Sexy Red Velvet Smoothie

In my books, anything Red Velvet is an auto-win. It’s pretty much that best flavour combo out there – so making it into a smoothie was a total no-brainer. Being Valentine’s Day and all – I added in some bedroom boosting superfoods for kicks. 😉

Beets + Raw Cacao + Lemon Juice

Traditionally, red velvet cake relied on unprocessed cocoa to react with the buttermilk and vinegar to form its reddish brown hue. These days, most red velvet baked goods use a cheaper alternative. Artificial red food dye. Since red food dye has been linked to increased levels of hyperactivity and ADHD in children, it’s big no-go in our house.

Instead, I chose to use beets, raw cacao, and lemon juice to give that classic red velvet taste. When combined with the raw cacao*, the rich red of the beets provide the reddish brown colour. The lemon juice gives that slight pop of acidity that you would usually get from the vinegar.

Beets get their vibrant red hue from their high content of the antioxidants betalains. Not only do the betalains provide incredible antioxidant support, but also support detoxification. Betalains have been shown to support our body’s Phase 2 detoxification pathway.

*Curious about raw cacao? I talked about it in my Chocolate Avocado Pudding blog – read it here.

Love Potion #9

The combination of maca and ashwagandha powder make for one sexy smoothie. Okay, but first let me explain what the heck they are. Both maca and ashwagandha are considered adaptogens, meaning they help the body adapt to daily stressors better.

Maca is Peruvian superfood that is ground down from root to powder. Part of the cruciferous family of vegetables, maca resembles a radish or turnip. Surprisingly, the maca powder has a pleasant and sweet flavour – almost similar to butterscotch. Not only is it high in antioxidants and helps balance hormones, but can improve libido and sexual function.

Popular in Ayurvedic medicine, ashwagandha is often called Indian ginseng for its ability to boost stamina. This powerful herb can help adrenal fatigue, boost your immune system, and improve thyroid function. But how’s it helpful in the bedroom? Both men and women can benefit from ashwagandha as it has been shown to boost sexual desire in both sexes.

Sexy Red Velvet Smoothie

Red velvet in a cup! Made with delicious, nutrient dense whole foods + bedroom boosting herbs.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 cups

Author: Katie Stewart Wellness

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk I used coconut milk
• 1 medium sized beet cooked
• 1-2 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp raw cacao
• 1 tbsp cashew butter
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Pinch unrefined sea salt

Optional booster:

• 1 tsp maca powder
• 1 tsp ashwagandha powder
• 1-2 tbsp collagen powder
• 1 tsp sunflower lecithin

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients, including any boosters, in to the blender. Blend until well mixed.