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.
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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!
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| Noah gets into avocado/chocolate pudding big time. |
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| 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. |
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| Simple ingredients for a no-cook super nutritious and delicious pudding, pie filling, or frosting. |
Nutty Chocolate/Avocado Pudding or Pie Filling
Ingredients3 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.
