Hello Cocoa Chai Cold Brew Smoothie Bowl - the exotically flavored, rosey-hued, coffee-spiked, cocoa-kissed bowl of creamy, dreamy bliss.....
Disclosure: This recipe and post are presented as part of the @CocoaVia #HeartMonth campaign. As a member of the Healthy Aperture blogger network, I was asked to participate and compensated for my time.
With Valentine's Day being this weekend and February being a month dedicated to heart health, there couldn't be a better time to share this smoothie bowl recipe with you. Mainly because I NEED a bowl of heart healthy goodness in my life before AND after the copious amounts of chocolate I plan to eat this weekend! February is such a fun month to "play" in the kitchen with chocolate - I love experimenting with adding it in unexpected places - like adding cocoa powder in a wine sauce to serve over a delicious beef tenderloin or shaving a little dark chocolate over a bowl of wild mushroom risotto. If chocolate were a part of my everyday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you could say I'd have it made!
But wait a minute....whose to say I can't make chocolate a daily part of what I eat??? It's true that it can be high in calories and fat. And when we add things to chocolate like flour, butter, and loads of sugar it complicates my relationship with chocolate even more {can I get an amen???}. BUT, as you may have heard, there are these little components in chocolate called cocoa flavanols that actually have health benefits. In fact, there is over two decades of scientific research showing that these little plant-derived nutrients may play a valuable role in helping my heart be as healthy as possible.
Thanks to the people who patented the CocoaPro® extraction process, CocoaVia® cocoa extract supplement was invented and can help me along my journey to maintain a healthy heart! You see, CocoaVia® cocoa extract supplement delivers the highest concentration of cocoa flavanols that you could possibly obtain from cocoa. The cocoa flavanols are scientifically proven to promote a healthy heart by supporting healthy blood flow†. The heart can't do it's pumping job without a strong, unimpaired supply of blood!
By now you may be thinking : "can't I just use a spoonful of dark chocolate cocoa powder every day to get the benefit of the cocoa flavanols?" Well, the truth is, traditional cocoa processing includes a long succession of drying, fermenting, and roasting of the cocoa beans. The beans are often subject to high heat for long periods of time, which ends up destroying many of the flavanols that are naturally present in the beans. As I mentioned before, CocoaVia® cocoa extract supplement uses the CocoaPro® extraction process that is designed to preserve the cocoa flavanols and deliver only the "good stuff" in a convenient, portable packet. This little packet contains a whopping 375 mg of cocoa flavanols, which is the highest concentration per serving in a dietary supplement. I'd say that's a lot to be happy about!
I used a CocoaVia® Cran-Rasperry stick in this flavor-packed smoothie bowl. The base is made from a chai-spiced cold brew coffee concentrate and a softened mixture of heart-healthy oats and almonds. The cold brew steeps and the oats and almonds soften overnight while you sleep, and are ready to be blended together the next morning. Between he cran-raspberry stick, the chai spices, and the coffee, there are a lot of flavors going on here; but everything balances out. Each flavor component does it's part to enhance the natural flavor of the cocoa, and you are left with a flavorful, filling, and satisfying bowl of goodness to get a heart-healthy day off to wonderful start!
If you'd like to learn more about CocoaVia® cocoa extract supplement, visit the website here! In the meantime, tell me what steps you are taking to care for your heart in the comments section below - I'd love to hear about it!
Recipe
Cocoa-Chai Cold Brew Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
For the Chai-Spiced Cold Brew:
- ½ cup of coarsely ground coffee I used a light, breakfast blend roast
- 3 pieces of thinly sliced fresh ginger
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 star anise
- 4 cups of water
For the smoothie bow:
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- ¼ cup your favorite milk
- 1 frozen banana
- ½ cup of the chai-spiced cold brew concentrate
- 1 packet of CocoaVia® Cran-Raspberry Cocoa Extract Supplement
- Optional garnish: extra rolled oats slivered almonds, dark chocolate chips, chia seeds, banana slices
Instructions
Make ahead:
- Using a meat mallet or the back of a skillet, gently crush the whole spices on top of a tea towel. They just need to be slightly crushed. Combine the ground coffee, spices and water in an airtight container. Let this steep at room temperature for 8-12 hours. Strain through a fine mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks for optimal flavor.
- In a blender, combine the oats, almonds, and milk of choice. Place a lid on top and let it sit in your refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight.
To make the smoothie bowl:
- To the oat and almond mixture in the blender, add the banana, ½ cup of cold brew concentrate, and the packet of CocoaVia® . Blend until smooth; the mixture will be very thick. Transfer to a bowl and garnish as desired. Enjoy right away!
† This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
