My Version of a Skinny Mocha Frappuccino

I'm excited to share with you my version of a skinny mocha frappuccino today!  I've been drinking this drink nearly every weekday for the past few weeks during my boys' afternoon nap.  I look forward to this perfect guilt-free mommy moment each day!  I say guilt-free, because without the whipped topping, this drink is sugar-free and comes in at a whopping 35 calories!

I make this drink right before my boys fall asleep.  Then I pour my drink, topped with fat-free sugar-free whipped delightfulness, into a fancy glass with a pretty straw, because everything tastes better in a fancy glass with a pretty straw.  I quietly go find the adult space in our home, a.k.a. downstairs or the front porch, and enjoy my five minute mommy break.  Let me tell you, that five minutes is wonderful!

I don't know about you, but I am a lover of chocolate!  If I could eat a candy bar everyday without gaining weight, or even worse, getting a horrible sugar crash....I seriously would eat one everyday!  I have a weakness for sweets, but unfortunately, sugar and I parted ways a few years ago.....well, sort of.  I didn't cut it out of my life completely.  I still have the weekends, and around the holidays it really makes an appearance in my life more often than it should.  Everything in moderation, as they say, but I certainly don't eat processed sugar everyday like I used to. 

Yes, I heart chocolate....but I also heart Starbucks!  You know what I don't love about Starbucks?  The prices!  This time of year, I love to get a skinny mocha frappaccino.  If I'm honest, in previous years, I probably got one 1-2 times a week during the summer months.  At $5 a drink, my frappuccino habit adds up.  

Now that we have kids....and I'm not working outside of the home....and we have an adoption fund that we are unable to contribute to at the moment, even though we are financially comfortable.....well, all of these reasons made me second-guess spending money on myself on a regular basis for something frivolous like an iced coffee.  And so last month, I decided to come up with my own version of a skinny frappuccino.

I'm not gonna lie to you and tell you that this tastes just like a Starbucks frappuccino.  I will say that this satisfies my chocolate cravings.  It's definitely not sugary or super sweet, but it is chocolaty.  I also love that I know what all of the ingredients are!  For me, it is a win! If you're looking to cut calories and sugar, try it out for yourself sometime and see if it satisfies your chocolate craving.

 Ingredients:

1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk (15 calories, 1 gram of fat)
1 tbs. unsweetened cocoa (10 calories, .5 grams of fat)
1 tbs. instant coffee (10 calories)
1-2 tsp. stevia in the raw, depending on taste
1 tsp. vanilla extract
about 7-8 ice cubes

Directions:

Blend in a blender or Nutribullet (I use my Nutribullet)  until ice is crushed well.  Top with fat-free sugar-free whipped topping.  Garnish with berries, dark chocolate shavings and a sprig of mint, if desired.  Drink from a pretty cup with a pretty straw while your kids are napping, and have an enjoyable five minute mommy break....ok, that part is not necessary, but I highly recommend it!

Notes:

** almond milk can be substituted for any milk
** stevia can be substituted for other sweeteners
** fat-free sugar-free whipped topping is an additional five calories per tbs.  I like a lot of whipped topping, so I probably double the 35 calorie count that the drink is without the whip topping, haha!  Stirring in the whip cream for creamy frothiness is what makes this drink so yummy to me.