I’m been playing around with homemade face masks and experimenting with different recipes for quite some time now. Of course, one of the best things about them is that they use ingredients from the kitchen, so they’re safer, more natural options than store-bought masks, plus they’re packed with vitamins and nutrients that feed the skin.
Some even smell so good that they can tempt you to take a little taste! 😛 At least, that’s what happened to me when I was making the chocolate pomegranate face mask that I featured back in this post. It looked and smelled so delicious that I could resist, and after taking a little lick of the spoon, it had me wondering why I never made a smoothie using the two! They pair so well together – the pomegranate adds a sour-sweet taste, while the cacao balances it out with a semi-sweet and somewhat bitter chocolate flavor. They’re also packed with nutrients and antioxidants that can feed the skin when applied topically, as well as from the inside out when added to smoothies!
So that brings me to today’s post. I combined frozen pomegranate arils this time (just because I needed a colder element), and the same cacao powder I’d used for the mask. But really, you can use any part of the pomegranate you choose. You can use fresh pomegranate and de-seed it to get the arils as well as the juice. Use both, or either/or in your smoothie. The arils (aka the seed pods) add extra texture and lots of fiber (to help with digestion, and to make you feel fuller), so I always recommend tossing those in!
I also like to add in a few other nutrient and protein-dense superfoods to give the smoothie an extra kick, like hemp powder, chia seeds, and flax and hemp oils. And then to top it off, I’ll add cacao nibs, freeze-dried arils, and coconut flakes for a little extra texture and crunch.
Together, this makes a healthy ‘treat’ so to speak that you can enjoy for breakfast, a snack, or mini meal!
Pomegranate Coconut Shake with Cacao Nibs & Coconut
Base Ingredients:
- 1 cup of pomegranate arils (freeze dried, fresh, or frozen)
- 1 cup spinach or kale
- 1 1/2 cup milk (coconut, almond, any other milk of your choice)
- 3 tbsp cacao powder
- Sweetener: agave nectar, maple syrup, honey, etc (sweeten to taste)
Optional:
- chia seeds, hemp powder, and/or flax seed oil (~1 tbsp each)
- 1 serving chocolate protein powder
- Toppings: cacao nibs, coconut flakes, pomegranate arils
Directions
Step 1) Combine all the base ingredients plus any extras (chia seeds, hemp powder, flax seed oil, protein powder, etc).
Step 2) Blend in a blender everything is smooth.
I use this Ninja blender to make all my smoothies. It’s super powerful and also has a convenient smoothie setting. Simply press and walk away/clean up the kitchen while it’s doing its thing!
Step 3) Add extra milk if the mix is too thick, and sweetener if it’s still a bitter when you taste test it.
Step 4) Top with cacao nibs, pomegranate arils, and coconut flakes. Finally, pour into a glass and enjoy!
Are smoothies part of your daily routine? What are some of your favorite smoothie ingredients?
