DO NOT be tempted to add the chocolate chips to the blender without chopping first. You will be disappointed unless you have one of those highly intelligent, robot blenders that do everything but wash and wax your car, because the chips get clumped up under the cutting blade instead of mixed into your smoothie. You also very much want a RIPE banana. The banana is supposed to fade into the background and provide texture, but if it's green the green banana flavor jumps out and ruins the illusion.