Paleo Chocolate Pudding?(!) - you betcha! Whoever thought of this (wasn't me..) should get the Nobel Food Prize - it's THAT good. But first, since this is really a crossfit blog wrapped in bacon, i need to vent a bit. Did Crossfit HQ hire programmers based on their Fran time, or perhaps power to weight ratio? Geezus that Games site has been PAINFUL. Don't know what frustrates me more - my inability to instantly just post my scores, or my inability to focus on LIFE not knowing where I stand (21st in Masters after round 2 in case anyone is counting ;-) Oh and just one more thing! Is some Reebok chik programming this stuff? Is there a world-wide bumper plate shortage? Crossfit HQ - please make me regret those statements and program some big weights for crying out loud. OK - on with the recipe...
Paleo Chocolate Pudding - I first saw it at freecoconutrecipes.com and i feel quite brave for trying it ;-) Seriously, you have to trust me, this came straight from heaven - it's the best chocolate pudding you'll ever have - BAR NONE. It only takes 10 minutes to make.
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Whip it all up in a food processor, spoon into some small bowls (it's very thick - like it should be..), and top with a little coconut whipped cream, berries, and some d-chok shavings. Really, it's fantastic.
Eat Well! Steve "Paleo"
.. and good luck to all my crossfit brethren!!!!!
Haha yes the site is completey f'ed at all times. Best idea is to step away... you're kicking some major butt, keep it up ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks Alex! :)
ReplyDeleteI think Jezwyn over at Girl Gone Primal came up with the original version of this. (If you are looking for someone to give that award to...) I've always been scared to try it. I love chocolate, and I love avocado, but together? I'll have to take your word for it and try it out. :)
ReplyDeleteShe's my hero then! Indeed, try it out - shocking how rich and creamy it is w/out any avocado taste. It's like a culinary magic trick!
ReplyDeleteHey- this looks amazing!I'm going to be trying this this weekend FOR sure! I'm only five days into my new paleo life!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the great posts!
I've had this Paleo Chocolate Pudding before (subbed a banana for the honey) and I cosign on this - whoever came up with this recipe should get a Nobel! It's good stuff worth trying.
ReplyDeleteP.S. - My husband and I will be moving to Boulder later this year as he will be attending CU Boulder's engineering grad school (or something like that!) I was wondering... do you CrossFit at a box in Boulder, and could you give us any rec's of boxes to check out in the area?
@crossfitjess - i've seen some recipes with the banana but haven't tried it yet. Sounds like it would work well considering how creamy bananas get in the food processor (ice cream!)
ReplyDeleteRe: Boxes in Boulder.. I'm at Flatirons Crossfit. There are others in and around Boulder(Crossfit Roots for example) but i don't have personal experience with them. I think the Olympic Lifting program/staff at Flatirons is second to none... Good luck with the move! It's great here!!!!
I thought beans were non-paleo? Just curious what your thoughts are on that whole issue?
ReplyDeleteIt's true - beans are non-paleo. Are you referring to cocoa? Those are seeds...
ReplyDeleteOhhhhh, Are you grinding up your cocoa nibs into powder? Or, are you buying cocoa powder(the internet told me it was from the bean, haha)? Also, what about vanilla extract, isn't that extracted from a bean? Thanks for answering my questions Steve, these are just some questions people have posed to me that I didn't have answers for.
ReplyDeleteNo i'm not, but cocoa powder is the same as ground up cocoa nibs which come from cacao "beans" - but they are not beans at all. They are seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree. It was inevitable that chocolate be ligitamized as paleo food ;-) PS... coffee beans are not beans either. See, this is all gonna work out just fine :D
ReplyDeleteUnreal how much this tastes like real pudding, nice recipe!
ReplyDeleteI notice many, many desserts/treats recipes contain honey, which is disappointing when talking paleo. I might try the banana or even date substitute. For folks that have their nutrition squeaky clean, this might be a good occasional treat, but for folks just starting out on this paleo stuff, it seems avoiding honey in order to maximize insulin sensitivity would be best for the first 30 days. Whaddya think?
ReplyDeleteHi Maria - thanks for the question. I think dates have an extraordinarily high glycemic load so i doubt that would be an improvement. My answer to someone just starting out on this paleo stuff would not be to avoid honey (or even dates) but rather see that you are eating in zone proportions and prioritizing veggies 1st, fruits 2nd, "treats" 3rd. If you do that, there will be little room for really sweet foods. Treats, such as this pudding, are more appropriate for athletes that need some more fat and are not far from their body comp targets. This is where newbies get in trouble (and it happened to me). Everyone tells them to eat paleo, and they'll be fine. If "fine" means improved health - it's probably true. If "fine" means you want to be ripped and have high power to weight, then i think you need to apply a little more science to it and not dive into the treat trough so fast...
ReplyDeleteI should add that when i talk about "prioritizing" i'm referring to how to get your carbs. Goes w/out saying that you better get in the right amount of fats/proteins.
ReplyDeleteive tried this and make it weekly and freeze it then take it out and let defrost overnight and eat it for breakfast. It keeps me feeling full for hours, due to the high fat content. Sometimes when i forget to take it out the night before i defrost in the microwave for about 30-45secs and it comes out like and edible ice cream or chocolate mousse.
ReplyDeleteI havnt added coconut oil, but i have added almond or nut butter and i usually put a banana in there as well.
Definitely worth trying!!! i love it!
I have tried this a few different ways now & my CrossFit buddies also are in love with the recipe! Well done!!
ReplyDeleteI've tried:
coconut flakes
peanut butter (not paleo, but a yum cheat)
almond extract
and I tried freezing it for a hard chocolate candy affect
YUM! Thank you!
Great recipe, thanks for sharing! I tried it with some freshly grated/chopped coconut sprinkled over top, it was awesome.
ReplyDeleteThis is great, will try this out on the kids and see what they think
ReplyDeleteA bit too much of the avocado on the back of the palate. Next time will make it with only 1 avo and add some coconut milk and maybe an overripe frozen banana.
ReplyDeleteI'm 13 days into my first 30 day Paleo Challenge and so ya know..I was in dire need of a sweet fix. This hit the spot. Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely love this!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to be a Negative Nancy, but I didn't really think it was very good. It definitely has potential though! I tried making it for my 2-year-old who needs to be getting more fat in her diet, and she already loves avocados and chocolate, so I figured this would be a great 'treat' for her. To be fair I didn't but as much honey in at first and it was awful! Way too cocoa-y. Then I added lots more honey to try and make it better, and it still seemed like there was too much cocoa powder. So then I added some banana to 'dilute' it and to sweeten it a bit more, and it's better, but the banana wasn't ripe enough because there were banana chunks lol! Anyway, I will try it again with avocado, banana and less cocoa powder, or I may even just try dark chocolate instead.
ReplyDeleteAmanda - so did your 2 yr old spit it back at ya? ;) All i can say is the very last time i made this pudding, the avocados were less than optimal and it wasn't nearly as good. My fault for buying them out of season. So make sure they're good ones. Bananas are quite creamy when blended up so i think they would be a good addition. thanks for the suggestion.
ReplyDeleteI make it this way and you can't taste the avocado as much, for those of you who don't want that pronounced avocado taste
ReplyDelete2 ripe avocados
1 cup full-fat coconut milk (I haven't tried this with lite)
1/3 cup cocoa powder (preferably raw & organic), use more or less to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla (can omit if you prefer)
dash of cinnamon
5-10 pitted dates, to your taste
liquid stevia to your taste, start with a few drops as it is easy to go overboard
Blend until smooth. I use a Vitamix, and it pulverizes everything so it comes out VERY smooth. Not sure how it would come out in a food processor or other blender. In a Vitamix, don't overblend or it may start to get warm. I like it best refrigerated, though of course you can eat it right after blending.
You can mess with the dates/sweeteners according to your taste and your dietary principles. I have made it with and without dates, and have also used a bit of agave, honey etc. on occasion.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks rabbitpepper! That looks GOOD.
ReplyDeleteYour welcome!
DeleteLoved loved loved this!!! So, did my 1 year old, 3 year old and 6 year old! Great breakfast addition for the kids!
DeleteYUM! I'm a terrible cook. I made your posted recipe at 1/2 serving first then tasted it - my only change was instead of using all honey I used the honey and added agave nectar, but essentially the same recipe, and result: no taste of avocado, hurrah! It was very very cocoa-y and a little on the dry side. My blender wouldn't mash it up well enough since it was pretty dry. So I added a banana, a splash of almond milk (SPLASH! do not get carried away) and it turned out perfect. Thank you for my delicious banana chocolate pudding!
ReplyDeleteSteve, I just have to say that I've been paleo a year now and this recipe was one of the reasons I was successful at it. It is, hands down, the best paleo treat I've had. Thank you for posting it.
ReplyDeleteAnd, for anyone who cares, it's not "too avocado-y" at all! You can't even taste the avos! Try it, you'll like it!
:)
STOKED! I think I'll make it tonite! Eat Well! Steve
ReplyDeleteI just came across this recipe and have been looking for more paleo recipes since my husband is now totally eating paleo. He's doing great, losing weight, and feels better than ever. Unfortunately, I'm severely allergic to coconut and coconut oil. What can I use as a substitute for the coconut oil in paleo recipes?
ReplyDeleteElizabeth - i don't think the coconut oil is THAT critical. Try walnut oil - mild and good for you. Steve
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look for walnut oil. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAfter hearing about this wonderful recipe this weekend I came home to find lots of avacados almost ripe on our tree! Can't wait to try it out :) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLUCKY! Don't forget the whippped cream topping!
DeleteHi Steve, just a massive THANK YOU for a brilliant blog and delish looking recipe!!! I am about 36 hours into the Paleo Diet, and already my body is almost like a different person's - no fat loss yet, but I have gone from completely lethargic & depressed, kidney pain, bloated, painful torn muscle in a particularly painful area to a completely different person!! I have energy, my kidneys are no longer hurting, my bladder is no longer under pressure (sorry! too much information I know!!!) - I can think clearer and did I mention I HAVE ENERGY!!!! It is AMAZING how quickly this diet is working... and that's without any real fat loss yet!! I just can't wait to see how my body is going to change - and what a relief it will be to be fit again, but in the meantime, I just wanted to get on here and say I am so grateful to you and all the other people online who've made this information so accessible. So a big kudos to you from me!!! And I can't wait to try this recipe - definitely going to be a goer for the kids too :) Take care, and I look forward to learning much much more on here. Best.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna - HAPPY for you! Improved energy from a paleo diet is pretty universal but looks like it's working for you in many other ways too. Keep at it and you will be amazed how it changes your life.
ReplyDeletecheers. steve
Thanks Steve!!! And sorry for the too much information if it was!! I think I'm just so excited & carried away to have finally discovered something that's going to make such a difference in my life.. Still feeling absolutely amazing and the couple of things that have cleared up are totally gone. Gone. Amazing. I can even feel my stomach muscles again - awesome!!! I can actually feel my torso and my body feels like it's mine again - not on some weird roller coaster I have no control over. Just incredible. Anyway, cheers again and all the best.
ReplyDelete