About the Recipe
If you're on the hunt for a fresh and distinctive flavor blend to elevate your morning smoothie, you're in for a treat. This chai-infused smoothie recipe offers a unique, flavorful, and healthful twist! It's almost like experiencing a simultaneously refreshing and warming sensation in one sip. The infusion of chai spices imparts a festive touch, rendering this smoothie a delightful breakfast choice year-round.
Ingredients
chai tea (a tea bag will do!)
almond milk
banana (frozen if possible)
chia seeds
hemp seeds
vanilla extract
nut butter (almond or peanut, unsweetened)
avocado (frozen if possible)
plain or vanilla protein powder or collagen (optional)
ice cubes
Preparation
The first step in making this smoothie is steeping the chai tea! Simply add a bag of chai tea to a cup of boiling water. Allow the tea to steep for at least 5 minutes, longer if you'd like it to cool down a bit more. I used this chai, but you can use any brand you'd like.
After steeping, squeeze out the excess tea in the bag with a spoon. Remove the tea bag and pour the steeped tea into a high-speed blender (I use this vitamix).
Next, add the almond milk and all other smoothie ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy!
STORAGE:
This smoothie will keep for about 1-2 days in the fridge. Simply pour it into a jar with a lid and refrigerate. Separation is normal – just give the jar a good shake or put it in the blender again.
If you’d like to freeze this smoothie, pour it into silicone ice cube trays or muffin tins and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, you can pop out the smoothie “cubes” and store them in a freezer-safe bag. Just thaw them for a few hours or the night before you want the smoothie.
RECIPE MODIFICATIONS:
Instead of almond milk, you can use any milk or milk alternatives that you like. Just aim for an unsweetened one, if possible.
You can use any nut butter you’d like, such as almond, peanut, or cashew butter. I personally used almond for this one! Try to purchase nut butters where the only ingredient is the nut itself, if possible.
I love adding in both hemp and chia seeds, but if you only have one of these that’s ok. Just double the amount of the one you have. You could also try using flax seeds!
Frozen bananas and avocados really help to make the texture of this smoothie thick, smooth, and creamy. I love keeping frozen options on hand, but if you’re in a pinch you can use unfrozen ones. You just may need to add more ice to this smoothie.
If you’d like to add an extra boost of protein, you can try adding your favourite unflavoured or vanilla protein powder. I personally like this recipe with a scoop of unflavoured collagen powder.