That was the plan, anyway.
I dug out all the necessary ingredients and threw them into the blender.
Spinach: A Green Monster Requirement
I left out the packet of instant coffee, thinking I would add it in at the end.
When I tasted the smoothie about half-way through the blending process, the chocolate flavor sparked a desire for a cocoa overload smoothie. Move over mocha!
I added 1.5 tbsp. of cocoa powder to the mix to intensify the flavor and a yummy, chocolatey smoothie was born.
As with every green monster, it looked revolting…
Cocoa Overload Green Monster
… but it tasted great!
Pour it Oooout
To Eat or to Drink. That is the Question.
Drink it is!
My smoothie contained:
- 1 frozen banana
- 2 handfuls fresh spinach
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
- 3/4 c. milk
- 3 ice cubes
- 1.5 tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (for thickening)
I inhaled this smoothie within 5 minutes, which left me feeling really full. That’s a lotta liquid!
Workout
I was craving a cold breakfast after getting quite overheated at the gym this morning.
I started off my workout with 25 minutes on the treadmill. I did a slightly modified version of a workout I saw on Holly’s blog.
My version of her workout looked like this:
25 Minute Incline Treadmill Workout
This workout was hardcore! I think I only looked at the speed of the workout, and not the incline and figured it would be a breeze.
False.
This workout seriously kicked my butt. I was huffin’ and puffin’ and red faced by the time 25 minutes were up.
Phew!
I wanted to browse through Betty Crocker’s new fall mini recipe book, so I finished up my workout with 25 minutes on the elliptical while drooling over the most delicious looking cake pops (submitted by Bakerella) and turtle brownies.
Maybe that’s what inspired my chocolate craving for breakfast?
…But then again, when don’t I want chocolate for breakfast? Or for every meal, for that matter? 😉
Annnd now it’s time to work. See ya fo’ lunch!
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Chocolate for breakfast is never wrong! I think I crave it every morning.
MMMmm! Not a bad way to get going in the morning… 🙂
The cake pops (or cake balls, without the sticks stick) are a little messy to make – but absolutely to die for! Made them this summer w/ cherry cake mix and cream cheese frosting, then dipped in dark chocolate. Oh goodness, that’s what I want now…
i had never seen them before & they look unreal!!! i love all the holiday-themed ones on bakerella.com! so cute.
I made red velvet cake balls on my blog! 🙂 They’re red velvet cake mixed with buttercream and coated in white chocolate. *drool*
I made some chocolate cake pops but by the time I was finished all the pops had fallen down the sticks, which didn’t look quite as nice. I’m not really sure why that happened. So, I ended up taking them off the stick and just placing them on wax paper – but I was quite frustrated at that point. Of course, I’m still planning on tackling it again, because no matter how ugly they looked they tasted quite delicious.
OMG I never put the incline over 4 on the treadmill!
I have to have chocolate every day. I just have to.
The workout was intense!! I was huffing too!!! 😀 And, I honestly did the same thing when I first started looking at it- I was like, eh, no big deal, can totally conquer that one. Well, it kind of conquered me- lol!! 🙂
I LOVE Bakerella too!! I’m addicted to her blog! So many good ideas.
about 3/4 of the way through i was thinking “holly is LEGIT.” that workout was SERIOUSLY intense!
Chocolate is the way to go ANYTIME of day 😉 Don’t you love it when a workout unexpectedly kicks your butt?! Hurts so good!
Whoa. I need to add instant coffee to my green monsters. Genius!
I love that you read a recipe book while on the elliptical!! 🙂
Oh my goodness those cake pops are so cute and sound awesome. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of Bakerella. And now I’m going to spend way too much time browsing there.
Where did you buy your initial smoothie cups?? I love them!
thanks! i got them at bed, bath & beyond.
Ooh, I need to try this! My regular old green monster is great, but I love a GM shake-up!!
I love chocolate greenies, so yummy! I don’t think it looks revolting at all.
i love cocoa in my GMs…but i totally drink them too fast and get a stomachache too…no good!
Oh my goodness, those cake balls are my new favourite dessert! Cake is my weakness and I have to try this recipe.
This looks like a great post-gym breakfast! I’ve been looking for some new, healthy options. Can’t wait to try it!!
I love chocolately green monsters!
But I can never just drink something. My body needs me to chew something afterwards before it will recognize that I am full. No matter how filling I make a smoothie, it just isn’t the same as chewing my food!
I think a little bit of choclate should always be incorporated into every meal in some fashion!
That workout sounds like a tough one!! I’m not good with doing inclines so the fact that you got up to 13 incline is ridiculous!! But ridiculously GOOD!
that workout looks awesome! i love lower speeds and higher inclines; the combination is killer!
Green monster looks so good! =) I love treadmill interval workouts Im def going to try that one out today!
Leave it to Holly to make a kick butt workout!!! Yum to a chocolate green monster.
That treadmill workout looks intenseeeee! The inclines would be so killer. Good job for completing it!
Mmmm you can never go wrong with chocolate for breakfast 😉
How are you able to program all that in while still running on the treadmill? I’d be so stressed out just trying to press the buttons I’d never get any running done. Can you program it ahead of time or do you actually keep pressing buttons the entire time running?
Isn’t it crazy what inclines can do? I love all the many ways you can mix things up on treadmills.
omg. gotta love those cakerella cake pops/cake balls….SO cute and yummy. i made some for christmas last year…it was a lot more work than i thought. hahaha.
Can you preset intervals before starting your workout at your gym? I find it v annoying to change inclines and speeds when I’m running which is why I tend to avoid interval training!!
unfortunately, no. i WISH! it really is pain, but i type in the numbers as i am running/walking.
i’ve always wanted to make cake pops! they’re so cute 🙂
I kinda agree with Primrose, switching things on the treadmill always leads to me having a close call to falling! 😀
Do you ever feel like you’re gonna fall off?
i don’t feel like i’m gonna fall off, but i do often mistype in the numbers & end up FLYING or walking really slowly until i can type in the right numbers. kind of a pain!
I willl have to try that treadmill workout! Looks nice and hard! 😛 Isn’t it hard to believe how gross Green Monsters look, yet how delicious they taste?!
When experimenting with shakes, I’ve found you can never go wrong when you add a banana. The cocoa/banana combo is delicious. Good choice!
Hey Julie, I’m a treadmill track star too! I actually train for everything from 5K’s to 1/2 marathons on them. They work out great as I can run my buns off and not have to worry about being a mile away from home when I get tried. Keep up the good work! Love the blog…you do well!
~Andy
I’ve been looking for a great indoor interval workout… This is it!! Keep the workouts coming!
Thank you for this workout! Tried it out this morning and LOVED it! You rock!