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Mocha Cauliflower Cold Brew Protein Smoothie

August 29, 2017 by Julie 39 Comments

I know, I know, the title of this recipe is a mouthful. Mocha Cauliflower Cold Brew Protein Smoothie. Yeesh. But hear me out: I felt like I needed to include all of the words in the title to really capture the essence of this cold and creamy treat.

Mocha Cold Brew Smoothie

I couldn’t neglect the mocha part of it because that’s the tasty part – I mean chocolate and coffee, c’mon – and then the cauliflower felt important to include from a nutritional standpoint (vitamin C, magnesium, fiber, potassium and vitamin B6). Cold brew couldn’t be left out because it gives the smoothie a more intense coffee flavor (and a caffeine punch) and noting that the smoothie is high in protein is important since so many smoothies are total carb and sugar bombs.

Now that I’ve justified the obnoxiously long name of this smoothie, let’s chat about the taste. This smoothie is a coffee lover’s dream. It’s thick and chocolaty and almost Frappuccino-y. (Can we make that a word?)

This smoothie is my absolute favorite post-workout pick-me-up these days and keeps me satisfied and energized until lunchtime rolls around.

Mocha Coffee Protein Smoothie

I’ve made so many variations of this smoothie and shared a bunch of them on Instagram so see below for smoothie variation recommendations and highlights if you want to change things up a bit from the basic recipe outlined below.

I hope you guys love this one as much as I do!

Mocha Cauliflower Cold Brew Protein Smoothie

Makes one large smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup cold brew coffee
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or cashew milk (+ a splash of whole milk or coffee creamer for additional creaminess)
  • 3/4 cup frozen raw cauliflower
  • 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 1 tablespoon collagen
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Directions:

  1. Place everything into a high-powdered blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Pour into a cup and enjoy!

Cauliflower Coffee Protein Smoothie

Smoothie Variations

I have SO many variations of this smoothie to share with you guys so read on if you want to change things up:

Protein Powder

  • Completely omit the protein powder if you don’t like protein powder in your smoothies. If you miss the sweetness of protein powder, add 1/2 of a very-ripe frozen banana into the blender.
  • If you want the added protein but don’t want to use protein powder, you may also add an extra tablespoon of collagen for additional protein and absolutely no flavor. Collagen is completely undetectable in this smoothie but does seem to make smoothies a little frothier. I’ll often add two tablespoons of collagen in addition to the 1/2 scoop of chocolate protein powder!
  • I get protein powder questions all the time and currently my favorite chocolate protein powders are Pure Protein Superfood Dark Cocoa, SFH Pure Chocolate and AfterBurn Chocolate.

Cauliflower/Additional Vegetables

  • I love this smoothie the most when I solely use cauliflower but I’ve made it with a half-portion of cauliflower and a 1/2 portion of both fresh spinach and frozen kale and thought it was still very delicious.
  • I’ve also added spinach and kale in addition to the cauliflower and it worked well, though I increased the liquids a little bit.

Milk Substitutions

  • The kind of milk you use in this smoothie is completely up to you! I change it up all the time but love a combination of unsweetened vanilla almond milk or cashew milk with a splash of whole milk for some creaminess.
  • I would not recommend omitting the milk altogether and just using coffee or using water in place of the milk. It doesn’t taste as creamy or “Frappuccino-y.”

Texture Additions

  • This may be a weird thing, but I oddly like a little bit of crunch in my smoothies sometimes and have added cacao nibs and chopped nuts (pecans are the best!) to this smoothie after it was done blending and thought it was a tasty way to change up the smooth texture a bit!

Mocha Coffee Cold Brew Protein Smoothie

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Filed Under: Smoothies Tagged With: cauliflower, cauliflower smoothie, cold brew, mocha, protein smoothie, protein smoothie recipe, smoothie

About Julie

My name is Julie and I am a full-time blogger, new mama, fitness enthusiast (certified personal trainer and group exercise instructor) and food fanatic (mostly healthy... but also not-so-healthy) living in North Carolina with my husband, dog and baby boy. Thank you for visiting Peanut Butter Fingers! I hope you enjoy little glimpses into my life and have fun trying the sweaty workouts I frequently share and making some of my favorite recipes along the way!

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Comments

  1. Maureen @ Maureen Gets Real says

    August 29, 2017 at 7:43 am

    I bought the collagen you use after reading your post about it and always wondered if it could be added to smoothies. Now I know ha!

    Have a great day Julie 🙂

    Reply
    • Julie says

      August 29, 2017 at 7:59 am

      Absolutely!! I think it’s great in smoothies (it does make them a little frothier but I like that) and I always recommend it to people who don’t like the taste of most protein powders but want protein in their smoothies!

      Reply
  2. Marjorie says

    August 29, 2017 at 7:56 am

    Yum! I will try this today after my workout today! Is it unsweetened cocoa powder you used? I tried looking at the Hershey’s label in the background, but couldn’t quite make it out. Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      August 29, 2017 at 7:58 am

      Yes! Unsweetened! It’s also great with unsweetened dark cocoa powder if you like a richer chocolate taste!

      Reply
  3. Brynn says

    August 29, 2017 at 8:06 am

    I make a similar smoothie with peanut butter powder, so good! Cauliflower is my favorite smoothie addition for the texture and health benefits.

    Reply
  4. Erinn says

    August 29, 2017 at 8:16 am

    Okay, I’ll admit the cauliflower in the title completely threw me off! After reading the recipe, I think I’d be willing to give this a shot…I need to pick up the collagen though!
    Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    Reply
    • Laura @ Laura Likes Design says

      August 29, 2017 at 9:07 am

      Ditto! I’ve never thought to put any veggies other than spinach in my smoothies / shakes!

      Reply
    • Julie says

      August 29, 2017 at 10:32 am

      I promise you won’t taste it!!

      Reply
  5. Starr @ sipofstarrshine.com says

    August 29, 2017 at 8:29 am

    I keep meaning to try collagen and cauliflower in my smoothies! This looks like a great recipe for me to try to do that. Thanks for sharing, Julie!

    Reply
  6. Allison says

    August 29, 2017 at 9:04 am

    This looks delicious! I love a smoothie that can keep me full all morning. I’m going to try out a variation of it tomorrow. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Kelli @ Hungry Hobby says

    August 29, 2017 at 10:20 am

    Way to sneak in more veggies for the morning win!

    Reply
  8. Emily @ Pizza & Pull-ups says

    August 29, 2017 at 10:31 am

    Yum, I love adding cauliflower to smoothies, I can never taste it and always feel good having got some extra veggies in.

    Reply
  9. Bethany @LuluRuns says

    August 29, 2017 at 10:48 am

    I am super intrigued to try this out now! Love adding veggies smoothies – especially when they are undetectable 😉

    Reply
  10. Teresa @ SweettandahoneyB says

    August 29, 2017 at 11:10 am

    This looks so tasty! I am always looking for new smoothies to try post workouts – I tend to get bored of my typical Strawberry Banana & Strawberry Mango. But! I never forget the collagen anymore after reading one of your posts earlier this summer. I even have my husband adding it to his morning coffee & smoothies.

    I love nothing more than cold brew. Thank you for this delicious idea!

    Reply
  11. Juliette | Namastay Traveling says

    August 29, 2017 at 12:21 pm

    Cauliflower is on my radar for my next smoothie add on, I’ve heard it’s so good! I just got over adding kale, baby steps. Can’t wait to try this flavor combo.

    Reply
  12. Kaci @ Kaci K. RD2Be says

    August 29, 2017 at 12:38 pm

    I never thought about putting frozen cauliflower in a smoothie before I saw it on your blog and now I’m addicted! I love that I can sneak in some extra veggies.

    Reply
  13. Kaitlyn @ Powered by Sass says

    August 29, 2017 at 12:53 pm

    I think I’m finally convinced to add frozen cauliflower to my smoothies. I’m already on board with the spinach and kale, but a few extra vitamins and minerals wouldn’t hurt. 🙂 Would riced cauliflower from TJ’s work? What’s the inside scoop on how to actually *use* cauliflower in a smoothie?

    Reply
  14. liz says

    August 29, 2017 at 1:55 pm

    I would have never thought about using cauliflower! I actually just looked up nutrition facts for cauliflower because I wasn’t sure if I was just feeding my kid a bunch of random carbs, hah. I think I’m going to try some cauliflower in my smoothies in place of the ice! Such a good idea!

    Reply
  15. Bethany says

    August 29, 2017 at 1:58 pm

    This is my kind of smoothie! I love adding cauliflower to my morning smoothies!

    Reply
  16. Alicia @Bridges Through Life says

    August 29, 2017 at 2:55 pm

    I just bought some frozen cauliflower. I still need to try it in a smoothie. This looks great though and filling.

    Reply
  17. Sarah @ Sweet Miles says

    August 29, 2017 at 5:46 pm

    I don’t think I’ve ever tried any kind of veggie in a smoothie, so this looks very intriguing!

    Reply
  18. Noelle Smith says

    August 29, 2017 at 6:06 pm

    I’m going to try this asap. I don’t use protein powder so I think I might use a few dates.
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  19. Cassie Autumn Tran says

    August 29, 2017 at 8:09 pm

    Cauliflower smoothies are really awesome! I like pairing cauliflower with something very strong, like flavored protein powder, carob powder, or powdered peanut butter! Sneaking in veggies definitely isn’t hard, though. I love my micronutrients and fiber!

    Reply
  20. Kathleen says

    August 29, 2017 at 8:22 pm

    I honestly never in a million years would have thought to put cauliflower in my smoothie, but it sounds and looks delicious. I don’t have collagen, but it seems like there’s no flavor to that anyway so I should be okay right??

    Reply
  21. Patricia @Sweet And Strong says

    August 30, 2017 at 7:13 am

    As I made my fruity smoothie this morning I was literally thinking I wish I had a coffee flavored drink. Definitely need to give this one a try!

    Reply
  22. Marina @ Happy Healing says

    August 30, 2017 at 9:43 am

    Yum!! This smoothie looks so unique and delicious. I like making chocolatey, protein-filled smoothies once in a while. It’s nice to not always just include fruit 🙂

    Have a great day!!

    Reply
  23. Erika says

    August 31, 2017 at 3:23 pm

    Different but intersting!

    Reply
  24. candace says

    September 10, 2017 at 8:39 pm

    Hi! I was wondering how adding frozen cauliflower would work to a shake if I generally make the shake in the morning but don’t eat it til much later in the afternoon? Would it make it super liquidy as the cauliflower thaws?

    Reply
  25. Katy says

    September 13, 2017 at 8:50 am

    Oh my gosh, this smoothie is a GAME CHANGER! I’ve been in a smoothie rut for the past, um, year+, especially feeling like my spinach + berries + nut butter smoothies were sometimes too sweet. I’m not a coffee drinker at all, but for some reason this recipe intrigued me. I’ve been using instant espresso powder in water in lieu of cold brew, but otherwise left the original recipe intact. HOLY COW, Julie. This is so good, so satisfying, not sweet at all, and one million percent tastes like a frappuccino (I love how frothy the collagen makes it). Anyway, this is a super rambly, all too wordy way of saying how much I appreciate you sharing this gem. Thank you! 🙂

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 13, 2017 at 12:01 pm

      Hooray!!! Love this comment! 🙂 Haha! So glad you liked it and thanks for taking the time to report back and let me know.

      Reply
      • Katy says

        November 24, 2019 at 5:18 pm

        Update: have you or anyone tried adding a drop or two of peppermint extract to see if it makes it taste like a Starbucks peppermint mocha frappe or does it ruin it?! Tis the season 🙂

        Reply
  26. Marky says

    September 19, 2017 at 6:08 pm

    Wow, I never would have considered using cauliflower in a smoothie in about a million years, but you’ve definitely got me intrigued. I know from experience you can make pretty good pizza crust from cauliflower, so it does seem to be pretty versatile!

    Reply
  27. John Parker says

    February 12, 2018 at 4:23 am

    I have read and tried some of the numerous cauliflower recipes online in the past few months, yours does have a twist, I just need to first get my hands on the collagen you recommended.

    Reply

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  4. Friday Randomness | National Fitness Examiner says:
    September 23, 2017 at 2:40 pm

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Hi! I’m Julie and I am a mom to three energetic boys and a personal trainer and blogger living in Charlotte, North Carolina. Welcome to my blog! Peanut Butter Fingers follows my life and my interests in food, fitness, family, travel and (mostly) healthy living.
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