AVOCADO AND BANANA

PUDDING

Yes I know this sounds weird, but I tried it a couple of weeks ago and it was absolutely delicious. I am always looking for healthy sweet treats with minimal or no sweetener involved, and when I tasted this I knew I had a winner. One of the playgroup mums made it and put it with a fruit platter and I spent the morning munching away on fruit dipped in this delicious pudding. Now this is not for everyone, if you have a really sweet tooth this may not be sweet enough for you, but if you are trying to curb your sweet addiction, like I always am, this is worth a try, and having it with fruit adds the extra natural sweetness of the fruit.

RECIPE

1 ripe avocado
1 ripe banana
up to 50g cacao or carob
1 Tablespoon sweetener
2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
dash cinnamon

Blend in food processor until smooth and creamy

Another similar recipe I tried recently, which the kids loved was this one:

2 Tablespoons milk (I used rice milk)
1 Tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ avocado, large
1 banana, frozen (partly frozen)
1 Tablespoon cacao or carob

Blend in food processor until smooth and creamy

You can use raw cacao powder or carob, but I prefer carob. Carob is naturally sweet, but cacao is naturally bitter, so if you use cacao you will need to add more sweetener.

ABOUT CAROB

Grown in warm climates, the carob plant bears fruit known as carob pods. These pods have been used as food for more than 5,000 years. Carob powder comes from carob pods that have been cooked for a short time or roasted. Carob powder is an alternative to cocoa powder, having several distinct advantages.

• Carob powder is naturally sweet. Carob doesn’t undergo the extensive processing that chocolate does to make it taste good. Carob therefore doesn’t have the additional sugar, corn syrups, chemicals, additives and processed chemicals that chocolate does.

• Carob is caffeine free.
  
  
• Carob does not contain theobromine which is also a stimulant. 
   
• Carob is free from oxalates which can lead to kidney stones and inhibit the absorption of calcium into your bloodstream. Chocolate contains oxalates.
• Carob aids with digestion. 
   
• Carob contains a number of beneficial vitamins including vitamins A, B, B2, B3, D and E. It is rich in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, manganese and potassium. It is also a good source of fiber and protein. In additional to being naturally cholesterol-free, carob also contains pectin, which lowers cholesterol levels and decreases your risk for heart disease.  

I buy my organic carob at the supermarket in the health food section. If you can't find it there, I'm sure the health food shops would have it.