Hi there! I'm hoping to launch yet another "segment" today: The Reluctant Vegan. I've scaled back our What's for Dinner series considerably over recent months, but I'd like to revive it to some extent, especially around my quest to become (more) vegan over the course of 2016. Let's start with a little update on how it's going in m y quest eat more vegan: Great! I think there's a mental switch that has to happen before any big behavioral change, and for whatever reason, after years of dancing around the issue, I was finally able to embrace the idea of relying more on plants in my diet. As I mentioned back in January, one thing I needed to do was figure out a few key substitutes, particularly for my morning latte(s), and for a few smoothies I rely on for sustenance. I'm still in the process of ranking my fave coffee additives, and I'll be sure to provide a detailed rubric soon, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to swap out the dairy in my dairy-heavy chocolate peanut butter smoothie for vegan options.

While I was veganifying my smoothie, I also thought I'd try to lighten it a bit. If you remember my original version, it's pretty calorie-heavy. I found it absolutely perfect for last summer, when I was training for a half marathon and nursing a wee babe but also trying to avoid inhaling whole loaves of bread in one sitting. Now, I'm training for another half, but only half-heartedly so far (heh) and I just weaned Westley last week, so my caloric needs are different. It turns out that replacing greek yogurt and dairy with silken tofu and soy milk does some lightening up, and I also tried using Tru-Nut.

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Have you guys seen this powdered nut butter? Like so many things, I stumbled across it in the aisles of Marshall's and thought I'd try it. It has added sugar and salt, so I wouldn't call it a super food, but it is a way to inject peanut butter flavor (i.e., Manna) into all things, without all the fat. I've been playing around with it in my smoothie, and I'm sold for the time being --- both because I now have a jar to finish, and because since I am trying to scale back how much I'm eating while I'm in this weaning transition, I'm willing to trade a little sugar for the overall calorie reduction. I should note that I'm normally not willing to make that trade: I would rather eat a food in its full fat glory than some bastardization that's been pumped full of corn syrup to replace the fat. I'm looking at you, "light" ice cream. But again, weaning is a special time: your body is used to eating for two, and you have to sort of trick into thinking it still is, unless you want to gain the dreaded post-nursing 5 pound bump. Which, in case it needs stating, I don't.

I have to say, I have crushed this vegan smoothie. It's just as filling and satisfying as the milky version, but you know, without the milk and with a shade fewer calories. Subbing in the silken tofu is great - it makes for a creamy, whipped consistency that is just fantastic. I've added ice to keep things a little less dense, and I use a healthy amount of cocoa and peanut butter powder for strong flavors. This smoothie isn't very sweet, but it does feel like a treat. If you want things a bit sweeter, add a bit of your sweetener of choice. I have to think honey would be delicious here.

Lighter, Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Recipe by Once and Future Home

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 frozen banana (about one cup slices)
• 1/2 cup soy milk (or any non-dairy milk)
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1 cup silken tofu
• 3 tablespoons Tru-Nut peanut butter powder (I use plain, but any flavor combo that strikes your fancy)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon super seeds of your choice (I use Nutiva Super Seed Blend, which includes Flax, Chia and Hemp)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend. Enjoy. If you're into the whole smoothie bowl thing, try topping with cacao nibs and toasted almond slivers.

By my super scientific calculations, this adds up to between 400-450 calories for a very large smoothie (between 16-18 ounces). That shaves 100 or so calories off the original version. You can of course make things even lighter by skipping the soy milk and adding more ice, or by eliminating the super seeds, but I like those!

If you give this a try or have tweaks, let me know!