Coffee Shake

Ah summer.  When warm water comes out of the cold tap and you circle the parking lot like a vulcher trying to find the last spot with a shred of shade (or maybe that’s just me), you know you’re smack dab in the middle of the hottest time of the year!  Though the intense heat that trademarks summer can cause irritation, the barbeques, beaches, family vacations, lazy days, fun with friends, and delicious cold shakes balance that out and sprinkle summer with delight.  How did “the shake” make it into my top 6 you ask?  Simple.  It’s just that good!When it comes to a yummy milkshake, many a depressed allergy-laden individual has feared you just cannot make a truly yummy one without the milk, the ice-cream, or even without the sugar! (Rest assured, we will be leaving the “shake” in there.)  But with the right ingredients I submit to you it can be done!  This Coffee Shake is living proof that you can have all the thick and yummy goodness without dealing with all the side effects of cheating.  Even if you don’t have to worry about food sensitivities I encourage you to give it a try – it’s way better than whatever you get handed to you through the drive up window.

Let me give you a quick run-down of the short list of items to make this deliciousness.  I’m using almond milk, the original, unsweetened flavor.  I prefer almond milk over rice or soy milk, however I’m sure either would work fine in this recipe as the coffee crystals mask whatever difference in flavor there may be.  The frozen bananas lend sweetness and a thick consistency in place of the ice-cream.  Purevia gives an additional boost of sweetness without adding loads of sugar.  Purevia is taken from the sweet stevia leaf and unlike Splenda, is found in nature.  Chia seeds are gluten-free and are small powerhouses full of nutrients.  You can get a bag of Salba (a trademarked chia seed brand) at most grocery stores.  Ground up, the seeds lend a velvety smooth consistency to our shake, not to mention out of the park health benefits (speaking of which, if you’re sensitive to fiber reduce amount to 1 tablespoon ).  And to wind up, the decaf coffee crystals give us a superb coffee flavor so as to broaden the time of enjoyment of this beverage without putting yourself through the distress of choosing between sleep or a delicious shake.  I mean seriously, some things are really too much to have to choose between!

So sip on this dairy-free, sugar-free, and gluten-free Coffee Shake while you compile your own list of the lovely attributes of summer.  Cheers!

Coffee Shake
Dairy-free, sugar-free, gluten-free

2 cups unsweetened almond milk
3 frozen bananas
3 tablespoons ground chia seeds
3 tablespoons decaf coffee crystals
1 packet Purevia

Combine all items in a blender and process on the smoothie setting or on high until smoothie smooth!  Makes 4 cups.

Tagged as: dairy-free, smoothies, summer drinks