February is Chocolate Lovers Month. It is also time for celebrating St. Valentine’s feast day, which would seem ever so incomplete without chocolate, wouldn’t it?
However, just because St. Valentine’s Day invites sweet indulgence does not mean that we have to abuse out bodies with unhealthy ingredients. Really. I am not kidding. We can have our chocolate and our health, too.
This St. Valentine’s Day (or anytime that you and your kiddos crave some chocolate), try enjoying some gluten-free, casein-free, egg-free, nut-free, unnatural ingredient-free, even cook-free decadence.
Does it sound too good to be true? It’s not. With three simple ingredients, wholesome chocolate pleasure can be yours, just whip up some:
No Guilt Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 avocados
- ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup of your favorite liquid sweetener (raw honey, maple syrup or a combo)
Directions
- Slice two avocados in half, pop out the pits and spoon the “meat” out from the skin.
- Plop this “meat” into a blender or food processor hit the burst button a few times.
- Scrape down the sides of the blender or food processor.
- Measure out ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, sprinkling it right atop the partially blended avocado.
- Add ¾ cup of liquid sweetener.
- Blend until smooth.
- Spoon into small bowls, chill and serve.
Is it really healthy?
So long as you are not someone who needs to be sugar-free, you can be confident that you are loving your body as much as you love the chocolate fix with this recipe.
Avocados offer your body 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B vitamins and folic acid. It is also anti-inflammatory, promotes heart health and has anti-cancer benefits.
Chocolate – especially dark chocolate – is known to have anti-oxidant properties and is said to help with high blood pressure and heart health.
Raw honey, if you use that as your sweetener, has anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties and contains vitamins B2 and B6, as well as iron and manganese. Maple syrup contains zinc and anti-oxidants.
Martianne and her family are confirmed chocoholics who love indulging in faith and family times along with sweet treats on many Catholic feast days. She writes about this and more at Training Happy Hearts, where she hosts a link-up on Sundays for raising young ones in the faith.
