Melissa Paris Fitness

A sugar free, dairy free, guiltless, guilty pleasure.

We’ve all been there. At the Starbucks counter, eyes glazed over, looking at the menu thinking a frozen, blended “Frappaccino” is a brilliant idea. We excuse ourselves because it’s a coffee house beverage, convinced that even though it’s 9 in the morning, it’s “just coffee” . We’re here to burst your bubble. A “grande” frappaccino, (to those unfamiliar with Starbucks jargon, that’s a medium size, as the barista will surely correct you), contains, 400 calories, 15g of fat, sixty four grams of sugar, 5g of protein, and less than one gram of fiber. This is before the mandatory addition of whipped cream. To those still unconvinced that your “coffee beverage” isn’t just a glorified mid-morning milkshake, please check your denial at the door. To see the havoc those 64 grams of sugar are wreaking on your immune system, skin, and overall health, please refer to the previous blog post. The star of our “Fauxccino” is cacao, or the raw, unprocessed, unsweetened form of chocolate. Cacao boasts an insane nutritional profile which in a serving size includes, a mere 1.5g of fat, 0g of sugar, 3g of protein, and 4 grams of the ever elusive fiber. It also will provide you with 8% of your daily recommended iron intake. Cacao is mentioned to be one of the highest dietary sources of magnesium, flavonals, and polyphenols. It is high in free radical fighting antioxidants, and provides a rich dose of chocolate to ease your cravings. We shall simply call it, crackcao.

There are a couple components to this “milkshake”, and you can clearly pick and choose those which sound best. The first thing you will need to do is make a date “caramel” sauce. The reason for doing this ahead of time may be solely personal preference, but whole dates look a little too much like cockroaches for me to feel good about putting them directly a smoothie;. Aesthetics aside, taking this extra step truly facilitates the blendability of your Fauxccino.

Date “Caramel”
- 4 medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup of water
- pinch of sea salt
-1/2 tsp lemon juice

Simply pit the dates and cover them in water to soak and soften for 30 minutes. Add dates, water, and sea salt, to a good quality blender, and blend on high for 60 seconds until completely smooth. Pour into a container and store separately in the fridge, as you will only be using a tiny portion of your “caramel” sauce for this recipe. Don’t cop out and buy a different variety of dates, as I promise this will result in a chunky, unpalatable smoothie.

Cashew Chocolate “Cream”
- 1/2 cup RAW, UNSALTED, cashews
- 1 cup filtered water
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp cacao powder
- pinch of sea salt
- tsp vanilla extract

Soak cashews in water for 3 hours minimum. Drain water, and add almond milk to cashews. Add remaining ingredients to a good quality blender and blend until completely smooth. This is a completely optional step as it will add a bit of natural fat to your smoothie, but it will make for a creamier drink. Store, covered, in the fridge.

Smoothie Recipe:
- 1 already frozen and halved banana
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 1/4 cup cold brewed iced coffee (Trader Joes and Whole Foods both carry versions of this, it is less bitter than traditional coffee)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 tbsp of your date caramel sauce
- 1 cup of almond or coconut milk (your choice)
- 2 tbsp chocolate cashew cream (completely optional)

Whipped Cream Recipe (OPTIONAL)
- 1 can of Native Forest Coconut Milk (refrigerated overnight. There are several brands of coconut milk on the market, however this is one of the only organic options made in a BPA free can)
- 1/2 tsp date syrup

Blend with a hand mixer until fluffy. Drizzle date syrup over top, and add an additional chopped medjool date as a garnish.

Because this shake does have a high natural carbohydrate component, it is an exceptional pre-workout or post workout drink, or a filling breakfast to get you through a long day.  Consumed any later than dinnertime it may give you a boost of unwanted energy. You’ve been warned.