With the end of summer and the start of the school year, this Energy Boosting Cacao Drink is going to be a staple in our house as we get back into fall routines.

If you are a chocolate lover like myself, you will love this decadent Energy Boosting Cacao Drink.  It not only tastes like an upgraded chocolate milkshake but is also filled with so many nutrients it is almost impossible not to feel energized after it.

If you haven’t tried raw cacao powder, then I highly recommend it, especially in this Energy Boosting Cacao Drink.

My first experience with this nutrient-dense raw food was back in 1999.  Brad and I were backpacking through Costa Rica when a local showed us this crazy looking yellow nut hanging from a tree.

He claimed that this is what chocolate was made from.

At that time, I had no idea about the process of making chocolate. I had never heard of it coming from this yellow pod.

He cracked it open and the inside was full of white beans that were surrounded by a gelatinous white coating. He dug out a seed and opened it up and gave me my first and only true taste of raw cacao.

The process of making chocolate is an interesting one and if you’d like to learn more then I recommend checking out Michael Pollan’s documentary called Cooked.

Not only is cacao delicious but it is a superfood for many reasons:

• it is filled with flavonoids which are antioxidants that combat free radical damage to your cells
• the active ingredient is not caffeine but theobromine which acts similarly by giving you an energy burst, keeping you more alert and awake
• theobromine also induces muscular relaxation of the smooth muscle tissue, helping to dilate the intestines and therefore increasing nutrient intake
• it positively affects your mood and mind by maintaining healthy serotonin levels
• it’s high in minerals such as magnesium, iron, chromium, copper, zinc, etc., which aids in energy production
• it helps with weight loss by improving mitochondrial biogenesis

Have I convinced you yet?

This Energy Boosting Cacao Drink only takes minutes to make.  We have it for breakfast or as a snack before an afterschool program.

Top it with some coconut whip cream, raw cacao nibs and shredded coconut for a decadent treat.

Energy Boosting Cacao Drink

Serves 1 large portion or 2 small portions

In a blender, combine:

8 ounces of nondairy milk (coconut, hemp, almond, flax)

1/2 cup crushed ice

1 ripe banana

1/2 ripe avocado

2 tablespoons raw cacao powder

2 tablespoons nut butter (or sunflower butter)

Pour and drink immediately!

Pro Tip: top your Energy Boosting Cacao Drink with cacao nibs, hemp seeds, crushed nuts, anything that will get you to chew it.  This helps activate the digestive enzymes which are an important part of the digestive process.

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