Chocolate brownies cut into 9 large pieces on a white plate

Recipe: Beetroot Brownies with a creamy choc avo frosting

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    Serves: 16-20, Total time: 45 minutes, GF, DF, V

    Ingredients:

    - 1 + 2/3 cup all-purpose GF flour (or personal choice of flour)

    - 1 cup monk fruit (or coconut sugar)

    - 1/4 cup raw cacao powder

    - 1 tbsp ground chia or flax seeds

    - 1/4 tsp baking powder

    - 1/4 tsp baking soda

    - 1 cup of beetroot puree (approximately 1 large beetroot, cooked and blended)

    - 3/4 cup melted vegan chocolate

    - 1/4 cup apple sauce (or yoghurt or light-tasting oil)

    - 3 tbsp milk of choice

    Chocolate Avocado Frosting:

    - 1 medium avocado, skin and seed removed

    - 1/4 cup raw cacao powder

    - 4 medijool dates, pitted

    - 1-4 tbsp pure maple syrup

    Method:

    1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a square sized baking tray with baking paper.

    2. Add all dry ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and mix together until all combined. Once there are no lumps add the wet ingredients to the bowl and combine until smooth. 

    3. Pour this mixture into the lined baking tray and smooth out the top.

    4. Bake the brownies for 15-20 minutes (shorter or longer depending how fudgy/crispy you prefer). Once the surface is dry the brownies are ready to come out of the oven. Allow the brownies to set and cool down completely before removing from the tray. 

    5. Whilst the brownies are cooling, you can make the avocado frosting. To do so: add all frosting ingredients to a food processor and puree until the mixture is as smooth as possible.

    6. Once the brownies are completely cooled, spread the frosting over the surface of the brownies. These can be eaten immediately or can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or 1 month in the freezer.

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    What It Actually Does

    Ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen - a substance that helps the body adapt to physical and psychological stress. But that description undersells the specificity of the evidence.

    In peer-reviewed clinical trials, ashwagandha root extract has been shown to:

    01

    Reduce serum cortisol levels significantly in adults under chronic stress

    02

    Support testosterone levels and muscle recovery in resistance-trained adults

    03

    Improve subjective measures of stress, anxiety, and wellbeing

    04

    Improve subjective measures of stress, anxiety, and wellbeing

    05

    Improve sleep quality and reduce time to sleep onset

    Why The Form Matters

    Here is where most supplement labels become misleading.
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    Generic ashwagandha powder can contain anywhere from 1% to 8% withanolides. KSM-66® is standardised to a minimum of 5% withanolides with a full-spectrum root extract, which means it retains the natural balance of the plant's compounds rather than isolating one component.
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    Third-party Testing

    Supplements are not regulated the same way pharmaceuticals are. In most markets, a supplement company can put almost anything in a capsule and make almost any claim about it, as long as they don't claim to treat a specific disease.
    This is why third-party testing matters. It means an independent laboratory - one with no financial relationship to the supplement company - has tested the product to verify that:

    1. The ingredients listed are actually present
    2. They're present at the stated concentrations
    3. The product doesn't contain contaminants, heavy metals, or undisclosed substances

    Look for: NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport, or USP Verified certification on any supplement you take. These are the most rigorous third-party standards available.
    Every Arise formula is third-party tested before it reaches you. The results are available on request.

    The Honest Bottom Line

    Ashwagandha works. The evidence is genuinely strong. But the quality of the extract determines the quality of the outcome — and most of what's available on the market doesn't use the forms that the clinical research actually studied.
    Read the label. Ask for the extract form. Expect a specific answer.