Ashwagandha Fat Bombs With Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Ashwagandha Fat Bombs With Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Ashwagandha has been used in Ayurveda for over 3,000 years to boost immunity, improve energy, and increase mental focus. A great way to get your daily dose of this stress-busting herb is to add it to a snack, like these ashwagandha fat bombs with dark chocolate drizzle.

Comically, the Sanskrit meaning of ashwagandha is “the smell of a horse,” but don’t let the earthy odor sway you. Our ashwagandha comes as a mild-flavored powder that can be blended into a smoothie or your Daily Shake.

Ashwagandha keeps stress in check

As an adaptogen, ashwagandha improves the health of the adrenal system, which is responsible for managing the body’s hormonal response to stress. While a little bit of stress can keep us motivated and focused, remaining a constant state of heightened alertness can make us feel fatigued and irritable and lead to problems with sleep, digestion, and concentration.

In a study published by the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, researchers split a group of people with chronic stress in half. One set received a capsule of ashwagandha and the other set received a placebo. At the end of the 60-day study, the group of people who took ashwagandha twice daily had significantly lower cortisol levels than the placebo group and had lower scores on stress-assessment scales.

Other clinical studies have shown that ashwagandha can help treat or alleviate some symptoms of ADHD, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Not all fat is bad fat

If you remember the low-fat craze of the 90s, when people were urged to banish fat from their diets whenever possible, it might be hard to buy into the idea of adding fat to your plate on purpose. While some fats should be avoided, like trans fats, there are plenty of healthy plant-based fats. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are a major source of energy for the body and help us absorb important vitamins and minerals. These healthy fats are also converted into a compound that sends appetite-curbing signals to the brain. When we talk about healthy fats, think olive oil, avocado, nuts, salmon, and flaxseeds.

These ashwagandha fat bombs use almond butter and coconut oil to satisfy your cravings for sweets and keep you sated between meals. Note: these fat bombs are best eaten straight from the freezer; they get a bit melty at room temperature.

Makes: 15

Ingredients:

1 cup smooth almond butter (unsalted)
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut nectar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup ashwagandha

For the chocolate drizzle:

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons cacao powder
1 teaspoon coconut nectar
Pinch of sea salt

For topping:

1/4 cup raw walnut pieces, chopped

Directions:

Combine the almond butter, coconut nectar, sea salt, coconut oil, and ashwagandha powder in a small saucepan.

Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until the coconut oil is melted and the ingredients are well combined about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Spoon the almond butter mixture into mini cupcake liners and place them on a baking sheet.

Freeze until completely set, about an hour. Meanwhile, mix the melted coconut oil, cacao powder, coconut nectar, and sea salt in a small bowl.

Once the fat bombs are totally frozen, remove them from the freezer. Spoon the chocolate drizzle over the fat bombs and quickly sprinkle with the chopped walnuts. You want to make sure you get the walnuts to stick in the chocolate drizzle before it hardens. Return the fat bombs to the freezer to chill for another five minutes.

Enjoy frozen. Store remaining ashwagandha fat bombs in an airtight container or bag in the freezer.

Recipe and photography by Kate Kasbee

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