Welcome to Day 5 of #AKSmoothieWeek! Today we’re introducing what could quite possibly be our favorite smoothie of the week: my Good Morning Coffee Smoothie!
This coffee smoothie is probably one of my favorite things to drink after my early morning workouts or if I want a caffeine-infused afternoon snack that’s both healthy, protein packed and refreshing. It tastes like a peanut butter banana smoothie and a mocha had a baby and I’M HERE FOR IT!
Not only is this smoothie absolutely delicious and creamy, but it also includes plenty of nourishing ingredients like: brewed coffee, peanut butter, banana, cauliflower (yes that’s right!), cacao and protein powder. Trust me, you’ll never know there’s cauliflower in this recipe either; all it does is add a creamy consistency to the smoothie!
Ways to add coffee to smoothies
There are a few ways that I like to add coffee to my smoothies that I feel work best in both flavor and texture. I would not recommend using ground coffee beans as they’ll most likely be too potent and crunchy. Here are the best ways to prepare your coffee for smoothies:
- Brew a pot of coffee like you normally would and then reserve a few cups for making smoothies. First, allow the coffee to cool completely to room temperature, then add the coffee to a mason jar or glass container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days for smoothie use.
- Another option is to pour room temperature coffee into an ice cube tray and freeze them for later. This is a great option because then you are able to make the smoothie anytime you’d like, just know that you may need to add more milk to the coffee smoothie in order to get the ice to blend properly.
- Make strong instant coffee! Occasionally I’ll do this if I don’t feel like making a fresh pot of coffee. Simply make a cup of instant coffee like you normally would according to the directions on the package, except add an extra serving of instant coffee granules since you’ll be adding lots of ice later to cool it down. Once the instant coffee dissolves in warm/hot water, you’ll immediately transfer it to a large bowl or large glass and add as much ice as you can. This is to cool down the coffee so that you can immediately use it to make your smoothie. Yum!
- Use homemade or store-bought cold brew instead of coffee. This is another great option if you like your coffee smoothie a little stronger on the caffeine side or if you just want the convenience of using something store-bought.
Coffee smoothie ingredients
Below are ingredients you can feel free to mix and match in this coffee smoothie, but in general, I suggest trying to stick to the fruit and liquid ratios. This recipe is packing some seriously nutritious ingredients and includes 17g protein and 9g fiber per serving. Whoo hoo! Here’s what you’ll need:
brewed coffee: add a kick of caffeine (or use decaf) and a delicious coffee flavor to your smoothie by adding brewed coffee that has been cooled. Feel free to get a little fancy with cold brew, too!
frozen banana: using frozen fruit it best in smoothies and banana helps to sweeten this one!
frozen cauliflower: I use frozen cauliflower instead of ice to thicken this smoothie while sneaking in some extra veggies. You won’t taste it at all (Tony didn’t!) and it thickens it up without making it watery like ice can. Try it out and let me know what you think.
all natural peanut butter: a bit of peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter) adds a bit of protein and healthy fats, plus a delicious creaminess to this smoothie. I love Smucker’s, but feel free to use your favorite brand of all natural nut butter, which should be just nuts + salt. I also love RXBAR peanut + almond butter!
vanilla: vanilla is always recommended.
protein powder: I made this a post-workout smoothie by adding a scoop of collagen peptides protein, but you can use a plant based protein powder instead. I recommend Vital Protein collagen peptides or Bob’s Red Mill Plant Based Vanilla Protein Powder for a vegan option.
cacao powder: cacao powder has a richer chocolate flavor than regular cocoa powder, and it contains more minerals like magnesium. This is a brand I like to use.
coconut or almond milk (or milk of choice): feel free to use any milk you’d like in my smoothie recipes according to your preferences. Almond milk tends to have a neutral taste in smoothies, coconut milk will add a more tropical and creamy flavor, and regular milk will add a boost of protein.
Adding extra nutrition to this coffee smoothie:
You can enhance any smoothie by adding additional nutritious ingredients to really make it your own. Here are a few suggestions that you can add to this coffee smoothie:
flaxseed meal: this is one of my favorite ingredients to add to smoothies for a little boost of fiber and minerals, and is especially great for nursing mamas as flaxseed can help increase milk supply. Usually a tablespoon is plenty! Here’s a brand I love.
chia seeds: feel free to add in a tablespoon of chia seeds to your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats and fiber.
hemp seeds: if you’ve been wondering what to do with those hemp seeds lurking in your cupboard, feel free to throw in a tablespoon into your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats, omegas and minerals.
oats: to add a little heartiness to your smoothie and to help thicken it, feel free to add in 1/3 cup oats. Do not use steel cut oats as they will not blend well.
avocado: add healthy fats and create a thick, creamy smoothie by adding ripe avocado. Usually 1/4 or 1/2 of an avocado will be sufficient and also help to keep you satisfied thanks to those healthy fats.
Tips for making smoothies
Here are a few of my favorite tips I like to share in regards to making the best creamy, healthy smoothies:
- Using frozen fruit is best as it helps keeps the smoothie cold and thick. Sometimes ice doesn’t blend as well, so it’s best to skip unless absolutely necessary.
- Don’t be afraid to add more liquid if your smoothie is too thick or won’t fully blend. High powered blenders tend to blend frozen fruit much better, so if you have a regular or personal size blender, you may need to add more milk.
- Start the blender on low speed, then gradually increase to high to help blend all ingredients. Finally end with the blender on low speed.
- If a smoothie doesn’t taste sweet enough for your liking, you can add a 1/2 tablespoon of honey, pure maple syrup or 1 pitted Medjool date.
- Feel free to use any milk you’d like in smoothie recipes according to your preferences. Almond milk tends to have a neutral taste in smoothies, coconut milk will add a more tropical and creamy flavor, and regular milk will add a boost of protein.
More smoothie recipes you might like:
Get Your Greens in Smoothie (the best green smoothie!)
Cinnamon Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie
Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie
Post-Workout Recovery Tart Cherry Smoothie Bowl
Refreshing Watermelon Pineapple Smoothie
Watch me make this delicious coffee smoothie recipe:
I can’t wait to hear how you like this coffee smoothie! Come back tomorrow for another delicious smoothie recipe you won’t want to miss. And don’t forget to check out our guide on how to prep smoothies ahead of time. xo!
Good Morning Coffee Lover's Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup brewed coffee, cooled in the fridge
- 1 frozen medium ripe banana
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
- ¾ cup frozen cauliflower (or ½ cup ice)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut or almond milk, plus more if necessary
- 1/2 tablespoon cacao powder (or use unsweetened cocoa powder)
- 1 serving collagen peptides (or your favorite protein powder)
Instructions
-
In a large high-powered blender, add in all ingredients and blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until all ingredients are well combined. If necessary, add in more almond milk to thin the smoothie. Makes 1 smoothie.
Recipe Notes
Optional add-ins:
flaxseed meal: this is one of my favorite ingredients to add to smoothies for a little boost of fiber and minerals, and is especially great for nursing mamas as flaxseed can help increase milk supply. Usually a tablespoon is plenty!
chia seeds: feel free to add in a tablespoon of chia seeds to your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats and fiber.
hemp seeds: if you’ve been wondering what to do with those hemp seeds lurking in your cupboard, feel free to throw in a tablespoon into your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats, omegas and minerals.
oats: to add a little heartiness to your smoothie and to help thicken it, feel free to add in 1/3 cup oats. Do not use steel cut oats as they will not blend well.
spinach: if you’re looking to get more greens in your smoothie, try adding a cup or two of raw or cooked spinach. You’ll never be able to taste it, but just know that it may change the color of your smoothie to a greenish brown.
avocado: add healthy fats and create a thick, creamy smoothie by adding ripe avocado. Usually 1/4 or 1/2 of an avocado will be sufficient and also help to keep you satisfied thanks to those healthy fats.
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
56 comments
Yes PLEASE!!!! I’ll take 2!
SO GOOD.
Monique, do you recommend buying the cauliflower already frozen? Or if we have a head of cauliflower at home, should we steam it before freezing?
Either will work! I do recommend blanching and then freezing it if you do it at home yourself.
This week has me so excited!! I’ve been buying the overly fruity, kinda pricey post-workout smoothies at my gym and would love to save $$ while also getting more nutrition in by making them at home. They have a coffee and banana smoothie that I’ve been hesitant to give up, but I have a feeling yours will blow it out of the water! Thanks Monique (and since the recipe only calls for 3/4 cup of coffee, hopefully you can still enjoy it without giving Ambitious Baby a caffeine buzz lol)!
Perfect timing!! These are WAY better than the expensive ones, trust me 😉 Let me know if you give this one a try! And yes, I’m enjoying subbing what I need to for this one (so delicious).
waw thanks for sharing!!! i will add some zucchini, my garden is exploding with zucchini’s so looking forward to zucchini week 🙂
Perfect! Zucchini week is coming soon 🙂 Can’t wait to share the recipes!
Just made this…. DELICIOUS!!!
Glad you enjoyed!!
What a wonderful-looking smoothie! I am kind of conservative with coffee, so I’d have to try out carob powder, cacao powder, or decaf coffee mixed with unsweetened almond milk or hot water!
Let me know if you give any of those a try! One of my favorite smoothies from the week 🙂
Thank you for creating this recipe! I love mixing protein & coffee!! I’m trying it this morning!
Absolutely! Hope you love it 🙂
Tried this morning and found it delicious! Definitely a keeper!
So happy to hear that! One of my all-time favs 🙂
Do you use frozen cauliflower florets or cauliflower rice?
I use frozen cauliflower florets!
This coffee smoothie idea has transformed my mornings! I added nutpods, cauliflower rice, 1 date, coffee, cacao, and collagen and it’s absolutely delicious! Plus I’ve snuck in some spinach sometimes and it doesn’t taste too ‘green’. Thank you!!!
Amazing! So happy to hear that, Allie 🙂 One of my go-to’s in the morning!
Great after a sweaty workout!!
Absolutely!
Absolutely loved this smoothie recipe. I am obsessed with anything coffee flavoured and my spouse has troubles wanting to eat breakfast so this was perfect- he loved it! He wanted a good amount of coffee in his so I added 2 cups of coffee..which was way more then the recommended 3/4 of a cup, and made the smoothie of course quite watery so next time I will modify the rest of the ingredients as well (my fault!). Definitely recommend this recipe for breakfast or even a nice protein filled snack!
So glad you loved this one! It will be even better when it’s a bit less watery 🙂 but such a great breakfast or snack!
Perfect! Loved it exactly as written 😉 Even used the cauli and collagen 🏆
Delicious! Best way to wake up 🙂
I added Chocolate Vega protein to this and it was the perfect breakfast before a workout! Healthy, delicious, easy. Thanks Monique!
Love it! Such a great breakfast 🙂
Dee-lih-shus! What a great way to start my morning with a serving of fruit, veggies, and most importantly, coffee! I loved how this smoothie stayed thick thanks to the frozen cauliflower instead of quickly watering down into liquid. The flavor combination between the cocoa, coffee, and PB is decadent, even though the smoothie itself is so healthy. Already shared this recipe with my coworkers who like to order the pre-assembled smoothie cups – this is a great alternative.
So happy you loved it! One of my all time favorite smoothies, too 🙂
It’s a delicious smoothie! I’m a true coffee lover, normally I don’t drink smoothies but from now on: every morning a Good Morning Coffee Smoothie! 🙂
The perfect combo! So glad you loved this one!
I made the basic recipe, which was delicious. I think the possibility of adding in other ingredients is very clever
Absolutely! Such a great breakfast or snack.
I’ve had this smoothie 4x since the start of social distancing, and I love it. This AM I made the smoothie with tahini, Amazing Grass Vanilla Protein , and minimal cocoa powder, and it’s so delicious.
Yum! Such a great breakfast 🙂
I used frozen cherries instead of the cauliflower, doubled the almond butter and cocoa, added 1 date, 1 tbsp chia seeds, and 1 tbsp matcha powder. I of course needed a bit more milk because of the extra ingredients but it filled my rich, dark chocolate craving I was having and have me an afternoon energy boost! Definitely adding this one to my rotation.
I’m glad those additions worked out well! 🙂
Liked the recipe – it was different than my usual PB Smoothie! I added 1 tsp of maple syrup, Vanilla Greek yogurt (2 tbsp), Ground Oats (Oat Flour) and some Flaxseed – and omitted the protein powder since I didn’t have any. I might cut back on the cocoa next time to have a stronger coffee flavor! But overall, it was definitely a yummy iced mocha like flavor! Thanks again Monique!
Perfect! This one’s great for customizing 🙂 glad you enjoyed!
Is there an alternative i can use for the bananas? Sadly im allergic.
Sure, feel free to use 3 medjool dates (make sure you soak them in hot water for 10 mins before you use them in recipe)
YUM! This was so delicious!!! No sugar needed.
Absolutely! 🙂
Has anyone tried to make this ahead of time? I work 12 hour days five days a week and the last thing I want to do in the morning at 4am is use a blender. I’d love to make this prior to the start of my week and have them in the freezer, where I can just pull out a mason jar the night before. Wondering if it holds up well if I do this. I’d hate to make a big batch and have it go to waste.
Check out this post for a few different ways to prep this ahead of time!
I love coffee especially homemade cold brew, so I was really excited to see this recipe for coffee smoothie! I’ve made a lot of smoothies, but this is the first time I used cauliflower AND the first time I used a protein powder. It looks like a yummy chocolate shake, but it has a really unpleasant, chalky, slightly bitter taste. Would that be the cauliflower, or my protein powder? I even added a handful frozen strawberries. They thickened it up but did nothing for the taste. Just wanted to get your thoughts. I didn’t rate the recipe yet because that wouldn’t be fair.
It was probably the protein powder, as usually protein powders are what gives recipes a chalky taste. Try it without next time!
Thanks for the quick reply Monique. I just made it again, without protein powder, but left the cauliflower in. You were right, it was the protein powder that made the first smoothie so chalky. It’s much better now! Next time I will probably add ground flaxseed and chia, for additional nutrients.
I’m glad it worked out better the second time around! It can be tricky to find a protein powder you like, but adding ground flax + chia (or trying out new protein powders) will be perfect.
LOVE this recipe! I was so surprised that you can’t taste the cauliflower at all!
Absolutely! Great way to sneak in veggies.
Thanks for sharing. I add some extra things to make delicious.
Glad you enjoyed!
this was sooooooo delicious & filling! it also helped my stomach digest the coffee, too! this is my new favorite smoothie recipe! thanks for sharing!
So happy to hear that!