrific morning smoothie, and nourishing option for breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1/2–1 cup milk of choice
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp cocoa
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 small banana, sliced and frozen
- 1 tbsp nut butter (I used coconut peanut butter)
- 1 medjool date (or 2 regular dates, they are a bit smaller) or a splash of honey if desired for sweetness
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, about 30-45 seconds. Add more milk if needed for desired consistency.
Notes
- Mindful Eating Tip: top with a few whole almonds. Chewing your food (including smoothies!) helps increase satiety and improve digestion
- Make it vegan with a dairy-free yogurt substitute
- Meal Prep Tip: 3x or 4s the recipe and freeze in muffin tins for quick grab and go breakfasts – see the full method here
- Prep Time: 5min
- Cook Time: 0min
- Category: Beverages
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: American
Marina says
What a delicious smoothie! So simple and quick to put together! It’s pretty fool proof as I just eyeballed the measurements. The smoothie was a huge hit with my kids too (ages 4 and 6)!
Lindsay Pleskot, RD says
Wohoo! Mom win! So happy to hear it worked out even just eyeballing the ingredients and love hearing that it was a hit for the kids too!
Jane Kyle says
This is my go to smoothie! It takes minutes to prepare and is so tasty&satisfying:) I have used oat milk&almond milk. Almonds on top are a nice addition! Great way to start my day!
Lindsay Pleskot, RD says
So happy to hear this has made it into your go to rotation Jane! I love the different milk variations you’ve tried, I also really like it with unsweetened vanilla oat milk! And great tip with the almonds! Chewing, even when drinking a smoothie also helps our body to feel more satisfied so you’re ahead of the game there!
Candace Buono says
Sooo tasty and filling. My almost two year old absolutely loved it and drank a full cup of it. Definitely will be making this very frequently now! Love that it’s so healthy too. Thanks for a great recipe!!:)
Lindsay Pleskot, RD says
You are so welcome Candace! Makes me so happy to picture you enjoying this with your 2 year old! Cheers to many more smoothies slurped together! xo
Natalie Hutchings says
This smoothie is delicious! Definitely a new favourite. I made it this morning before running out the door, it was super quick to throw together and it kept me full all morning! Thank you for sharing a great recipe 🙂
Lindsay Pleskot, RD says
Yess! Gotta love a smoothie that actually keeps you full! So happy you enjoyed it Natalie! Hope it contributes to many enjoyable mornings for you!