Last year around this time, I was severely ill and experiencing one of my worst Ulcerative Colitis flares to date. My body was rejecting any and all food and I had lost a drastic amount of weight. We flew down to Southern California to see a highly recommended naturopath. As a girl with a passion for food, I vividly remember the day my appetite came back. The only problem was I couldn't keep much down and there were only a few things that sounded appealing to me. Gluten-free frozen mac&cheese, baked potatoes, and chocolate milkshakes to be specific. Funny what our body mind craves in desperate times! This made me want to create a healthy chocolate smoothie!

We stopped by one of the many juice bars in Orange County and I told the girl behind the counter that all I wanted was a chocolate milkshake but that I couldn't actually eat ice cream or milk. She recommended a smoothie made with almond milk, peanut butter, chocolate syrup, ice, and a banana. It was heaven. My husband drove us back to our hotel and I used every ounce of self-control to abstain from slurping down the entire cup with fear that it would upset my stomach. I lived on those smoothies almost every day for the following 10 days until we made the treck back home.

As we're nearing the year anniversary of that last flare, we've decided to partake in a 30-day cleanse of sorts. Starting August 1, I will be off of all types of sugar and nightshades, with limited intake of fruits and eggs.  I'm also temporarily cutting out nuts and seeds for a couple of weeks to see if it will help a few other problems I've been experiencing as of late. And my loving husband is willingly coming along for the ride!

I used to flare once a year, but this is the first year where I have really paid attention to the specific foods, and their preparation, that my body can handle. I've also been going through a series of food allergy testings and clearing with my naturopath. We're praying that all of the steps we've taken will keep me in remission. We're partially doing this 30 day challenge to reprogram our bodies from craving sweets and treats, but also to give my system a clean re-boot as a precautionary measure given the time of year.

Don't worry though, I have plenty of those chocolaty baked goods you all love so much saved up for you to post during this next month! To name a few, a perfect paleo chocolate chip cookie, s'more tart, and dairy-free Mint Chip Ice Cream.

So with that – here's a recipe for a healthy chocolate smoothie! Even though I won't be able to eat it for the time being!

I've been making a variation of that smoothie now for the past year, but have altered it to better fit my dietary needs. I use raw cacao instead of the syrup and have switched (not without a fight) from peanut butter to almond butter. I've also recently started adding a half of an avocado to add some healthy fat and vitamin E. The avocado taste is not detectable but it makes this smoothie incredibly smooth, thick and creamy. I also sprinkle in all of my supplements when I make this: L-Glutamine, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and collagen.