Holy Cacao! A PIPING HOT NOURISHING WINTER SMOOTHIE

Good morning! It's smoothie time with a twist! Mornings are friggin freezing at the moment so spice things up with this nourishing choc winter smoothie.

You'll need:

2 ripe bananas
2 heaped tbsp raw cacao powder*
Dash of cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp chia seeds
4 dates (or maple or manuka honey)
2 cups hot hot homemade nut milk (or if you don't have any on hand, use near boiling water and a handful of hazelnuts, cashews or almonds).

I didn't do this, but I reckon a sprig of mint or a dash of chilli powder would be the business.

Serves 2

*HEALTHY CACAO

Just wanna take this opportunity to pay tribute to my delicious friend cacao. Ancient food of the gods, this delectable powder is actually pretty darn healthy before humans get involved and decide it needs to be pulverized, high heat processed, sweetened, flavoured, mixed with vegetable oils and made into mars bars.

Raw cacao, direct from the chocolate seed of the Thebroma Cacao Tree, is jam flippen packed with Antioxidants. Flavanols, the primary flavonoid in cacao beans and nibs, benefits cardiovascular health, improving blood flow to the heart and brain. Cacao also contains Theobromine, a mild energising stimulant helps with focus and alertness, and has a diuretic affect and therefore can help to detoxify the body. Phenylethylamine is a mood enhancer and a gentle antidepressant - cacao can make you feel good. Under the influence of cacao, natural serotonin levels are enhanced, again, making you feel awesome.

Essential minerals to boot: magnesium (great for PMS), calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.

Essential Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and Pantothenic acid