How to make By Chloe’s buzziest new menu item at home

By Chloe, the plant-based restaurant with locations in NYC, LA, and Boston is making it clear that black is back, in a big way: To celebrate the opening of their newest location in the heart of NYC’s Rockefeller Plaza, they’re debuting a visually striking all-black smoothie.

But it’s not all about appearances. The inky drink is packed with good-for you ingredients, including the signature onyx element: a dose of activated charcoal, the detoxifying agent that wellness gurus go wild for.

“At first we thought the activated charcoal would be a fun recipe idea for Halloween,” says By Chloe Corporate Chef Manuel Trevino. “But after tasting the black smoothie we quickly realized it would make for a great fall and winter smoothie at all of our locations.” (The brand’s On The Road juice, also made with activated charcoal, is one of their most popular, so they knew guests would love a smoothie version.)

The smoothie is also brimming with dark (read: antioxidant-rich) fruits and vegetables such as kale and blueberries, then spiked with a few more superfood-status ingredients — chia seeds for omega-3s, peanut butter for protein, and agave for a hint of natural sweetness.

Can’t make it to the By Chloe opening in Rockefeller Plaza? Celebrate at home with a DIY version of their new signature drink.

Make your own black smoothie with the recipe below.

By Chloe’s Black Smoothie

Makes 1 smoothie

Ingredients
1 tps chia seeds
2 cups chilled almond milk
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup kale
1 ripe banana
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp agave syrup
1/4 tsp activated charcoal powder

1. Combine chia seeds with a quarter cup water, cover, and refrigerate for four hours or up to overnight.

2. Add soaked chia seeds, along with all remaining ingredients, to a blender and puree until smooth.

If you’re looking for more ways to get on board with the all-black food trend, find out why black rice is the new superfood, and then get some creative (read: non-pudding) ideas for chia seeds.