Love it or hate it, there’s significant evidence that regular consumption of beetroot can boost your athletic performance. If you’re not a huge fan, try them in these melt-in-the-mouth red velvet vegan chocolate brownies.
Prep: 10mins
Cook: 25-30mins
Makes: 20cm diameter cake
Ingredients: 220g cooked beetroot, chopped • 120g pressed dates, pitted • 2 tbsps (max) boiling water • 1 tbsp maple syrup • A few drops vanilla essence • ½ tsp cinnamon • 50g vegan chocolate chips • 50g cocoa powder • 25g plain flour • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda • Pinch salt
Method
1. Heat oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and grease a 20cm loose-bottom1 litre loaf tin. Warm the dates in the microwave for 20secs max. Place in a blender with the beetroot and maple syrup and blend to a purée. You may need to add boiling water to help the mixture blend, but not too much.
2. Add the vanilla essence, cinnamon and chocolate chips. In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
3. Spoon mixture into the cake tin and bake for 25-30mins. Cool completely, in the tin, on a wire rack.
Nutritionist and keen amateur athlete Kate Percy set up the #GoFaster campaign in 2009, and now has a website (gofasterfood.com), several books and a new range of Go Bites - all-natural energy balls.
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