Sometimes you just need some chocolate, and it might not just be in your head. There are real reasons why you might be craving some chocolatey deliciousness. For example, chocolate cravings are common in women right before their periods. See, magnesium, which is found in chocolate (or more specifically, cacao), can help relax muscles and relieve cramps! Isn’t the body brilliant?
We may also crave chocolate when we are feeling anxious or blue, which makes sense considering that chocolate contains tryptophan, which is a precursor to the brain chemicals serotonin and melatonin, which enhances mood and relaxes us.
But most often, we tend to crave chocolate when we are tired (often at night), which also makes sense because chocolate contains theobromine, which is a caffeine-like stimulant that provides us with a kick of energy.
So now that you know there may be physiological reasons why you may be craving chocolate, it might make sense to actually indulge that craving. However, before you dig into the bag of Halloween candy from last year, know that most of the benefits noted above are contained mainly in raw cacao powder, raw cacao beans and dark 70% chocolate. Plus, all the sugar that gets added to milk chocolate won’t do you waistline or your mood much good once your blood sugar comes crashing back down.
So, next time you want to indulge in a healthful, positive way, why not try this amazing chocolate mousse instead? Now, there are a ton of chocolate avocado pudding recipes on the internet, and they all taste pretty good, so why should you make this one? Well, first of all it tastes awesome! But, it did take me a while to get the consistency just right, so that this dessert actually resembled a mousse rather than just pudding.
Plus, I swear, you totally don’t taste the avocado in this mousse, like you do in some other chocolate pudding recipes on the internet (trust me, I tasted quite a few trying to figure out what combo of ingredients went together the best). And, for those peanut butter lovers out there, this chocolate mousse has the tiniest hint of peanut butter, which as you know tastes divine when combined with chocolate. Now, if you wanted a nut-free version, you totally can omit the peanut butter without affecting the end result too much.
Finally, there are additional health benefits, beyond which I already mentioned above. The avocados are full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, gut-health promoting fibre (a whopping 13 grams) and have more potassium than a banana (really). The dates are high in manganese, which is great for blood sugar control, plus they contain additional fibre, which helps with proper elimination. The cacao powder is super high in antioxidants, which fights free radicals and slows down signs of aging. So, without further ado, I present to you….
Vegan Chocolate Mousse
Print This
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados, peeled and halved
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
- 5 Medjool dates, soaked
- 3 tablespoons real maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut cream, scooped off the top of a can of chilled full-fat coconut milk
- a pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Mix everything together in a food processor until smooth.
- Enjoy as is, or if you like a thicker mousse, place in an air-tight glass container and let stand in the fridge overnight.
- Serve with coconut whipped cream or fresh berries, or better yet, both!
