Start your day with this bold, delicious Chocolate Dirty Chai Smoothie. It’s gluten-free and vegan, and loaded with healthy ingredients like oats, almond milk, and anti-oxidant rich tea!

I had a weird relationship with coffee during my pregnancy with June. I absolutely needed it to get my day started, but I couldn’t drink more than half a cup. Also, I was incredibly sensitive to the smell. If Alex left grounds in the kitchen sink, it would drive me crazy from upstairs.

June was born on Christmas Eve, and when I woke up in the hospital the next morning, one of my first thoughts was coffee. I made Alex Google whether Starbucks was open on Christmas Day, and when it was, I sent him out to get me a grande dirty chai latte (which means it has a shot of espresso), nonfat, extra hot, with one less pump of syrup. (I know… I’m like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally when it comes to my coffee orders.)

This recipe is my favorite coffee shop beverage in smoothie form: spicy chai tea, rich espresso, and a dose of chocolate for good measure. But while the original is loaded with sugar and extra calories, you can feel good about this one. It’s gluten-free and vegan, and loaded with good-for-you ingredients that will keep you feeling full until lunch:

Frozen banana
Almond milk
Gluten-free oats
Chai tea leaves
Instant espresso or coffee powder
Cinnamon

Plus fun toppings like cacao nibs and chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans!

If you are a smoothie addict like me, check out these other delicious recipes:

Strawberry Almond Cacao Smoothie
Tahini Fig Smoothie
Raspberry Peach Smoothie
Spinach and Kiwi Smoothie

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5 from 2 votes

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Chocolate Dirty Chai Smoothie

This rich, intense Chocolate Dirty Chai Smoothie is a delicious way to start your morning. Gluten-free, vegan, and loaded with good-for-you ingredients like oats, almond milk, and anti-oxidant rich tea!

Servings 1

Ingredients

• 1 banana peeled, frozen, and cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats (make sure they are gluten-free)
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder or 1-2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon loose chai tea leaves from about 1 bag
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 4-5 ice cubes
• cacao nibs or chopped chocolate covered espresso beans optional, for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine the banana, oats, cocoa powder, coffee powder, chai tea leaves, cinnamon, almond milk, and ice in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and garnish with the cacao nibs and espresso beans, if using.