Beyond Guacamole — Avocados and Chocolate!

Grandson Noah didn't hesitate to dig into avocado/chocolate/peanut butter pudding. And he is a picky two-year-old.  Noah, darling, would you like some mashed avocado? Or would you rather have chocolate pudding?

What a great nutrition trick to play on a finicky toddler!

I can't believe I'm writing about avocados when the garden is shooting out cannon loads of food directed right at me, the primary food preserver and cook. It's scary to go out there. I feel like I need a machete near the zucchinis as they grow preposterously overnight, and now the eggplants, corn, peppers, squash, melons, and green beans are heaving and humping in obscene waves toward the kitchen. But yet, I'm obsessed with the avocado thing I recently discovered. 

In California a few weeks ago, PK and I stopped at the Mendocino Cafe in the California coastal burg of the same name. Like so many California eateries, this little restaurant holds fast to the California Code of Cuisine: fresh, local, organic, sustainable, free-range poultry, grass-fed beef, wild-caught seafood—and everything plated in pricey style. Yada, yada, yada. Hello, California! You big food snobs. Answer your email, OK?

Note: I contacted the Mendocino Cafe for their chocolate tart recipe, but got no response. What's wrong with those people? Not even a "Sorry, can't help you." 

I rarely make desserts, let alone order them in restaurants. But when our waitress delivered a sliver of chocolate tart to an adjacent table, I lifted off my chair and began sniffing. Very unobtrusive sniffing, of course. Who would notice such shy but elongated craning?

The person about to devour the tart noticed and said, "You wouldn't believe how good this is, and it's made from avocados!" True. I didn't believe it. (As unlikely as cauliflower pizza crust) So I bought a slice, ate it pronto, and WOW! It was creamy, sweet,  deeply chocolate, and utterly fantastic. In addition—and this is a huge low-carb bonus—the crust was made from ground walnuts (or some other nuts) and shredded coconut.  I couldn't wait to get home and try this no-bake avocado marvel.

I found the recipe below at Raw Food Made Easy and tried it. It was absolutely wonderful and tasted a lot like what the Mendocino Cafe served. But it was also more than PK and I could eat over several days. And it was more fuss than I like, what with making a crust and all. So I decided to keep it on file to make for special occasions until I thought about our impending visit to see our picky-eater two-year-old grandson. Then I went into adaptation mode.

A chocolate avocado/peanut butter pudding adapted from numerous avocado-based chocolate desserts found online. It is thick, rich, packed with nutrients, and almost craven. Yes, craven!  

Noah gets into avocado/chocolate pudding big time. 

Mo! Mo! He's saying, even though he's stuffed.  Got a picky eater? And a few minutes?
 Bring home a few avocados, some cocoa powder, natural sweetener and drag out the food processor. 

Simple ingredients for a no-cook super nutritious and delicious pudding, pie filling, or frosting. 

Please see the recipe for Chocolate Mousse and Shortbread Crust from Raw Food Made Easy before proceeding with my recipe. If you're making a special dessert for guests, go with the Raw Food version. It is fantastic. My recipe is simpler and easy to adapt to your own tastes.

Nutty Chocolate/Avocado Pudding or Pie Filling

Ingredients
3 medium to large ripe Haas avocados (or 4-5 smaller avocados) to equal 1.5 cups, mashed
1/4 cup liquid sweetener such as agave nectar, maple syrup, or honey
1/2 to 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1.5 teaspoons vanilla
2-3 tablespoons peanut butter or almond butter
1/2 cup water (or less)

Directions
Peel and pit the avocados and process briefly in a food processor.  Add the next four ingredients and process just until smooth. Add water to thin according to your intended use. I added very little water and used 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. The recipe I was consulting called for almond butter, which I didn't have. I substituted peanut butter, and it tasted great. Taste after processing and add sweetener, water, or nut butter to taste. Top with fresh berries and/or a little cream. Offer as a creamy chocolate pudding to a picky toddler and enjoy the deception. The kid will love you for it.


Chocolate Mousse Yield: 2 cups, 4-6 servings

from Raw Food Made Easy

1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates, soaked

1/2 cup pure maple syrup or agave nectar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

1 1/2 cups mashed avocado (3 avocados)

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa or carob powder

1/2 cup water

Place the dates, maple syrup, and optional vanilla in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth. Add the avocado and cocoa powder and process until creamy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the water and process briefly. Stored in a sealed container, Chocolate Mousse will keep for three days in the refrigerator or two weeks in the freezer. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Shortbread Crust

Yield: 2 1/2 cups (enough for one 9-inch pie or tart)

1 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut

1 cup raw walnuts

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 pitted Medjool dates

Place the coconut, walnuts, and salt in a food processor fitted with the S blade. Process until finely ground. Add the dates and process until the mixture begins to stick together. Don’t overprocess.

Shortbread Crust will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or for 3 months in the freezer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmoW7a9IBrg&feature=player_embedded

Have fun! And eat well.