Start the day energized and stay satisfied with this easy protein coffee smoothie. It uses whole food ingredients and hidden greens to pack nutrients in!
Coffee Smoothies
I have never been a coffee drinker until about a month ago. Let that sink in. Yep, my energy level is natural. So you can imagine what happens when I do drink coffee!
Why did I start? Well, the main reason is personal but basically I needed a natural way to get things going. Coffee beans are full of antioxidants and in small amounts can actually be beneficial for a variety of things.
It’s when you add all the extra crap that coffee drinks take a turn for the worst. Which is why I created this perfect cold way to get my buzz on!
I use a few main ingredients to make sure this coffee smoothie is packed with all the things I want in my body, and leaves out those I don’t.
- spinach
- pea protein
- finely ground espresso beans
- chia seeds
- dates to sweeten
Can you put ground coffee in a smoothie?
Absolutely! Although you want to make sure it’s finely ground or the smoothie will be gritty.
Freshly ground coffee, or espresso, is packed with antioxidants and caffeine so you don’t need much to get the boost you usually get from the brewed version. A little goes a long way! And if you want to switch up the flavors, you should also try my Vegan Homemade Chocolate Espresso Frappuccino.
What is the difference between ground espresso and ground coffee?
Espresso is coffee, it’s just a mix of different types of coffee beans from different places. It is also ground finer than regular coffee beans, which is why I use it in this coffee smoothie.
When brewing espresso, the brewing time is also much shorter than drip coffee.
Are raw chia seeds good for you?
Chia seeds are nutrient powerhouses! They are so easy to add to things, and a great way to pack in some extra health benefits into things. Here are some of the top reasons to add chia seeds into this coffee smoothie:
- The have very few calories for all the nutrients they carry
- Loads of antioxidents
- High fiber content
- They have a good amount of protein for their size
- They are higher in omega-3 fatty acids than many other plant based foods
Can you put raw chia seeds in a smoothie?
Absolutely! Raw chia seeds absorb water, so it helps thicken the smoothie. Since this smoothie doesn’t use frozen fruit but instead ice, I liked how the chia seeds could help give it a little structure.
I also use this trick in my Strawberry Banana Spinach smoothie!
Can you taste spinach in a smoothie?
Spinach has quite a neutral taste when it is fresh. Especially when it is good quality, I almost think it can take on a rich buttery flavor.
If you make the other ingredients in your smoothie flavorful, you won’t taste the spinach. In this coffee smoothie, because of the espresso, cocoa powder, vanilla, cinnamon and dates, you don’t taste the spinach at all!
Can you prepare smoothies the night before?
While you can make a smoothie the night before, then store in the freezer and blend again in the morning, this isn’t my favorite way to prep ahead. I prefer my smoothies freshly blended, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prep!
One thing I like to do for this coffee smoothie, is add all of the ingredients, except the milk, spinach and ice, into glass containers and keep them in the cupboard to grab and dump in the morning. I prep a week at a time.
You could also add the spinach and milk to these and keep them in the fridge, but I don’t find those hard to measure and add to the blender each morning.
How to Make a Coffee Smoothie
I tried multiple variations of this and my favorite way was using the ground espresso. It gave the most flavorful version, but still kept the creaminess from the milk.
You can sub some milk for brewed coffee if you want, but it will be a bit less creamy and may end up icier too.
- Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
- Drink it before someone tried to steal it!
Protein Coffee Smoothie
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup dairy free milk , I used cashew
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 dates
- 1 tablespoon pea protein
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon finely ground espresso
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean powder , or you can use vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 12 ice cubes
Instructions
- Add everything into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Notes
- You can sub brewed coffee for some of the milk, but the result won’t be as creamy.
- Put all the ingredients except the milk, spinach and ice into containers or bags to make one week worth of prep. The dump into a blender the day you are making it.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Sophia says
Not sure if I didn’t do this correctly, but for some reason my smoothie came out quite bitter. I tried adding some date butter, but only slightly upped the sweetness, any suggestions ?
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Sophia! I am guessing it’s the coffee you used. Did you use finely ground espresso? It could also be the dates, some aren’t as sweet as the others. It could also be the cocoa powder. Did you use cacao or cocoa? Some is more bitter than others. This isn’t the sweetest smoothie, but it definitely should not be bitter.
Lea says
This looks ggrreeat. Question. You mentioned brewing espresso take less time, which I know. But I’m assuming you put the fine expresso ground in the smoothie and don’t brew.
Thx.
Lea
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Lea! Yes, I put finely ground espresso into the smoothie! It’s so good! Let me know if you try it.
steviefbillman says
I absolutely love coffee and hate eating a heavy breakfast in, so this looks like the perfect solution to waking up and feeling full in the morning! I must try!!