Mocha Chia Frappucino

I found a site last week that teaches you how to make a Starbuck's frappucino at home for significantly less money. With a little fine-tuning, I was able to make a semi-respectable mocha frap. But then, last week, I was perusing healthy eating blogs and stumbled across this Choco Chia smoothie drink (sorry, I lost the site address!) and had a flash of brilliance--what about a mocha chia frappucino? Think about the added protein and omega-3s from the chia seeds, all masked by a creamy, icy chocolatey coffee smoothie. It was an experiment gone GREAT.  My vitamix burned up those chia seeds so that I never even knew they were in there.  And yet, the chia seeds absorb water, so as the ice in the frap melted, it remained thick--the perfect texture.  I'm so loving treats that don't even taste like they could possibly be good for you but ARE.

Mocha Chia Frappucino

3/4 c. double strength cold coffee (I used decaf)
3/4 c. milk or milk alternative (I used coconut milk from cardboard carton)
splash of vanilla
5 drops stevia
1-2 TBS raw honey
2 TBS chia seeds
1/8 tsp xanthan gum*
1 TBS raw cacao powder (you can use regular cocoa powder)

Blend on high speed until chia seeds are ground up. Add two cups of ice. Blend until ice is completely integrated into drink.

*xanthan gum keeps the coffee and milk from separating and, I hear, is used in Starbuck's original recipe

This drink is SO good that all three of my girlies scramble to the table the second they hear "frappucino."  I even snuck in 1 TBS of hemp seed protein powder on Saturday morning and they didn't even know the difference.