Win friends with chocolate avocado mint pudding. Really?

Do you like to indulge in a little sweet after dinner? Me, too. But are you also trying to cut down on sugar? Well, have I got something for you! It’s a dark chocolate pudding that is dairy-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. With a rich flavor that will have you shouting from the rooftops.

It will not only win friends but since it’s so darn healthy, it will also save friends.

Most puddings aren’t that good for you. It goes back to 1936 when the instant chocolate pudding was invented. Was it healthy? Not really. Look at these ingredients. Would you knowingly eat this?

Sugar, modified starch, cocoa processed with alkali, disodium phosphate (thickener), natural and artificial flavor, salt, tetrasodium pyrophosphate (thickener), mono- and diglycerides, red 40, yellow 5, blue 1, artificial color, Bha (preservative).

This chocolate pudding is deliciously different. It’s thick, rich and creamy. Requires no cooking and is ready to eat in 5 minutes.

One more thing. It’s made with avocados and a hint of mint. You’ll love it.

Chocolate Mint Pudding

1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1/3 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1/4 cup water
Several drops peppermint extract or essential oil

Process all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Serve plain or as a dip for sliced bananas, biscotti, strawberries, and graham crackers. Makes 1 cup. (Based on a recipe in “Plant-Strong,” by Rip Esselstyn).

Give it a try, share the recipe, and let me know what you think.

Cheers and blessings,

P.S. Here are three extras for you. (Be sure to watch the video!)

1. Why I ditched meat and dairy for a plant-based diet: Healthy recipes and plant-based cooking
2. Harvard Medical School: The right plant-based diet for you

3. Store Wars: Back in 2007 I interviewed the guys that made this video. As kids, they grew up with Star Wars and did all the voices. It’s histerical and serious and nearly 7 million people have watched it.

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Marion Owen is a “Jill of all trades,” with 30 years of experience as a teacher and columnist. She’s on a mission to help busy people enhance their daily lives, condensing topics such as photography, cooking, and organic gardening into bite-size pieces.  Get her free 4-page “In Good Light: Photo Tips for Busy People” and feel newly recharged when taking pictures.