Chocolate-power your next workout with this decadent chocolate smoothie high in protein, fiber, potassium, anti-oxidants and more from rolled oats, buckwheat, and avocado.
Brownie Batter Workout Smoothie + Avocado Frosting Rosettes
Eating healthy chocolate before a workout does amazing things.
Specifically, sports scientists say, this is because dark chocolate has a substance called “Epicatechin” that does all sorts of good things to the body: including supporting skin elasticity, lowering cholesterol, suppressing appetite. And the benefit that supports your workout is its ability to increase your blood flow, and boost your cardiac activity!
Now we are talking quality chocolate, though. Chocolate that has 70% or more cacao, and very few additional ingredients, usually just cacao, cacao butter and some organic or plant-based sugar. Like this brand, Eating Evolved. Not sponsored; not even an Amazon link😍. I just want to be sure you see what an ingredient list looks like for quality chocolate: Eating Evolved Signature Dark Chocolate Bar.
And dark chocolate in a smoothie also provides that fight free radicals and act as anti-inflammatories, which can help with post-workout recovery.
How Healthy are rolled Oats?
Pretty darn healthy. Some people attest oats are among the healthiest plant-based foods on this planet. I am not seeing many studies supporting that sweeping claim, but they are very high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Together these support things like weight loss, lower blood sugar levels and a reduced risk of heart disease. And sustained energy, making them a powerful ingredient in a pre-workout meal.
However, I get many questions on why I always use “gluten-free” rolled oats. Well, I always try to make recipes that avoid gluten because it’s fairly easy and makes the recipe accessible to more people.
But there is an interesting issue involving rolled oats and gluten.
They already ARE gluten-free. By nature. So why go out of your way to buy a brand that says “Gluten-free” in big bold letters?
Why buy Gluten-free Rolled Oats?
That’s a fair question. And I’ll tell you why, although something tells me by now you can probably guess.
Although oats in general are naturally gluten-free, but some brands process gluten-containing grains such as rye, wheat and barley on the same equipment as naturally gluten-free rice, buckwheat and oats.
To be safe, if you need to avoid gluten, look for brands that are certified gluten-free by the Gluten Intolerance Group, a nonprofit that provides their GFCO stamp on products that pass a stringent set of tests.
Everyone Needs Avocado Rosettes on Their Smoothie Bowl
Amirite?? So what the heck are they? Basically chocolate frosting made with avocados, cacao powder and maple syrup. Blend up, stuff into a frosting bag out-fitted with a 1M tip and twizzle your frosting rosettes until your heart’s content…
In summary, with the rolled oats providing fiber, the plant milk providing protein, and avocado rosettes providing potassium, we have a smoothie that is quite useful at providng pre-workout endurance, and post-workout recovery.
A workout-win-win, wouldn’t you say? Or actually super useful to power you through a hectic schedule.
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Brownie Batter Workout Smoothie (dairy-free, gluten-free,vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup plant yogurt (or 1 cup frozen bananas for a sweeter taste)
- 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 bar (3.5oz/100gms) dark chocolate bar (melted in microwave at 45 seconds on day of blending)
- 2 dates (soak and pitted)
- 1/2 cup plant milk (frozen in cubes for a frosty smoothie texture)
- 1 tbsp of cinnamon
- pinch of pink salt
Chocolate Avocado Rosettes
- 1 avocado (ripe, scoop out flesh and put into a mixing bowl)
- 1/8 cup cacao powder
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Optional for Rosettes
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (to be extra fancy)
- 1 tbsp brewed coffee (To add caffeine and enhance chocolate flavor)
Instructions
Prep
- Soak dates for at least an hour to soften; remove the pits. The dates put the "brownie" in this smoothie, but if you don't have dates, use 2 tbsp maple syrup or more. Taste-testing is a good idea. Freeze plant milk in ice cube trays; let thaw 20 minutes before blending if they are rock-hard.Freeze banana chunks night before if you are using banana instead of yogurt.
Make Smoothie
- Blend up all ingredients, preferably in a high speed blender, until very smooth. Chill for at least an hour if it's not cold enough. I make mine the night before so it's chilled the next morning.
- To serve, either pour in a bowl and top with popped quinoa, rolled oats, and chocolate chips. OR pour in a glass and drink with a straw.
Perfect before a workout to energize, also perfect to replenish when you are done. Enjoy!
Make Chocolate Avocado Rosettes
- Stir in a mixing bowl (too small an amount to blend) the avocado, the cacao, and the maple syrup. Spoon mixture into a piping bag with a 1M tip to create rosettes on your smoothie. If you don't have a piping bag, use a sandwich bag with tip cut off and squeeze drops onto the bowl surface. Or just spoon as though it is nut butter. You'll get the nutrition either way!
Dee Dine is founder of Green Smoothie Gourmet, a plant based recipe blog, and author of the recent cookbook, Crazy Healthy with 4 Ingredients . On this blog you’ll find incredibly easy recipes with hidden veggies for anyone wanting to eat healthier, regardless of diet. Dee has graduate degrees in immunological nutritional studies and journalism. More about Dee Dine here.
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