Mocha and Banana Smoothie Bowl

People will be wondering what has you so chirpy early in the day! Made with coffee, raw cacao, chia seeds and hazelnuts, with fruity hums of banana, this delectably thick, chocolatey smoothie bowl will give you a natural hit of dopamine – the ‘happy’ hormone. Think about all the good fats and complex carbohydrates found in banana and nuts, then times them by two, and you’ll find yourself powering through your day like a Russian gymnast, performing effortless backflips,
half turns and triple twists.

• 30ml shot of espresso coffee or dandelion tea
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon food-grade diatomaceous earth, such as my Love Your Gut Powder (optional)
• 1 frozen banana, sliced
• 40g hazel nuts (or any nuts of your choice), soaked and roasted
• 125ml coconut milk
• 125ml almond milk, or other non-dairy milk of your choice
• Toppings of your choice, to serve

Pour the coffee or dandelion tea into a small bowl, add the chia seeds and let them sit for a few minutes. Transfer to a high-speed blender.

Add the cacao powder, diatomaceous earth (if using), banana and hazelnuts. Pour in the coconut milk and almond milk and whiz until there are no lumps; the mixture can be quite thick. If your blender is struggling, add extra almond milk or water in small amounts to help it along.

Pour the smoothie into a bowl or serving vessel; we’ve used half a coconut shell. Garnish with your choice of toppings – fresh banana slices, a sprinkling of mixed nuts and seeds, shaved fresh coconut, micro herbs – and dig in!

Supercharged Tip
The great thing about a smoothie bowl is that you can add any type of sneaky green, and never taste the difference. Try a handful of baby English spinach, kale, avocado or even frozen peas, to get a headstart on your veggie intake for the day.
PS: You don’t need to add the coffee if you don’t want to – or you can use a decaffeinated version instead.