Who doesn't love a good dessert now and again? I certainly have a sweet tooth and am a self-confessed chocoholic. If you know me or if we've already worked together on a plant-based plan of action, you'll know that maaany of my recipes have chocolate in them. Yes! Chocolate can be eaten every day and you can still be healthy and even lose weight, if that's your goal. It's all a matter of balance and knowing what works for you. I have helped many people find what works for them. Here's a recipe that has proven to be really popular with my clients: chocolate mousse. It's both delicious and quick to make, with a not-so-secret ingredient: avocado.
Avocados are highly nutritious and contain more potassium than bananas. High potassium intake has been linked to reduced blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. Avocados are also one of the fattiest plant foods in existence (77% of their calories come from fat - the good kind), with an abundance of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, mainly oleic acid. Oleic acid has been associated with reduced inflammation and has been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer.
Chocolate, especially dark and not heavily processed, is full of antioxidants and is extremely nutritious. It has been found to help prevent some forms of cancer. Also, chocolate has been known to improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression.
You can't really go wrong with this combo!
Why not try this quick and easy recipe for some delicious and satisfying chocolate mousse? It makes 4 servings and only takes 5 minutes to make from start to finish. And possibly only another 5 minutes to eat it all!
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted dark chocolate (e.g. dark chocolate chips or bar of dark chocolate - just make sure it's vegan)
3-4 tbsp. plant milk (I tend to use soya or oat milk)
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
Instructions:
Gather all the ingredients together.
Melt the dark chocolate. You can do this by placing a small amount of water in a pot with the chocolate in a bowl on top of the pot. Start heating the water over medium heat, stirring frequently until the chocolate is melted. Watch that you don't have the heat too high, otherwise the chocolate could burn.
Next combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth.
Voila. It's ready to eat! You can devour this straight away but it's also great to let the mousse cool in the fridge for an hour or two, if you can wait that long.
Bon appetit!
xo Bee
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