Chocolate Black Bean Smoothies

Fall. Week 3, Sofia starts cross country.

I made tortilla soup for the family this week. The kitchen filled with the smell that tortilla soup makes. Lisa and the kids ate around the table. The conversation was about the week, the kids' activities, the small ordinary news of a household in motion. Diego called from CSU and said hello. The twins ate too much. Sofia ate the right amount. Lisa ate slowly. I ate the rest.

The dog tags were under the polo. The chain was around my neck. Hector's ring is not on a chain yet. Papá is still alive. Mamá is still in Las Cruces. The road keeps bending. The road bends. Feed your people. The game is won at the table.

The soup was for the table — for Lisa eating slowly, for the twins eating too much, for Sofia eating exactly right. But after the bowls were cleared and the kitchen went quiet, I wanted something that could carry us into the next moment without a lot of ceremony. Black beans have always been part of how I cook, part of where I come from, and blending them into something sweet and cold felt like the right kind of surprise — the kind that keeps people at the table just a little longer. This one is simple enough to make while the conversation is still going.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 10 min | Servings: 2

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large frozen banana, sliced
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine sea salt
4–6 ice cubes

Instructions

Prep the beans. Drain and rinse the black beans under cold water until the water runs clear. Shake off excess moisture.
Load the blender. Add the black beans, frozen banana, cocoa powder, milk, Greek yogurt, honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and ice cubes to a high-powered blender.
Blend until smooth. Blend on high for 60–90 seconds, until completely smooth and creamy with no visible bean pieces. Scrape down the sides if needed and blend again.
Taste and adjust. Taste the smoothie and add more honey for sweetness or more cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor. Blend briefly to combine.
Serve immediately. Pour into two tall glasses. Serve right away for the best texture and chill.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chocolate Black Bean Smoothies — The Table Holds Everyone