Category: recipe

Recipe: Raw Mint Chocolate Pudding

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Recipe and photos contributed by Dillon Indira of Oh Holy Basil

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If you haven’t tried avocado pudding you are missing out! I love avocado in all formats (except cooked), but I have to admit that when I heard about avocado-based desserts I wasn’t particularly eager to try them. To me, avocado is a savoury food and best consumed with little change brought to it. This humble ingredient does not need much of anything to be a treat. But then again I like my food simple and uncomplicated. And, I like whole food ingredients to be able shine in and of themselves.

Being someone who does not consume dairy and avoids soy, I was pretty much missing out on pudding, except for the infrequent foray into coconut milk tapioca pudding. While we do eat our fair share of cooked foods, I do  always err on the side of raw foods when I can, so when my kids asked for pudding (more than a few times) I decided to try an avocado pudding recipe. To my delight, and especially my children’s, chocolate avocado pudding is super delicious and super nutritious. On top of that, it’s super easy to make. Super all around!

Raw Mint Chocolate Pudding | Serves 4

*I’ve included links for some items which may not be in your pantry, such as raw cacao and pink salts, these are included in this recipe because they are optimally healthy, however I have also noted some substitutions that you could make at the end of the recipe with more common pantry ingredients.

  • 2 cups avocado, tightly packed
  • 3/4 cup cacao powder, preferably raw (I like this one)
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • a heaping 1/4 teaspoon pink salt (I like this one)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled (I like this one)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
  • Optional garnishes: berries, mint leaves, cacao nibs

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Blend for about a minute or until very smooth, scraping the bowl down half way through. Divide among glasses or ramekins and chill until ready to eat. Garnish and serve, or chill for later.

This pudding can be made a day in advance.

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Thank you, Dillon, for this deliciously healthy recipe!

Danielle’s Notes: Variations and Substitutions

Variations:

Avocado pudding is easily adaptable to ingredients you have on hand and has many options for flavour variations,  depending on how you garnish, flavour or spice it. In my experience there is no pure science to avocado pudding, so play around and see what you like. For example, my kids love swapping the fresh mint leaves for organic grated orange rind and one drop of Wild Orange essential oil. If you don’t have fresh mint on hand you can use one drop of Peppermint essential oil.

Simple substitutions:

While himalayan salt is included in the recipe for its health benefits, you could use other salts you may have on hand, such as table salt or fleur de sel.

You can substitute conventional cocoa powder in place of raw cacao powder. Similarly, you can substitute honey or agave syrup in place of maple syrup.

I most often use vanilla bean powder in place of liquid vanilla extract, as I prefer the vanilla taste from the bean. For this recipe just a tiny sprinkle of powder is sufficient, probably 1/16 of a teaspoon.

If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, I recommend omitting oil altogether. Coconut oil is much healthier than other oils and has the benefit of hardening at room temperature, which helps to “gel” the pudding, although it is not necessary to make the pudding hold.

My only warning would be to minimize any liquid added, as this will thin the pudding. Always use powdered spices, extracts or essential oils (edible ones only!) to flavour so the liquid input is minimal.

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Readers: Make sure to visit and bookmark Dillon’s site, Oh Holy Basil, to see all the delicious family approved recipes on offer. You can also keep up to date by following on Instagram @ohholybasil

About Dillon:

Dillon is the mother of two young ones. She has a passion for health, food, Ayurveda and macrobiotics, which she intelligently combines into delicious, wholesome, plant-based recipes shared on her blog Oh Holy Basil. Dillon trained in integrative nutrition and gourmet cooking and has worked in esteemed New York City kitchens.

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If you would like to contribute a plant-based recipe to this blog please email me: hippieindisguise1@gmail.com.

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You might also like my post:

Recipe: Summer Berry Cream of Buckwheat

How to Make Temporary Tattoos from Real Flowers

Summer Lists: Of Sun, Sand and Strawberries

Sustainable Children’s Gift Guide for Any Occasion

Mindful Flower Picking and Making a Flower Crown

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Garbage Free: Making Cashew Milk

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This is just a simple how to post. Nothing very inspired, but something I feel really strongly about sharing. It’s nothing more than how to make milk, how to have milk in your household, without any waste. Simple, but a big deal.

A few months ago I came into contact with a very inspiring family, the Devine family, who lives a garbage free lifestyle. I interviewed them here, and in hearing from them I was inspired to push myself further in minimizing my impact on the earth. I try my best, but I am nowhere near as effective as the Devines. However, I am happy to be finding ways to minimize each day and am constantly making small changes to move in their direction.

Then there is my friend Kylah, she’s a sixth generation farmer, living and working on a diverse organic farm and homestead that operates off-the-grid. She’s amazing. And, yes, I interviewed her – find it here. Kylah is also a talented chef and health coach. She develops simple, wholesome, delicious, whole food recipes, that also minimize in waste. Recently, she posted to Instagram a photo and recipe for cashew milk. Tired of soaking and straining almonds to make milk (I’ve been there and given up too), she tried making milk from cashews and found there was no need to strain. Less labour and no food pulp wasted. It was genius! I tried her recipe as soon as I could and found it to be exceptionally easy and completely delicious. Best of all her recipe is vegan, plant-based, gluten free, waste free. I’ve adapted it slightly to make it fully raw, by substituting one date in place of maple syrup, and replacing vanilla extract with vanilla bean.

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Photo by Kylah Dobson

Not only was I excited that I could be self-sufficient and make my own healthy milk, it meant I could now provide our family with all the milk we needed in a garbage-free and zero waste way!

Here’s how: I take my reusable produce bag (for example these) to the bulk store, fill it up with raw cashews, close it off with a rubber band or string. Soak the cashews in a mason jar, puree them with the remaining ingredients (water, dates, vanilla bean, sea salt) and then store the milk in the same mason jar. A closed loop without any wasteful packaging or food waste.

I’ve used the milk for oatmeal, tea, coffee, baked goods, vegetable purees (mashed potatoes), soups and a whole bunch of other ways with no issues (no unpleasant taste differences, and no need to adjust the amount of milk in the recipe).

Here’s Kylah’s recipe for “Creamy Cashew Milk” 

1 cup raw cashews
4 cups cold water
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional) or 1 date *my version
2 teaspoons liquid vanilla extract or vanilla powder (optional)
Pinch sea salt (optional)
Pinch cinnamon (optional) *I don’t include the cinnamon so that I can use the milk in savoury dishes

1. Soak cashews covered in water 4 hours or overnight in the fridge
2. Rinse the soaked cashews under running water until the water runs clear
3. Add cashews and 4 cups of cold water plus any of the optional ingredients to a high speed blender and blend on high for 1-2 mins until silky smooth

Makes about 5 cups and stores in the fridge for about 3-4 days. The milk may separate so just give it a quick shake before using. Add a little cacao powder and bit more sweetener for chocolate milk.

Thank you Kylah for letting me share your recipe here. Readers please visit Kylah’s blog and follow her on Instagram for healthy and inspired family meals. Thank you, as well, to the Devine Family for the inspiration to live more lightly upon the earth. Find them on Instagram or visit their website and shop Bee Eco Wraps.

If you have come up with a way to do something garbage free (or minimizing garbage) please share it here. We can all learn from it!

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Summer Berry Cream-of-Buckwheat

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Contributed by Jo of Nurturing Kitchen

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I have been eating raw creamed buckwheat for breakfasts for a few years now and I never get bored of it. It tastes so delicious and has endless variations depending on how you garnish and spice it. Best of all it is easy to make and is made from whole foods. In my experience there is no pure science to the recipe, it is a forgiving dish, so play around and see what you like.

Jo, who I interviewed here, generously offered to share one of her buckwheat breakfast recipes on my blog. The original is posted here, and you might want to skip over to read her lovely introduction to the recipe. Jo writes a delicious food and parenting blog called Nurturing Kitchen. Her recipes are simple, delicious, plant and whole food-based. I recently made her flourless Chocolate-Orange Brownies and I can vouch for the deliciousness of her creations. And so can my toddler!

Recipe: Serves 2 — and packed with healthy goodness!

  • 2 cups buckwheat groats, soaked in plenty of water overnight (I like these ones)
  • 6 dates, soaked overnight in enough water to cover (or dried figs)
  • 2 tbsp hemp seeds (I like these ones best)
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds (these ones are great)
  • 1 cup almond milk (or other plant-based milk)
  • 1 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
  • 2 handfuls summer berries, plus extra for serving

Toppings: Hemp/sesame/ poppy seeds, Summer berries, Matcha or barley-grass powder for sprinkling

Rinse the soaked buckwheat in a sieve under running water, then transfer all but 1/2 a cup to an upright blender (keeping a few back  for serving). Add all other ingredients (except the toppings), including the date-soak water and blend until smooth. You’re looking for a consistency like thick yogurt. If it seems too thick, add a bit more milk or water.

Pour into bowls and scatter with the remaining buckwheat, whole berries, seeds and a pinch of green powder. Enjoy straight away or leave to firm up slightly in the fridge before serving.

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If you would like to contribute a plant-based recipe to this blog please email me: hippieindisguise1@gmail.com.

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