Note: I've updated this recipe since its original publication back in 2010 when I was first experimenting with a dairy-free way of eating – enjoy!
Whoa, it's been AGES since I even thought about making pudding.
Not only have I not made pudding in ages, but I don't think I even considered the idea of making it from something other than milk. Well, I got turned around when I saw a recipe recently for an apparently vegan chocolate pudding. Yes, vegan. I'm not vegan, we all know this by now. In fact, I wonder if sprinkling some crispy pastured bacon bits on top of this would be good… hmm. Okay, I'll come back to earth.
I think this recipe is going to help me stay on my dairy free test over this next month. I've been on and off of different elimination diets over the years and I'm testing dairy again. Amen for avocado. Amen.
Wondering why I think avocados are so great? Here's the lowdown on this creamy fruit:
- 1 avocado that yields about 130g of fruit contains 227 calories, a whopping 9g of fiber and 3g of protein. Most people are concerned about the fat content in an avocado, but have no fear, this is a HEALTHY fat. And it comes packed with fiber, so enjoy this treat from nature.
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In that same 130g serving, avocados are high in:
vitamin C – 20% of your RDA
vitamin K – 36% of your RDA
folate – 30% of your RDA
potassium – 20% of your RDA
source: nutritiondata.com -
The healthy fats in an avocado (including oleic acid) aid in the absorption of carotenoids and lycopene. These are nutrients found in fresh foods like carrots and tomatoes. Adding avocado to recipes that include other vegetables can help your body to absorb the nutrients. Yum!According to whfoods.com,
Adding avocado to salsa increased lycopene and beta-carotene absorption 4.4 and 2.6 times higher, respectively, than the average amount of these nutrients absorbed from avocado-free salsa. Since avocados contain a large variety of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, as well as heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, eating a little avocado along with carotenoid-rich vegetables and fruits is an excellent way to improve your body's ability to absorb carotenoids while also receiving other nutritional-and taste-benefits.
sources: whfoods.com and nutritiondata.com
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cacao powder
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of cinnamon – optional
- pinch of sea salt – optional
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cacao nibs or grated 100% dark chocolate, for garnish