Chocolate Zucchini Vital Proteins Smoothie {Paleo}

This Chocolate Zucchini Vital Proteins Smoothie is loaded with hidden veggies and body-boosting nutrients such as hemp seeds, cacao, chia seeds, and coconut milk.  Crammed with mixed berries, chocolate, and Vital Proteins Collagen!  Healing for your skin, scalp, and hair.  Gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo too.

Have you ever noticed how chocolate makes smoothies taste like dessert?  It makes breakfast awesome!  And if you're a chocoholic like me, chocolate for breakfast is totally going to be your jam too.  This Chocolate Zucchini Vital Proteins Smoothie is all the rage, healthy, and hits the jackpot with superfood nutrients.  What I most like about this smoothie is the Collagen from Vital Proteins that's added for that extra boost of healing for healthy skin, hair, joints, and bones!

WHAT IS COLLAGEN?

• Collagen is an abundant protein in the body and is a key constituent of all connective tissues.
• It provides the infrastructure of the musculoskeletal, essentially for mobility and skin elasticity.  As we age we lose the elasticity in our skin, joints, and bones.  Using a product like Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides helps to restore that natural structure you once had.

VITAL PROTEINS COLLAGEN

This product doesn't use any fillers, or additives, or gums.  Their brand uses only the cleanest ingredients.  I now get excited to add collagen every morning because of not only all the health benefits I have experienced but the fact that this brand sources only clean ingredients to nourish my body makes me very happy.

I use Vital Proteins collagen in my smoothies, my moon milk, and even hot cocoa.

When I began, I started with a teaspoon and edged my way to a full scoop after a week or two.  Know your body and go slow if needed.  While the full serving is 2 scoops I still use only 1.

After hearing about Vital Proteins at the Indie Beauty show way back in 2016, I was curious, but also worried.  As a patient with Celiac Disease, I was worried it wasn't safe.  Even though I spoke with one of the reps at the show who was Celiac, I wasn't convinced a powder like this would even be okay.

While I'm not the biggest fan of protein powders mainly because they don't agree with me, a recent gluten-free certification process changed my mind about Vital Proteins.  Only then at that point did I decide to try their Collagen Peptides and WOAH!  RESULTS.

COLLAGEN FOR HAIR GROWTH?

I had heard it really helped with hair, skin, and nails.  And I could use all the help I could get in the skin and hair department.  Given that I have had a lot of hair growth issues when I was diagnosed with Telegoen Effluvium, which is a non-permanent form of hair loss.  As I update this post in 2021 I can now say my hair grew back.  But then?  I hadn't seen much improvement till this product.  My hair drastically grew, and I was shocked!  My skin, all the redness, and hyperpigmentation from old acne, and scarring started to disappear!  At the time of originally writing this post, it wasn't healed yet, but it was surely on the road to healing.  And that was the first time I had seen a drastic improvement in my healing.  Therefore, I attribute most of this healing to Vital Proteins.

COLLAGEN BENEFITS

• Improves the health of skin and hair
• Helps to promote healthy joints, ligaments, tendons, and bones by reducing joint pain and degeneration
• Aids in healing 'Leaky Gut'
• Reduces wrinkles aka look younger and glow!
• Improves digestion
• Promotes healing of injuries
• Reduces Arthritis pain
• Made from grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine hides from Brazil
• Their Marine collagen is sourced from wild-caught, Non-GMO Red Snapper off the coast of Hawaii.
• The benefits of collagen are from my knowledge and the Vital Proteins website.  FAQs are also from Vital Proteins website.

READY TO GATHER YOUR INGREDIENTS?

ARE ALL VITAL PROTEINS COLLAGEN PRODUCTS GLUTEN-FREE?

• No.  Always check your ingredients, and call the manufacturer if the label is not clear.
• Some Vital Proteins are not gluten-free such as the Beauty Greens.  This product uses Barley Grass, and while the grasses are technically celiac-safe it is a person-to-person decision.  I steer clear of grasses.

My advice is to use the unflavored version of Vital Proteins and then add all the spices like vanilla, matcha, chocolate, and cinnamon.  The unflavored version is gluten-free, celiac-safe, and allergy-friendly.  Go with that product, there is so much you can do with it!

Print Recipe

Chocolate Zucchini Vital Proteins Smoothie

This Chocolate Zucchini Vital Proteins Collagen Smoothie is loaded with hidden veggies, body-boosting nutrients and tastes like chocolate and berries.  Hair, skin & nail growth-boosting and gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo.

Prep Time15 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Breakfast, Smoothies, Snack

Cuisine: American, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, healthy, Paleo

Keyword: chocolate, creamy, easy, green smoothie, quick, smoothie, zucchini

Servings: 1 people

Author: Julie Rosenthal

Equipment

• high-speed blender

Ingredients

• 1 small zucchini peeled, chopped
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 scoop unflavored collagen I use Vital Proteins
• 1 cup mixed berries frozen
• 2 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 2 drops liquid stevia I like Nu Naturals
• 1 ½-2 cups unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk
• ⅛ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tbsp flax seeds
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds

Instructions

• In a high-speed blender mix the milk with the frozen berries until well blended.
• Then add remaining ingredients and blast until WELL blended. Don't use all the milk at once. Start with 1 cup and keep pouring until you get your desired consistency
• Once fully blended add 1 cup of ice and blast again. Best served super icy! Top with crushed frozen raspberries and a straw.

Notes

If you are using frozen fruit and veggies you will need closer to the 2 cups of plant-based milk. But if you use all non-frozen you will need less milk.//  And if you use a combination of frozen vs. not frozen, the ration of milk will be less as well. // Pay attention to the thickness as you make your smoothie and use less liquid if you like a creamy smoothie. // 

Health and love,