Cha cha cha Chia! Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding with Sea Salt

When you’re not consuming any sugar (and I mean any- including fruit, honey and agave), things can get intense. I’m talking cravings. I generally don’t have a strong sweet-tooth, however at times I do intensely desire chocolate. How cliche!

This recipe was the result of such urges.

It is perhaps the most wholesome dessert in existence, or at least that I can think of right now…chia, peanut butter ( no additives) raw cocoa, stevia, vanilla, avocado, coconut milk, sea salt. Simple.

If you are unfamiliar with chia, it is known as a “superfood” (ugh. For lack of a better term) These versatile little suckers are rich in Omega 3 fatty acid (apparently 8x more than salmon!) and are a complete protein, containing all 8 essential amino acids. Chia seeds are additionally a very high source of antioxidants, Vitamin C, potassium, iron, fibre and calcium. They conveniently lack any discernible flavour, so can easily be added to almost anything.

When soaked, chia seeds form a gelatine, making ground chia useful as a thickening agent. Or a cute green pet. Your choice.

Ingredients

Makes 4

1/2 cup chia seeds
3/4 cup unsweetened peanut butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon raw cocoa
1 cup coconut milk (full fat is best)
1/2 small avocado (or 1 banana)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon stevia (or 1 tablespoon raw honey, melted)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground sea salt to garnish

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste for sweetness/saltiness/chocolatey-ness and adjust according to preferences.

Divide into four small bowls and chill for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes or so.

Garnish with fresh mint (pictured), shredded coconut, salted peanuts or sliced bananas and serve immediately.

I think if I was not on this cleanse, I would make the recipe with banana and honey over avocado and stevia. (I warned you that things were going to get creative around here!) These puddings are pretty filling and packed with protein.

Confession : I may have eaten this and only this for dinner one time. And then again for breakfast. Don’t judge.

A Rare Sweet-Something

Avocado and Chocolate Pudding

I’m not huge into baking or sweet things, nor do I make desserts very often, however, this was one of my recent favourites! I kind of made it up with the inspiration of something I saw online. The original intent was to top it with whipped cream and more berries, but they looked so nice at this stage that I decided to quit while I was ahead (truthfully it tasted better with the additional cream, so next time I will work it into the final “design”, instead of serving it on the side). Luckily, my best friend who lives in Holland brought back some of those awesome caramel-wafer-waffle cookies which were amazing dipped into the fresh whipped cream.

If I knew last night I’d be starting this blog the very next day, I would have at least taken some better photos!

Due to popular demand (or at least said  best friend):

( makes 6 servings)

• 4 small avocados
• 2 bananas
• 3/4 cup raw cocoa
• 2-3 tablespoons agave syrup
• some whipping cream
• some sour cream (more sour cream than whipping cream- did not measure, sorry! Just enough to achieve a nice consistency in the food processor)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 small cap-fulls of vanilla extract (the real stuff)

Garnish with fresh berries and pear.