5-Minute Superfood: Avocado Chocolate Mousse (Vegan & Gluten-free)
With avocadoes back in season, you might find yourself with all of them ripening at once. Here’s an easy healthy chocolate mousse recipe that makes the most of those overripe avos for a yummy, feel-food dessert the whole family can enjoy.
What You Need:
- 1 frozen banana
- Flesh of 2 small (or 1 large) avocados
- 1⁄4 cup sweetener of choice (honey, maple syrup, coconut-blossom nectar)
- 1⁄4 cup raw cacao powder
- 3 to 4 tbsp coconut cream
- Berries (or seasonal fruit of your choice), for decorating
Method
1/ Place all of the ingredients in a blender and process until thick, smooth mousse-like consistency forms.
2/ Serve with berries. (Or freeze and serve as an ice-cream alternative.)
Why Avo Chocolate Mousse Is Amazing
The cacao powder in the Avo Chocolate Mousse is packed with flavonoids, which have been shown to help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the brain and heart. These flavonoids may also help increase insulin sensitivity, reducing your risk of diabetes.
The positive effects on mood that cacao offers may be due to the conversion of tryptophan to the natural mood stabiliser, serotonin, or cacao’s caffeine content… Or simply the sensory pleasure of eating chocolate!
Avocado is packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid, which has been shown to help reduce inflammation and to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer. Avos are also filled with fibre and antioxidants which help to lower cholesterol levels. Avo adds a creamy texture to smoothies and desserts and is the perfect dairy alternative for a yummy chocolate mousse!
Just like avocadoes, bananas have high potassium content which is important for recovery after sport. (If you’re looking for some motivation tips to get back out there, read this!) They’re also so easy to pop in the freezer to use for smoothies and add a delicious creamy texture!
If you’d like more healthy recipes and food ideas, check out our ClickFit 4-week Meal Plan or to view other healthy chocolate recipes, click here.