Vanilla Chai Protein Smoothie

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This vanilla chai protein smoothie has a surprise ingredient you’d never expect! It’s healthy, it’s sweet, it’s creamy, it’s packed with protein, and it’s freaking delicious!

Vanilla Chai Protein Smoothie

If you’re wondering what the surprise ingredient in this vanilla chai smoothie is, it’s beef bone broth! I know it sounds weird, but I promise you can’t taste it! I add beef bone broth ice cubes to lots of smoothies in order to boost the nutritional content without altering the flavor .

Bone broth is a great source of protein and collagen that can help restore gut health. It is also great for your hair, skin, nails, and joints due to the collagen content! And while you’d probably never expect to use bone broth in a smoothie, this vanilla chai protein smoothie proves that bone broth definitely has its place in smoothie recipes!

Smoothies are a great way to fill in nutrition gaps and sneak in healthy ingredients like veggies, protein, bone broth, chia seeds, and flaxseeds. When paired with bold flavors like berries, chai, chocolate, and vanilla, you can easily mask the healthy stuff. This makes it easy to feed your picky eaters some nutrient-dense ingredients without them knowing it. 

I’m a mom to a picky toddler and an even pickier 10 year old bonus kid, so sneaking in veggies has become my super power. And now I can feed them the healthy benefits of bone broth disguised as a delicious fruit smoothie! 

The base of this smoothie is banana. You can use fresh or frozen bananas for this recipe. Frozen bananas will give this smoothie a milkshake-like texture and consistency. Fresh bananas will be smoother and lighter, so choose whichever you prefer.

What ingredients you need to make vanilla chai smoothie with bone broth:

• Unsweetened almond milk 
• Banana
• Vanilla protein powder
• Chai spice (see below)
• Beef bone broth ice cubes (or 1/4 cup cold bone broth)

Bone broth ice cubes:

Bone broth ice cubes are an excellent way to keep your bone broth fresh for months after opening it. They keep in the freezer for up to 2 or 3 months, and they’re a convenient way to add bone broth to smoothies. 

My favorite brand for bone broth is Kettle & Fire. They use grass-fed beef, the beef bone broth is keto-friendly, and it has a smooth flavor. And I have been able to find it at most grocery stores across the country (I’ve moved around a lot).

To make bone broth ice cubes, just open up your container of bone broth and pour it into ice cube trays. Pop the trays in the freezer and allow to set overnight. These are my favorite ice cube trays, but you can use any ice cube trays you have on hand. 

Frozen bone broth ice cubes will last in the freezer for up 2 or 3 months. Pop a few out at a time whenever you need them!

Vanilla protein powder:

I have two favorite brands of vanilla protein powder: FASTer Way grass-fed protein and Juice Plus Complete. Both have a delicious vanilla flavor, but one is made with animal protein while the other made with plant protein. Juice Plus Complete offers prebiotics and fiber in their plant-based protein powder. When it comes to protein powder, it’s all about personal preference and choosing one you like best. 

Chai spice:

I prefer to make my own chai spice, but you can use any chai spice you like! 

Soul Rooibos Masala Chai Powder is delicious! But it’s also kinda spicy since it contains pepper, so please keep that in mind. Spicewalla Chai Masala is also very good, affordable, and easy to purchase from Amazon.

Making chai spice at home is very simple, and it’s also a more economic option because you can use the same spices to make chai spice over and over again. The reason I opt for homemade chai spice is because I can control the ingredients and spiciness. 

Homemade Chai Spice:

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 

1/4 tsp ground allspice 

1/8 tsp black pepper, optional

Add all ingredients to a small airtight container with a lid. Store in a dry place, such as spice cabinet or pantry, for up to 6 months. 

If you need new measuring spoons, these are my favorite because they fit into spice jars with narrow openings very easily.

How to make a smoothie with vanilla protein powder and chai spice:

1. Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until smooth
2. Serve in a fun glass!

Optional add-ins:

This smoothie is delicious as is, but if you feel like you need some additional nutrients, feel free to add them in. 

Some of my favorite add-ins are:

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

1/2 cup frozen cauliflower

Handful of baby spinach 

1 tablespoon instant coffee powder or shot of espresso 

1 serving collagen peptides 

Anything you feel you are lacking in your diet for the day can be added to a smoothie, so get creative!

More smoothie recipes you will love: 

Pina Colada Smoothie

Low Carb Key Lime Pie Smoothie

Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

Thin Mint Smoothie 

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