This shop has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. Our family already drinks Lifeway Kefir so it was a no brainer to share one of my #KefirCreations with you.

For some people, smoothies are a quick, easy breakfast or snack. I’ll be honest. The idea of pulling out my blender, making a smoothie, and cleaning said blender sounds like a lot of work. It’s easier for me to make avocado toast in the morning. However, when I have a little more time and want to indulge myself, I make this simple 5 ingredient chocolate chip café au lait kefir smoothie. (Café au lait is pronounced kah-fay o lay.)

For the past week, the kids and I have been in Louisiana visiting my parents. My mom is an early riser so I’ve been lucky enough to sleep in almost every morning. She makes sure the kids don’t kill each other or starve in the mornings. This means I don’t have to rush and can enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Every time I come back to Louisiana, I make sure to visit Coffee Call.  They have the best beignets (a type of fried dough doused in powdered sugar) and really good café au lait, a French-inspired hot drink that is half coffee and half milk.  That’s where I found my inspiration for this chocolate chip cafe au lait kefir smoothie recipe! 

I headed to Winn-Dixie, a grocery store I visited weekly growing up, and grabbed a bottle of plain Lifeway Kefir Lowfat Cultured Milk Smoothies for my café au lait smoothie. While I was there I also stocked up on some of my favorite Louisiana foods to bring back to DC.  Lifeway Kefir is a staple in our fridge ever since I introduced the drink to my husband, the breakfast skipper, over a year ago. We usually keep two different flavors at a time. My favorite is the organic pomegranate acai flavor but the kids prefer the sweetness of the strawberry.

Normally we drink our kefir straight up, but I couldn’t get the traditional hot café au lait out of my head.  Why not make a cold version that’s also full of protein and probiotics? It would be a coffee drink that is also good for me. Count me in!

Along with Lifeway Kefir, I picked up a bottle of instant Community Coffee.  I don’t drink instant coffee often, but it’s perfect for recipes like smoothies or for adding a kick to my morning bowl of plain yogurt.  You can even use it in baking recipes in place of espresso powder. The rest of that bottle is coming back to DC with me!  I also absconded my sister’s dark chocolate bar for this recipe but you can use chocolate chips. She won’t mind because I didn’t use the entire bar, right?

Because ice melts too fast in Louisiana I didn’t add any to the recipe, but you definitely can to make it more frappe style. After giving the ingredients a whirl in my blender, I stuck my café au lait smoothie in the freezer for 5 minutes to chill it.

After my smoothie chills for 5 minutes, I grab my Kindle and head to my parents’ front patio to soak up some Louisiana morning sun.  Ok, ok, by morning I mean before noon. I am on vacation after all. I wanted to take advantage of the outdoors before the heat and humidity became too unbearable.

Even though I’m semi-working during my Louisiana vacation, being able to sit outdoors with a cold drink and my current book felt so decadent. The skies have been blue with giant fluffy clouds every day that I’ve been down here. (See the cloud photobomb in the reflection on my Kindle?) I forgot how gorgeous it is in rural Louisiana.

When I’m back in DC and my taste buds feel homesick for Louisiana, I’ll just have to whip up a frosty glass of chocolate chip café au lait kefir smoothie. I might even add some whipped cream to it!

Have you ever tried kefir? What’s your favorite way to drink it?

Chocolate Chip Café Au Lait Kefir Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

A healthy cold version of a classic Louisiana coffee. Makes enough to share (or not).

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Ingredients

• 1 cup kefir, plain and unsweetened
• 3/4 cup of plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 T of sugar (more if you want it sweeter)
• 2 T instant Community Coffee
• 1/4 cup of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup of ice (optional)

Instructions

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

If using ice, serve immediately. Otherwise chill before serving.