Chocolate Pick Me Up Smoothie

Soymilk, avocado, cocoa and a small shot of coffee create this Chocolate Pick Me Up Smoothie, a satisfying afternoon snack option full of nutrition.

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Silk.

On days when I am home with the boys, the precious hours of nap time are a huge work time for me. I usually have only 2 hours to get stuff done. Most days I forgo housework and instead develop recipes, take pictures, edit pictures, and/or write blog posts. I try to pack in as much as possible into this time.

Recently, I've had 2 barriers arise for this time of day. First, I think Jackson may be about done with naps. He just turned 4, and I'm noticing that if he didn't have a particularly active morning, he's not sleeping. This is not good. Not good at all. We are believers in quiet time regardless if you sleep or not, so it looks like we may be transitioning to this instead. Fingers crossed.

My other barrier is that somedays I'm just dragging in the afternoon. As a working parent, that's going to happen no matter what you do to try to prevent it. There are just some weeks where despite all effort, you can't get all the sleep you need. And since a sharp mind is necessary for accomplishing things during nap time, somedays I need a little pick me up to get me on track.

When it comes time to decide exactly what I should choose to "pick-me-up" in the afternoon, I have some choices...

A handful of chocolate chips is always a tempting choice, and sometimes, that's what I do. But, usually I regret that decision as I just want more than one handful and I'm left STILL hungry and STILL tired.

A better option is to actually make myself something quick, satisfying and nutritious. Many days I have to convince myself to stop working and take this 10 minutes to nourish my body. I'm never sorry that I do, it's just hard to stop working. Does anyone else struggle with this?

When it comes to my afternoon power snack, a big goal of mine is to include more plants. I like to think of it as eating food that is alive, and by alive I mean that it is full of life-giving components. Having this mindset is a lot more fun then focusing on what NOT to eat. It also ensures I get a lot of health-promoting nutrients into my body as a plant based diet is associated with a lower risk of many diseases.

Another goal is to get some protein in. I have found that choosing an afternoon snack with protein really powers me through the rest of the day. It keeps my brain sharp and my emotions more stable as I navigate the treacherous "witching hours" of 4-7pm with my boys. (Anyone else need help with that time?)

Today I am teaming up with Silk Soymilk to bring you a perfect solution for this afternoon pick me up. I've been drinking soymilk since I was in college (a.k.a. many moons ago). I can actually remember the exact time one of my college friends introduced it to me. While I was skeptical at first, I quickly grew to love it and now use it regularly as one of our milk options.

I like using soymilk because it's a good source of plant based protein and has the most (8g per serving) of any dairy-free milk. It's also very reasonable in calories and low in saturated fat all while tasting delicious! I like that it stays fresh in the fridge for a long time and is very affordable too. I choose the Silk Original Soymilk flavor because it is the most versatile and I like the taste.

Last week I whipped up an afternoon pick me up smoothie using soymilk and a few other favorite plants like avocado and cocoa. I wanted a creamy, chocolatey and satisfying solution for my snack and this smoothie delivered! There is a little shot of coffee in here, because let's face it, some days you just need it. {For the record, I try to limit drinking caffeine regularly in the afternoon.} You can easily exclude it if you prefer a caffeine free version of this smoothie.

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Recipe

FYI: This smoothie is vegan, gluten free and dairy free.

After making this smoothie last week, I decided I needed to take a picture of myself, enjoying it during nap time, looking exactly how I usually look at this time of day (in sweaty workout clothes, messy hair and no makeup). This is NOT the most glamorous part of my day. While I wish I looked like my profile picture up there ↑ all the time, I more often than not look like this and I'm totally cool with that. I like being real with you all.

I hope this easy recipe can be a power snack option for you too and help us say NO to mindless chocolate chip eating in the afternoon. I'd love to know what you like as an afternoon power snack and easy ways you include more plants in your diet.

If you would like to get your hands on a coupon for Silk Soymilk (and who doesn't??) as well as get their helpful newsletter, sign up HERE.

To get my Smoothie Jump Start Guide and subscribe to the MHE e-community, just click HERE.

To powering-up with more plants,

Jenna

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Silk.