Last Updated on November 29, 2023 by Christin Gillespie

This Mint Chip Energizer Smoothie is made with organic ingredients, full of superfoods, and packed with protein. It is a delicious Erewhon inspired smoothie recipe that’s creamy, super minty, and has lots of texture, thanks to the addition of cacao nibs. If you’re a fan of mint chip ice cream, you’ll love this smoothie.

A clear glass filled with a green mint smoothie with cacao nibs. Sitting on a white marble counter.

With the holiday season approaching, I am beyond excited to share with you all the many festive smoothie recipes that I have lined up for you!

We’re starting off strong with a mint chip smoothie, but with an energizing twist. The energizing part comes from the addition of a handful of superfoods, along with a dash of peppermint extract.

While this smoothie is unique in itself, I can’t take full credit for it. It’s an Erewhon inspired smoothie recipe, but without the Erewhon markup. The ingredients are practically the same, which means you can get all the benefits of this mint smoothie without the heavy Erewhon price tag of $19. You’re welcome!

Oh and if you don’t know what Erewhon is, let me fill you in. To put simply, the LA health store chain, Erewhon, is one the most expensive grocery stores in the United States. It’s not the typical grocery store, as the shelves are all color coordinated + packed to the ceiling with the latest health foods, supplements, and more. It’s truly inspiring.

But enough about Erewhon, this protein smoothie is stellar. It’s refreshing, light, and loaded with wellness supporting ingredients – don’t let that scare you. It seriously tastes like a milkshake. Think healthy mint chip ice cream.

So grab your blender and not your boarding pass for this Erewhon inspired mint chip protein smoothie.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Organic Shop Worthy: The flavor & texture in this smoothie is that found at the famous organic grocery store, but at a fraction of the cost.
Loaded with Nutrition: This mint chip smoothie features over 25 grams of plant based protein, is packed with anti-inflammatory properties, & is full of superfoods.
Tastes like a Dessert: The flavor is that of a mint chip ice cream, but without the sugar crash.
Fully Customizable: Add even more wholesome ingredients to elevate your protein smoothie. I’ve listed some delicious ways further down in the post.

An Erewhon inspired smoothie recipe in a clear glass filled with a green mint smoothie with cacao nibs. Sitting on a white marble counter.

Superfood Health Benefits & Nutrition

It wouldn’t be an Erewhon inspired smoothie recipe without a handful of superfoods. Honestly though, they truly take this smoothie to the next level by providing an additional boost your body needs. Here are just a few incredible health benefits of incorporating superfoods into this mint chip smoothie recipe.

High-Vibrational Energy
Relieve Mild Stress & Promote Relaxation
Decrease Inflammation
Hormonal Balance
Improve Cognitive Function

For additional superfood information, be sure to check out this superfood post!

Ingredients

Organic Unsweetened Almond Milk: Erewhon used almond milk, so that’s what we’re using! Either way, just be sure to use trusted brands – I like MALK Organics or Three Trees.
Organic Peppermint Extract: To achieve that peppermint flavor. Just remember, a little goes a long way!
Organic Plant Protein: While Erewhon’s recipe doesn’t contain protein, I always add some into my smoothie recipes. The reason being, is that adding a scoop of protein powder helps to keep you full and satisfied longer. For this recipe, I love Four Sigmatic’s Unflavored Plant Protein. It’s made with real organic ingredients with no grains, gums or fillers. Oh & it’s super delicious. Nevertheless, if you have yet to try Four Sigmatic’s Unflavored Plant Protein, add your favorite unflavored plant protein.
Organic Ground Hemp Seeds: Organic hemp seeds adds a boost of healthy fats, protein, omegas & minerals to this smoothie.
Organic Superfoods: Organic Lucuma, Organic Maca, Organic Mesquite, & Organic Tocus. If you only have a few of these incredible superfoods on hand, use it! Super confused on superfoods? Check out this superfood post!
Sea Salt: A bit of sea salt is rich in a ton of minerals and beautifully enhances the flavor of this protein smoothie.
Organic Spinach: To make this Erewhon inspired smoothie recipe green. They blend easily & you can’t taste them. I highly recommend spinach if you’re new to green smoothies, because you can’t even taste it. However, kale, swiss chard, mustard greens, collard greens, or mixed greens all work.
Organic Frozen Banana: Technically Erewhon’s smoothie doesn’t contain banana, but I like to add one to make the smoothie super thick & creamy.
Organic Cacao Nibs: Cacao nibs give the smoothie lots of texture, with a little crunch with every sip. LOVE.

How To Make

Blend the Liquids & Powders: First, add the non-dairy milk, peppermint extract, plant protein, seeds, superfoods, sea salt, and spinach, to a high-speed blender. Blend these ingredients until smooth.
Blend the Frozen Ingredients: Next, add in the frozen banana. Blend until smooth and creamy. If needed, you can pause the blender, remove the lid, and scrape down the sides so that everything is fully incorporated. You may need to add a little more non-dairy milk depending on how thick/thin you like your smoothies
Blend the Cacao Nibs: Add the cacao nibs & blend for 20 seconds on medium.
Serve: Pour into a chilled glass and enjoy immediately.

Optional Add-Ins

Feel free to truly make this smoothie your own! Here are a few suggestions to amp-up this mint smoothie recipe:

Organic Chia Seeds: Add a scoop of organic chia seeds for some omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, calcium, etc.
Organic Ground Flax Seeds: Incorporate a tablespoon of organic ground flax seeds to boost the fiber & minerals in this mint chip smoothie.
Organic Coconut Yogurt: Add some creaminess to this smoothie with a scoop of coconut yogurt. You may have to reduce the liquid to ½ cup in this smoothie when adding yogurt.
Organic Medjool Date: If you’re wanting to sweeten your mint smoothie even more, start by adding one organic pitted medjool date.

Tips for Making the Perfect Smoothie

Interested in how to make the absolute perfect smoothie? As someone who makes smoothie daily, here are my TOP tips for creating the perfect smoothie:

Use Frozen Fruit: Adding a frozen to this smoothie is the only way to go! The ice from the frozen fruits adds thickness to the smoothie.
Adjust Liquid Amount: If you find that your smoothie is too thick to blend, not to worry! Just add a bit more milk, blend, open the cover, scrape down the sides if needed, and blend again. And when possible, always use a larger high-speed blender instead, as it will blend the ingredients much better.
How To Make: Add your liquid first & blend your powders first, before adding your frozen ingredients. This is my personal favorite way of preparing my smoothies. By blending the liquid & powders first, it ensures that your powders blend completely.
Blend Cacao Nibs Last: The reason for adding the cacao nibs last, is because you don’t want them to get as creamy like the smoothie – you want them to retain their structure, for texture. That makes this smoothie a bit crunchy, which I love!
Smoothie Blending Tip: Start your blender on low to medium speed. If you blend the smoothie too quickly from the beginning, it’s really hard for the blender to properly blend the frozen ingredients – so start lower and then gradually increase the speed.
Chill Your Glass: There’s nothing better than a cold smoothie, in this case, a mint chip milkshake. Put your serving glass in the fridge or freezer while you’re making your smoothie to ensure a chilled smoothie with every sip!

Smoothie FAQ’s

Do I have to use a frozen banana?

Even though the original recipe doesn’t call for frozen banana, I like to add one to this Erewhon inspired smoothie recipe. The reason being, the frozen banana in this recipe gives the smoothie a thick & creamy texture. If using a fresh banana, be to add a handful of ice cubes to achieve a cold, thick smoothie. However, if you’re looking to remove the banana altogether, because you’re allergic or simply don’t like them, you can replace it with ½ cup of frozen zucchini, frozen cauliflower, or frozen avocado chunks. If you elect to make this a banana free smoothie, I recommend adding an organic pitted medjool date to maintain its sweetness.

Is it healthy to have a smoothie?

Duh! I wouldn’t post something that was unhealthy. Having a smoothie full of protein, healthy fats, & superfoods for a post workout breakfast is great, because you’ll be getting essential vitamins, nutrients, & protein, first thing. However, some smoothies on the market or on the web can be loaded with tons of fruit, added sugar, & nonsense, making them a less healthy option.

What is the best protein powder to use?

For this particular protein smoothie, I love using Four Sigmatic’s Unflavored Protein Powder. It’s made with real organic ingredients with no grains, gums, or fillers. If you don’t have Four Sigmatic’s Unflavored Plant Protein on hand, you can use your favorite unflavored protein powder. When selecting a plant protein, it’s crucial to look at the protein content and most importantly, the ingredients.

How can I add protein without using protein powder?

If you don’t have unflavored protein powder on hand, no worries! To increase the protein content, you can add a tablespoon of organic chia seeds and/or organic ground flax seeds, without changing the taste too much.

Do I have to add superfoods?

Even though this is a superfood smoothie recipe, you are not required to add them., I do recommend looking into them, as there are incredible benefits of consuming them on a regular basis. And if you only have a couple of superfood powders, that’s great! Use what you’ve got for this smoothie recipe. For additional superfood information, be sure to check out this superfood post!

Can I make this protein smoothie into a mint chip smoothie bowl?

Absolutely! In this case it would mint chip ice cream. YUM! Simply decrease the organic unsweetened almond milk to a ¼ cup. When transforming this smoothie to a smoothie bowl, you’ll definitely need a high-speed blender, along with a plunger to get things blended.

Can I make this protein smoothie recipe in advance?

Yes! Feel free to make the smoothie as is or double it for later. Check out this “How to Prepare Smoothies in Advance” post to achieve the best results.

More Protein Smoothie Recipes You’ll Love

If you make this recipe, please leave a review & rating below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Lastly, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, & TikTok for even more deliciousness & wellness tips!

Xoxo.

Christin.