Things I Eat: Avo-colate Pudding

*I don't really eat chocolate because I don't like it. But, I do make this.

Apparently, people like chocolate. I have studied this phenomenon from afar for many years after having been subjected to it on August 31, 1981. I promptly spit it out only to be faced with having to consume additional pieces – I spit these out as well.

Life lesson, food should be nutritious and delicious – with occasional bouts of fun! While I don’t like chocolate, I certainly understand others do! And I can actually eat this, so, in a pinch, it’s a decent snack.

I actually make this for my lover and he finally decided it was ok to eat it for breakfast. So much better than that process, baked cereal you all seem to be addicted to.

Here is a recipe for some super healthy chocolate pudding! Don’t get worried.

What You Need:

• 2 ripe avocados: You have some unripe ‘cados and impatience? Cut them open, take out the seed and nuke in the microwave for about 30 seconds and it will soften right up for you
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil: Sure, you can use another oil, but, let’s get real about life - coconut oil is the bomb and also adds a nice sweetness.
• 3 dates soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and chopped: Soaking them makes them softer, if they are already soft, no worries! Make sure if you do soak them in a bit of water to throw some of that water into the blend.
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder: If it doesn’t get everywhere, we can’t be friends
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract: Don’t drink it.
• 1/2 to 1 cup non-dairy milk (almond, is my suggestion) or milk if you roll that way. I actually used water.
• Optional – you can do honey or some type of additional sweetener. I used a pinch of espresso cane sugar because coffee and chocolate are friends. Some people use 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup – I’m not going to tell you how to live.

What You Do:

• Add ingredients to a blender or food processor in this order or you will summon Lucifer from the underworld: Coconut oil, dates, vanilla, a little of your milk/water, avocado, cocoa powder.
• Blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes – it should be very thick but you shouldn’t see as many green bits. Add in more of your milk/water to create a consistency you like. I will thicken a lot in the fridge, by the way, so don’t worry about consistency too much at this step.
• Chill! No, like chill the pudding in your refrigerator. 
• Take out of fridge (I have no concept of time, maybe 30 minutes? How cold is your fridge?) and add a little more milk/water until it is the consistence you want. Mine came out like frosting, so, I thinned it out a lot.  Add any toppings – coconut shreds, walnuts, whatever!
• Enjoy. 

You: Maddy, I heard things like avocado and coconut oil are high in fat. Conventional wisdom says we should eat a low-carb, low-fat, low-calorie, sugar-free, factory-processed diet based on diet soda and snack-paks instead of a variety of delicious, nutritional dense whole foods in a form that is close to the way nature and God created them. Is this mixture really good for me to eat?
Me: Shut the front door! High quality fat, like high quality food, is what our bodies crave for cell maintenance and energy not to mention vitamins and minerals! Why do you think it tastes so good? Avocado, the bases of this food, is loaded with awesome fats that lower cholesterol, boost your fiber intake and supply you with vitamin K, B9, B6, B5, C, & E2. Coconut oil is 90% fat – 90% awesome! Those medium chain triglycerides mean your body will be fueled with magic power because it’s easy to digest and convert into energy. Almost 50% of the fat in coconut oil actually kills bacteria, viruses and fungi in your gut that cause problems. And it’s delicious and you can slather it on your skin and hair as a beauty treatment. Try to get that from your Yoplait Greek Yorgut’s modified corn starch and malic acid and that Special K’s bar partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil and Polysorbate 60. Ew!
You: I don’t know, I have climbed Mount Everest but avocado is green and that’s scary.
Me: I don’t like chocolate either, it’s cool.
You: Wait, chocolate? *nomnomnom*

Image Credits
Chocolate from www.airpacinc.com
Pudding image from healthforthewholeself.com