Double Chocolate Chip Avocado Bread + A Deep Dive Into This Super Fruit

This double chocolate bread is so delicious, you can even give it as a gift – that is if you can part with it. The nutritional value is superb because there are both healthy fats and superfoods (avocados and coconut oil and raw cacao powder) in this recipe. It is grain free as well, so if you are trying to avoid grains, this is the recipe for you!

We spoke about the health benefits of avocados in our Avocado Egg Salad recipe, but we thought we’d go into a little more detail as to just how great this stone fruit it. Yes, avocados are a fruit – in fact, these are one of the only fruits that contain healthy fat. Most fruits have carbohydrates, and while avocados do have carbs, the bulk of their carbs are made of fiber leaving their net carbs very low. They are made of 75% water, 15% fat, 8.5% carbs, and 2% protein. They are low in sugar, meaning they will not spike your blood sugar like some fruit can. Of the 8.5% of carbs, 78% is made up of fiber. We want fiber in our meals for a few reasons: it will keep us fuller longer, keep us regular (ahem – you know what we mean :), and fiber feeds the good bacteria in our gut.

Avocados are loaded with Vitamins and Minerals:

• Folate: essential for normal cell function and tissue growth and vital for pregnant women.
• Vitamin K1: important for blood clotting
• Potassium: helps us control our blood pressure (fun fact: avocados actually have more potassium than bananas, who knew?!)
• Copper: helps us formulate collagen (for firmer skin) and aids in the absorption of iron
• Vitamin E: a powerful antioxidant responsible for balancing hormones, repairing damaged skin. Plus it helps fight free radicals and prevents the development of diseases
• Vitamin B6: converts food into energy – who doesn’t need more energy?
• Vitamin C: this antioxidant as we all know helps keep our immune system in check and is good for our skin

If you are still with us, let us tell you a few more interesting health benefits – studies have shown that avocados have the ability to lower total cholesterol, raise HDLs (the good cholesterol), lower LDLs (the bad cholesterol) and reduce triglycerides (the amount of certain fat found in the blood). But remember, a certain kind of fat is your friend like mono and polyunsaturated fats. Without these fats, we wouldn’t absorb some of the nutrients from the food we are eating.

While all of this may seem overwhelming, the one takeaway is that avocados are really good for our bodies and you will love them in this bread!! Now on to the recipe!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup avocado

3 T coconut oil (melted if not using refined coconut oil)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 T canned coconut milk

3 T maple syrup

2 eggs

2 cups almond flour

1/4 cup cacao powder or cocoa powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/3-1/2 cup dairy free mini chocolate chips (any kind or size of chocolate chip will work here but we prefer the dairy free kind)

Instructions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350° and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

2.) In a food processor place the avocados and pulse to mash. Or you can mash them in a bowl first. Add in coconut oil, vanilla, coconut cream, honey, and eggs and pulse until smooth.

3.) In a medium bowl add all the dry ingredients and whisk to incorporate.

4.) Fold in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together.

5.) Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with chocolate chips on top and bake for 40-50 minutes. I would check at the 40-minute mark with a toothpick or cake tester – if it comes out clean, then your bread is done. Be sure to let it cool on the pan before removing.

Inspired by Living Healthy with Chocolate.