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How to Make a Coffee Smoothie?

It goes without saying that a caffeinated morning feels better than a non-caffeinated one. There are many reasons for this morning routine. To start with, coffee helps in boosting body energy levels, especially in the morning. Also, coffee helps in waking you up and boost mood during dull mornings. It is the kind of drink many people love to keep their mind alert for enhanced performance. It is loved more than tea in many places around the world. Unfortunately, plain coffee tends to be boring.

smoothie with straw and coffee beans

Sometimes, adding sugar makes it tastier. However, sugar-filled coffee drinks are not healthy. Also, skipping breakfast will only make your day feel longer. Besides, plain coffee does not equate to a well-balanced diet for breakfast. So what is the best alternative? Well, the best option is taking a coffee smoothie.

A coffee smoothie, also known as a wake me up coffee smoothie or good morning coffee smoothie is one of the tastiest and most delicious coffee drink you can ever have. In fact, it is healthier that most sugar-filled coffees you buy in coffee shops and cafes. If you have tried a coffee milkshake, this recipe is also worth trying.

In this article, we offer you a complete guide on everything involved in making a tasty and creamy coffee smoothie at home. The good thing about it is that it will take you a few minutes of your time to prepare it. Also, the recipe is easy. You only need to gather a few readily available ingredients. You may have all the required ingredients in your home kitchen or pantry.

 

Best Ways to Add Coffee to a Smoothie

When making coffee smoothies, you simply make a smoothie and add coffee to it. The best options to include coffee in a smooth is to ensure that your coffee smoothie is rich in both texture and flavor. Here are the most recommended ways to prepare a coffee smoothie:

Option #1- Add coffee at room temperature into an ice cube tray. Freeze to make coffee ice cubes. You will use the ice cubes to make cold brew any time you want to prepare a coffee smoothie. It will save your time by shortening the preparation time required. With coffee ice cubes ready, you will just add milk to the cubes to blend them properly when making the cold brew.

Option #2- Brew coffee like you normally do, even if you want French press coffee. Use your preferred brewing method like how you use a preferred cooking method when preparing a meal. Reserve enough of the fresh brew to make the amount of smoothies you want for couple of days. Once the brew is ready, allow it to cool to room temperature.

Once completely cool, pour the coffee into an airtight glass container or Mason jar. Store coffee drink in your refrigerator. The cold coffee brew will be ideal for use to make smoothies for a maximum of 5 days. If you store it longer in the fridge, it will go stale. Besides, you will have suffienct cold brew to make coffee smoothie when a friend or a group of friends visit without notice.

Option #3- Make cold brew at home, especially if you prefer your coffee smoothie stronger with richer caffeine content. If you prefer convenience, buy cold brew from a local store. However, homemade cold brew offers the added advantage of freshness. In this case, you will not neutralize the cold brew with water. A shot of espresso drink or espresso powder, for instance, can offer you more caffeine.

Option #4- Make instant coffee. Its strength will depend with your preferences. Instant coffee can make a strong, quick brew. It is a great choice when you do not have much time to make coffee from scratch or when your coffee maker has malfunctioned and you are yet to repair or replace it. Ensure the brew is strong enough as you might need to add lots of ice cubes to cool it in readiness to make your coffee smoothie immediately.

 

Ingredients for Making Coffee Smoothie

Here are the ingredients for the most delicious coffee smoothie. You can alter the liquid and fruit ratios depending on your preferences. The ingredients in this recipe are nutritious with a lot of fiber and protein. Here is what you need:

  • Brewed coffee- You can use a plain coffee brew of your own preference depending on the caffeine dose you want. Just ensure the brew is cooled before making the smoothie for a delicious and tasty coffee flavor. Preferably, use cold brew for the best results.
  • Frozen cauliflower or ice cubes- You can use frozen cauliflower rice for a thicker coffee smoothie and get a little veggies into the smoothie. Frozen cauliflower is beneficial in that it does not make the smoothie watery. However, if you do not want the smoothie too thick, or you cannot get some cauliflower at the moment, then use ice cubes or ice coffee cubes.
  • Frozen banana- Including a frozen banana in your coffee smoothie helps in sweetening it and for adding richness. A coffee banana smoothie has natural sweetness, which is healthier than using an artificial sweetener.
  • Vanilla- A scoop or teaspoon vanilla extract vanilla helps in adding flavor. Vanilla protein powder is a great option.
  • Peanut butter- You can either use peanut butter or nut butter. It adds healthy fats and protein to your smoothie. It also gives the smoothie a creamy consistency.
  • Cacao powder- Although you can use cocoa powder, cacao powder offers richer chocolate flavor. Also, it contains a higher dose of minerals such as magnesium. You can also shave a dark chocolate bar and add the shavings or chunks to the smoothie.
  • Milk- You can use any dairy milk of your choice. However, almond milk offers a neutral taste while coconut milk adds a creamy, tropical flavor. Regular milk introduces more protein into your smoothie. You can also use greek yogurt. Nutrition facts show that it is high in protein, calcium, selenium, and vitamin B12.

 

Optional Coffee Smoothie Ingredients 

You can add extra ingredients to enhance the taste of your smoothie or to try out different coffee smoothie recipes. Some great optional ingredients to include for extra nutrition are:

  • Protein powder- You can add a protein powder such as collagen peptides protein, protein shake, or a plant based alternative.
  • Chia seeds- Add a tablespoon of chia seeds for extra fiber and healthy fats to your smoothie.
  • Oats- Oats are not only a snack but also great for smoothies. Adding oats, oatmeal, or oat milk will help thicken your smoothie. Avoid using steel cut oats since they do not blend very well into a smoothie. A 1/4 cup oats is enough.
  • Hemp seeds- Hemp seeds are great for boosting your daily intake of minerals, omegas, and healthy fats.
  • Flaxseed meal- A tablespoon of flaxseed meal adds to your daily consumption of minerals and fiber. It is especially great for increasing the milk supply of nursing mothers.
  • Avocado- Avocadoes are great for creating a thick coffee smoothie with mouth watering creaminess. They also add healthy fats. A half or quarter avocado is enough for this recipe.
  • Cinnamon- It adds a comforting taste to coffee smoothies, just like it does in making smoothies with vegetables (greens such as spinach and zucchini) tastier and sweeter.

 

Tools Needed

For this recipe, you will need tools such as:

  • Mason jars
  • Blender
  • Freezer bags
  • Ice cube trays
  • Straws

 

Ratios for Making a Tasty Coffee Smoothie

Use these ratios for a balanced and tasty coffee smoothie:

  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup of cool, brewed coffee
  • ¾ cup of frozen cauliflower florets or ½ cup of ice cubes
  • 1 frozen ripe banana
  • 1 tablespoon almond butter, nut butter, or peanut butter
  • 1 spoonful of protein powder such as collagen peptides
  • ½ tablespoon of cacao powder, cacao nibs, or unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup of almond milk, unsweetened coconut milk, coconut cream, or cow milk

 

Coffee Smoothie Recipe Instructions

It is very simple. Just add all the ingredients into a blender machine in the right quantities. There are many types of blenders you can use. Just ensure the type you are using is high speed for the best results, such as Vitamix. You can use an ingredients scale when measuring the ingredients in grams.

Blend the ingredients at high speed for about one to two minutes or until the ingredients mix thoroughly. A high-speed blender will blend them into perfection. You can add more milk to thin the coffee smoothie, just in case its thickness is more than you wanted. Your smoothie is now ready to drink. It is best served in glasses instead of cups.

You can store any extra smoothie in mason jars. Also, you can use it to make muffins or banana bread with a coffee flavor. Just pour enough smoothie into a baking baking dish or bowls line with a baking sheet. Bake it and you will love the results. You can try different cooking and baking methods to produce different results of your choice.

 

Nutrition Information

The above ratio will give you 1 smoothie serving size. You can double the ratio to get 2 servings. With the aforementioned ingredients, you will get nutrients such as calories, fiber, saturated fat, fat, carbohydrates, protein, and sugar in varying amounts. It does not contain harmful cholesterol. Also, it is gluten free. Most of these essential nutrients will add to the daily value of what you should consume.

 

Which is the Best Milk for Coffee Smoothie?

While you can use natural milk or coconut milk, almonds milk makes the smoothie tastier. Preferably, use unsweetened almond milk for added health benefits. It is low in calories, rich in calcium, vitamin E, and vitamin D. Also, it is great for people who are less tolerant to natural cow’s milk.

 

What Makes Peanut Butter Important in a Wake Me up Coffee Smoothie?

Although you can include any nut butter of your choice, peanut butter is delicious, a great source of healthy fat, protein, and energy. Besides, a peanut butter banana smoothie will leave you feeling full for longer. You can make peanut butter with nuts at home. As a coffee lover, you can also enjoy it as an afternoon snack or for lunch when observing a low calorie diet. It is also a great substitute for side dishes, salads, soups, and dessert. However, do not take it as part of appetizers for those delicious dinners as it may have some side effects such causing insomnia.

 

Why Should You Add a Banana to Your Coffee Smoothie?

Bananas are great for adding in smoothies , thanks to their numerous health benefits. They are fat-free, great source of natural sugar, carbs, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. They also add texture to a smoothie when frozen. They are an ingredient you should not miss.

 

Alternative Sweeteners for Coffee Smoothie

If you do not like bananas, you can replace them with substitutes such as uncooked oats, avocado, and yogurt in small portions. Alternatively, add any frozen fruits of your choice for rich flavors. For instance, you can peel a sweet citrus fruit such as an orange  and cut it into slices. Add a slice in your smoothie to add to the rich tastes of the beverage. You can also use strawberries to make strawberry banana smoothie. Feel free to use berries of your choice.

You can also use a dollop of maple syrup or honey to add sweetness rather than adding artificial sugars. The trick is to avoid adding things that contain artificial sugars. Avoid using agave syrup or caramel syrupe if possible as they are not a very healthy alternative. You can also add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to sweeten the smoothie.

 

What about a Decaffeinated Coffee Smoothie?

If you are keeping your daily caffeine intake low for whatever reason, it is still possible to enjoy a coffee smoothie. In this case, you will make your smoothie with decaf coffee. That way, you will limit your caffeine intake and still enjoy the deliciousness of a coffee smoothie. The best thing about decaf is that it is not associated with any major health risk and has less acidity.

 

Can You Add Coffee Grounds into Your Smoothie?

It is very okay to put ground coffee into a smoothie. You can eat ground coffee beans without any problem, especially if you do not have problems with caffeine intake. Adding grounds into your smoothie will add texture and flavor. In addition, it will introduce caffeine content without having to brew any coffee when making a coffee smoothie.

Just ensure you are using fresh ground coffee rather than used grounds for your smoothie. You can grind roast coffee beans at home to get a fresh supply of ground coffee. Also, coffee grounds are rich in antioxidants and make tastier smoothie than instant coffee granules.

 

Bottom Line

A coffee smoothie is a great way of starting your day, especially when you do not have much time to prepare a heavy breakfast. It will make you feel fuller. Besides, it is delicious and nutritious. You will only need a few readily available ingredients and a blender to get your coffee smoothie ready. Just ensure you have some cold brew coffee ready in your fridge to get your coffee smoothie ready within no time.

It is a smoothie worth adding to your meal plans. Also, there are many variations of this smoothie such as mocha coffee smoothie or add pumpkin pie spice to make pumpkin coffee smoothie. You can also get more ideas and tips from a coffee cookbook or suggestions on social media outlets such as Instagram and Pinterest.