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Are you ready for a creamy, dreamy chocolate milkshake? I’ve got something special for you today! This Dreamy Dairy-Free Chocolate Shake is (duh!) dairy free, low in calories (a THM Fuel Pull!), high in protein…and it’ll give you a solid dose of veggies! I’m not talking about okra, believe it or not.
I first experimented with using frozen cauliflower in a milkshake when I made this Pumpkin Pie Milkshake. (My mom couldn’t even taste the secret ingredient!) Immediately I saw a new world of possibilities, and because of how creamy the cauliflower made the shake, I toyed with the idea of trying a completely dairy-free milkshake using the concept. Unfortunately it was a very long time before I got around to testing my hypothesis. So many recipe ideas, so little time. #lifeofafoodblogger
When I did try it, it worked! Amazingly well! Now let me get this straight: this recipe is not just for the dairy-free peeps. It’s for anyone who wants 1) a creamy chocolate milkshake experience, 2) a dose of non-starchy veggies, or 3) an very low-calorie, protein-rich snack.
You kind of need a pretty good blender to pulverize vegetables into unnoticeable smithereens if you plan to turn them into milkshakes. I was blenderless for a long time after I got married, but I finally bought myself a used Vitamix off of Ebay! I’m not sure how long it’ll last since it has quite a bit of wear and tear, but it works for now! The tamper was busted when I got it so I made this shake thinner than I normally would with my mom’s Vitamix with tamper back home. If you have a working tamper, you may want to decrease the almond milk just a tad and/or add a little more ice. I made the shake thin enough that it would blend on its own in the blender without my having to take the lid off and keep scraping down the sides to get things to blend smoothly.
PS – While this recipe doesn’t have a fat source itself, it’s THM Deep S compliant! Add a fat source on the side and you have a Deep S meal.
You may also enjoy:
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STARTING THM
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my recipe index
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recipe index by fuel type/allergy/theme
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Chocolate Dreamy (a deliciously creamy okra shake that tastes like a Wendy’s Frosty)
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Bri’s Mocha Shake (an Arby’s Jamocha Shake knockoff)
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All my dairy-free recipes
As always, check out the Notes section of the recipe for extra info. Check out the links in and below the recipe to see the products I use and recommend. Some of the links included in the recipe and blog post are affiliate links, which means that if you make purchases through these links, I make a small commission (but your price doesn’t change).
Grab a copy of my cookbook to get nearly 400 RECIPES to jump start your healthy journey! You’ll find lots of our Thomas family church cookbook favorites made healthy in this easy-to-use, hard cover/spiral bound book. CLICK HERE for details!
- 1½ c. frozen cauliflower florets*
- 1¼ c. unsweetened almond milk
- 2 T. collagen
- 2 T. cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. THM Super Sweet Blend (or more, to taste)
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- 3/32 tsp. (3 doonks) THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder
- ½ tsp. glucomannan
- -
- 4 ice cubes (or more, to desired consistency)
- Add all the ingredients except the ice to a high-powered blender. (I use a Vitamix.) Add the glucomannan right before blending to avoid clumping. Blend until completely smooth (don't skimp on the blending; it should be a thick smoothie consistency), then add the ice and blend again until smooth. Taste and adjust. Does it need more sweetener? Do you want to add more ice for a thicker shake? Feel free to do so, then blend until smooth and enjoy!
-You are welcome to try using whey protein powder in place of the collagen, but whey protein powder is not dairy free and I personally like the lack of flavor from collagen.
-If the shake feels slimy, try decreasing the glucomannan. I use Konjac Foods brand glucomannan and never have an issue with sliminess, but some brands seem to be stronger than others and have that issue sometimes. If you don't have glucomannan, xanthan gum can generally be substituted for it in the same amount and is easy to find locally.
-I used 2 sweeteners for a more balanced sweetness as well as to take it easy on my budget. (More concentrated sweeteners are generally cheaper per serving.) Feel free to use your favorite low-glycemic sweetener(s) to taste.
You can pin this recipe here:
I was desperately looking for a dairy free idea because I didn’t have any cottage cheese and it seems most recipes have cottage cheese! I found this and though I didn’t have cauliflower, I had frozen grated zucchini which I’ve used before to thicken smoothies and so I used that.
I also love peanut butter and chocolate and I’m breastfeeding so I added peanut butter to make it an S. Thanks for helping this hungry, brain fogged mama get an idea and recipe for lunch!!
That sounds great! Thanks for sharing, Anita!
Hi! I can’t wait to try your shake! If your still don’t have a tamper, try contacting vitamix. I LOST mine in a recent move and contacted their customer service to see if I could purchase another one, and they sent me a free one! Worth a shot!
Can you use riced cauliflower rather than florets!!
As long as it’s frozen that should be fine, but you may not need quite as much since the riced cauliflower will pack more densely when you measure it.
Hey! Just wondering do you put your almond milk in the blender and then add the frozen cauliflower to equal the total amount? or do you just measure the cauliflower separately and then throw it in? I feel like I use double the amount of cauliflower when measuring it in the liquid.
I think I’ve actually done it both ways and haven’t noticed a difference in the result, personally.
I’m barely a week into the THM plan, so I’m still confused and a bit overwhelmed. I plan to make this soon! But I’m wondering if instead of using the Gentle Sweet blend, if I can just add extra Stevia? I can’t afford to buy that, or Gluccie right now. But I plan to buy Collagen soon. So is it okay if I leave both out? Or what could I add into it, or as a side to make up for the lack of them? I’m trying to save money for gluten/sugar free products for now. Sorry to ramble but thank you in advance!!!! ❤️
You can just use more stevia, but it can get bitter when combined with chocolate in larger amounts, which is why I combined it with Sweet Blend in this recipe. 🙂 You could probably leave the collagen out (you just won’t have a protein source), but I don’t recommend leaving the glucomannan out since that’s the key thickener in this shake. You could substitute xanthan gum for the glucomannan; xanthan gum is available in local stores and may be cheaper than glucomannan.
Really, Briana! This is another “wow” recipe! I added 2 tbsp melted butter for a Deep S for a fuel cycle, but the recipe is excellent as written. Thank you, again, for another recipe I’ll be using all the time. My family loves your cookbooks and recipes and we appreciate all your hard work! Blessings!
I’m wondering if I add 1 or 2 Tbsps of THM pressed peanut flour, if this will still keep the recipe an FP? Thank you.
Yes 🙂
This was so good!
I have to admit, I was skeptical, but on the 2nd fp day of a fuel cycle, I’m ready to try almost anything that looks filling! ? And it was!
Briana
You already know I think you’ve been gifted with healthy-food genius, so I’ll try not to sound overly fawning. But, this is another huge hit! I’ve been trying to stay on the thm plan for eleven months, but this is going to be one of my new favorites. A Fuel pull that I can barely finish? Thank you!
Haha…I’ll take all the encouragement I can get! 😉 I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes.
I agree! Love this!!
Maybe suggest pulvarizing the cauli in smaller amounts adding a bit more until you reach the 1.5 C amount?
OR
Can the frozen calufliwer get pulvarized in a foid processor, then refrozen as powder in amounts needed for shakes in little baggies?
Hi brianna! This looks really good, I will have to try it! But first, I have a completely unrelated question: Is watermelon an E or a FP? It does not say in the plan book, as far as I can tell, and I think that in small amounts it would be a FP because of its high water content, but I am not sure, since other melons are E’s. Thanks!
Hi Penelope! Watermelon is definitely an E carb source, and it’s recommended to be kept to a cup per serving since it’s so high in natural sugars.
Thank you, That helps a lot! I love your blog and newsletter, and am looking forward to your next cookbook!
Ps.
I tried the shake and it is awesome!
Wonderful! I’m so glad you liked it!
I have often wondered about throwing frozen cauliflower into a smoothie and I own a vitamix so I had to try this. I think my ice cubes are bigger than the ones you used because I needed a bit of extra almond milk to get the mixture moving even with the tamper but that was a minor detail. It made about a 3 1/2 cup serving which was good because my 11 year old daughter stole the first 2 cup serving I poured and pronounced it the best smoothie ever (she didn’t know about the cauliflower…ssshhhhh).
This kind of reminds me of a Wendy’s chocolate whatever they call that thing. Whatever you want to call it I give it many enthusiastic thumbs up and call it added to my favorites list! Not even a hint of cauliflower flavor comes through. Delicious!
I am so glad to hear that, Stephanie!! I happen to love Wendy’s Frosties. 😉
Hi Briana, I love your recipes and your book !! I am just concerned because you have not posted anything new in a while..I hope you are well.
Hi Pat! Thanks for checking in – that’s so sweet of you! Are you part of my email list? I’ve been sending out some update emails since I haven’t had time to blog lately. I’ve been working really hard on my second cookbook (and making great progress!), and I discovered that I couldn’t keep up with a house, write a book, and blog all at the same time, so I’m taking a break from blogging until I can get the book manuscript sent to my designers (hopefully within the next few weeks!). I’m going to be gone with a singing group for a few weeks in July, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to write any posts before that or not, but if so it may be August until I’m able to return to a more normal blogging schedule. And even then it may not be as much as it used to be, since I’m married now. 🙂 I miss it though!
Thank you for your reply. I will join your e mail and am looking forward to your next book. Your blog and book have been a real ministry to me as my goal is healthier eating and you have inspired me so much !! What a blessing you are ! God is good ! thank you : )
Hi Briana,
I’m wondering if you have any tips for me! My family doesn’t like the taste of any of the sweetener substitutions so I feel like I still have to bake with sugar for them. Unfortunately this means there are still sugary things in the house and I’m finding it really difficult to stay faithful to the THM way! Do you have any suggestions for (a) how to get back on the bandwagon and stick with it and (b) maybe a muffin/snack recipe suggestion that tastes almost the same as regular muffins that I can make for my family? Thanks, I appreciate your amazing blog and recipes!
Hi Kristen! Addressing the sweetener issue first, if you’re just coming off of sugar I recommend using a sweetener that isn’t as concentrated (in other words, not stevia or THM Super Sweet Blend). THM Gentle Sweet, Swerve, or Pyure may be a good option for your family. I know that some people say that monk fruit is a good-tasting sweetener as well. I don’t know what you’ve tried, but those are some suggestions. Also, I personally take sweetener out of other people’s recipes if I make them because I find most THM recipes out there to be way too sweet, then I get a horrific aftertaste. Maybe you could try sweetening less and see if that helps?
If you’re having trouble finding recipes that your family enjoys, try something that isn’t a baked good with a lot of the alternative flours in it. Cheesecake, ice cream, etc. You might have better luck with that. 😉 I use a lot of more concentrated sweeteners for budget purposes, but you can substitute with whatever sweetener you prefer. Either just taste and adjust (the most foolproof way!) or use this sweetener conversion chart to help you estimate how much you’ll need: https://media.trimhealthymama.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/05/07222306/THM.Sweetener-Conversion-Chart.pdf
Here are some recipes you could try:
https://www.briana-thomas.com/no-bake-snack-bars/
https://www.briana-thomas.com/easy-snack-balls/
https://www.briana-thomas.com/apple-muffins/
https://www.briana-thomas.com/black-raspberry-cheesecake-22nd-birthday-cake/
https://www.briana-thomas.com/blueberry-cheesecake-delight/
https://www.briana-thomas.com/butterfinger-bars-s/
https://www.briana-thomas.com/fried-cream-cheese-and-berry-taco/
https://www.briana-thomas.com/peanut-butter-cups/
Or any of these ice cream recipes: https://www.briana-thomas.com/indexes/complete-pictorial-recipe-index/ice-cream
As far as staying on plan…I’m afraid some old-fashioned self control may be the best fix for that. 🙂 Here are some pages that have a lot of helpful info for simplifying the plan and keeping it sustainable:
https://www.briana-thomas.com/starting-trim-healthy-mama/
https://www.briana-thomas.com/indexes/my-journey-and-tips/menus/
https://www.briana-thomas.com/indexes/my-journey-and-tips/trim-healthy-tips/
https://www.briana-thomas.com/indexes/my-journey-and-tips/whats-on-my-plate/
I can’t wait to try this, Brianna! I’m so bummed that our Walmart has stopped carrying plain frozen cauliflower – they carry a million veggie-riced-cauliflower and mashed cauliflower products, but no plain cauliflower. So I’ll try freezing some of my own so that I can try the shake. Thanks for the recipe!!
What?? No plain cauliflower? That’s gotta be a glitch. 😛 I believe storebought frozen cauliflower is blanched before freezing, which takes away some of the strong flavor and helps it break down better in shakes, so keep that in mind if doing it yourself.
I’ll check at other stores and find some already frozen! Thanks for the tip! 🙂
My Walmart has also stopped carrying frozen cauliflower, but I have used the plain frozen cauli rice in half the amount for this smoothie recipe and others. It turns out great every time!
Just a note that my Walmart started carrying plain frozen cauliflower again (I did send in a request; maybe they listened!!), and this shake was wonderful! Thank you so much!!!!
I just got some plain frozen cauliflower from Walmart about a week ago. Maybe your store was just out of stock at the time?
I haven’t been able to try this yet, but I have pulled inspiration from it! I’ve been feeling pretty laggy all day today and wanted something sweet, but shopping day is tomorrow. So with this recipe in mind, I blended a bag of blueberries and half a bag of frozen cauliflower together with 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder and water. It turned into a delicious fruity smoothie! Now, the type of protein I used is kinda gross so that took away from it a bit, but it was great to know that I can still stay on-plan even if I dont have my usual ingredients.
Hi Briana! I was just wondering what your views on bikinis and revealing clothing are?!
That’s an interesting question to find on a cauliflower milkshake post! =P
Biblical principles call us to dress in a manner that points attention to God, not ourselves, and also does not create a temptation for lust. I’m not sure what your definition of “revealing clothes” is, since that seems to vary greatly these days, but since bikinis are (at best) glorified underwear, I don’t really see how they can NOT be provocative to even the most saintly of eyes.
I also believe that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, so I think men should wear shirts when swimming in a mixed public setting. 😉 If nothing else, it shows their support and solidarity for the women in their lives, who generally bear the brunt of the modesty issue. It’s a 2-way street!
Love it! I have made it 3 times already. One time I replaced the ice cubes with frozen strawberries. It was also really good!
I love that idea, Pam! So glad you enjoy it!
Would that still be a fuel pull?
Yes!
Tried this already and I’m shocked that I can’t even taste the cauliflower!!! Thank you thank you!!
That’s great to hear, Wendy! Thanks for trying it!
Um, I don’t see the recipe.
I’m so sorry! I’ve been having some tech problems lately and when I went in to make a small edit to the post several hours after it was published, the recipe card just disappeared! My tech guy helped me get it back. 🙂
Where is the recipe?
I’m so sorry! I’ve been having some tech problems lately and when I went in to make a small edit to the post several hours after it was published, the recipe card just disappeared! My tech guy helped me get it back. 🙂
Maybe I’m missing something, but where’s the recipe?
I’m so sorry! I’ve been having some tech problems lately and when I went in to make a small edit to the post several hours after it was published, the recipe card just disappeared! My tech guy helped me get it back. 🙂
I can’t wait to try this! Just this morning, I was on Pinterest and saw that someone used frozen cauliflower in their smoothies and it made it creamy, then your post popped up!
How neat! I hope you enjoy it!
This looks great! I can’t wait to try it, I’m wondering if I could sub frozen riced cauliflower to help with the blender situation?
You’re welcome to try! I’m guessing that would probably work, but you’ll be using more cauliflower because the smaller pieces will pack more when you’re measuring so if the shake tastes cauliflowery, try decreasing the amount you use next time. I’m not sure that it will help with blender situation all that much because a not-so-good blender can usually only blend so finely no matter how big the pieces are when you start out, but your blender might be different!