Dairy Free Chocolate Pudding (Vegan)

I know what you are thinking.

You don't have to say it.

Chocolate and avocado together, well that's just crazy!

I will admit to having reservations when I first saw the recipe.  

I also had ten fully ripened avocados. And just so you know there is only so much of this or this that a person can eat.

Chocolate and avocado though.........hmmmmm.

Hey, look it's a no cook recipe!

Niceness, it's starting to look better already.

Healthy too. Okay now I am backing off to being cautious again because ... honestly eewwww!

Let's play a word association game. I say dessert and you say ____________________?

I'll bet you didn't say healthy. Neither did you say chocolate and avocado pudding, am I right?

Bravely I forged ahead and tried one of the many recipes floating about the Internet for this unusual dessert.

I can not tell a lie people, it tasted ....hmmm.......uhmm...well it tasted healthy. And yeah that was a euphemism.

I stuck the thing in the fridge hoping it would taste better chilled. While I waited, Google and I got to work to brainstorm how I could make this work.

It turns out the answer was simple.  Salt!

That simple addition COMPLETLY transformed this into something that ended up in my tummy rather than the bin..

Thank you salt. Good save:-)

Dairy Free Chocolate Pudding
1-2 servings

Ingredients
1 small ripe avocado ( approx 1 1/2 cup avocado cut into pieces)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup Agave nectar (you could use honey but be aware that it won't be vegan if you do)
1/4 cup almond milk, rice milk or vanilla flavored soy milk
a pinch of salt (not optional)

Method
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Chill before serving.

Avocado Tostadas

It's been raining avocados.

Last week a man we barely know gifted us with a huge bag of these pears. Unfortunately he ran off before I could marry him.

Most unfortunate agreed my husband.

Almost everyday for the last month someone (bless 'em) has given us an avocado and I've been eating slices of buttery pears daily. A thick, crusty, hops bread with a smash of avocado in between is considered a good meal by me.

There is something about being on vacation that makes me want to avoid the kitchen. Meal preparation is decidedly very low key these days and luckily I have avocados to thank for that. You can prepare some very filling, no-cooking-required dinners with avocados.

Leaving me with more time for reading books, watching re-runs of House....and my all time new favourite  obsession Pinterest which I use to search out recipes of people who are spending more time in their kitchens - go figure.


Avocado Tostadas
(serves 4)
Ingredients

1 ripe avocado
8  tostada shells (from the supermarket)
Black bean, Corn salad with Lime Vinaigrette (recipe here)

Method.
Make salad the night before. Warm tostadas for about 7 mins in a 350 degree oven. Slice avocado and smash with a fork. A lumpy mash is just fine. Spread on to the tostadas. Top with black bean salad. Serve with a tall glass of frosty, cold, lime juice.