Easy Healthy Puddings Your Kids Can Make in Minutes and 5 Minute Key Lime Mousse Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Chilli Mousse
Anyone can make a healthy pudding or mousse in minutes by throwing a variety of dairy free milks, juices, fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, and seeds, with some sweetener and thickener in the blender. Not only are they a fantastic last minute lifesaver for those unexpected dinner guests, they are a fantastic way to get your kid’s excited about cooking. They can exercise their creativity and gain confidence in the kitchen with endless possibilities.
Here are some tips, tricks, and easy recipes to get you started:
Start with a creamy base:
I will often use avocado, silken tofu, fresh raw coconut, raw cashews, or a mixture of two of these things as a nice neutral base in most of my puddings.
All of these ingredients will create a beautiful thick, creamy texture, but are also able to take on any flavors you add in. You can use banana to thicken puddings but the taste can be overpowering, unless you are aiming for a banana flavor. In small amounts, however, bananas can be wonderful.
Alternatively,
Start with vegan milks or fruit juices as a base and thicken:
Use pureed fruit, fruit juices, vegan milks such as almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, hazelnut milk and oat milk or a mixture or several of these options, and then thicken them with chia seeds, agar flakes or powder, kuzu root, or Irish Moss. I love making vegan panna cotta by mixing different milks and fruits and thickening them with agar. But chia seeds would have to be the easiest and healthiest way to thicken puddings and boost their nutritional content.
Chia seeds are a super food rich in protein, minerals and fiber. The contain about 500 percent more calcium than dairy milk and a huge amount omega 3. Chia seeds can absorb about 12 times their weight. As a general rule, use 3 tablespoons of chia seeds per cup of liquid. Then chill in the fridge and allow to thicken and set.
Learn how Tess makes quick, healthy puddings!
Vegan Butternut “Cheesy” Cauliflower
On a day to day basis, I try to eat a healthy, whole foods diet, incorporating a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits. This means salads (like kale waldorf salads and salmon salads in avocado cups) and smoothies (such as this blueberry spinach mint smoothie) are a big part of my diet. I prefer it that way, as these foods really help me feel my best (and they’re delicious – especially now that spring is here!). But sometimes, the craving for comfort foods crops up. Usually, for me, that craving comes in chocolate form. The other day, however, the desire for macaroni and cheese revealed itself.
You know, revealed itself in the way that those weeds are “revealing themselves” in my garden right now. One day, there’s one or two, and before I have a chance to blink, they’ve taken over.
But when you’re on a gluten-free (and mostly grain-free), dairy-free diet, macaroni and cheese isn’t something that’s usually on the menu. Fortunately, the fridge and freezer were pretty well-stocked. I had plenty of Lexie’s raw nacho cheese left over from a few days’ prior, and I had butternut puree in the freezer from last fall that needed to be used up. With a few other ingredients, I managed to make a creamy, intensely satisfying “cheesy” dish that wasn’t going to wreak havoc on my digestive system, and packed a pretty good nutritional punch to boot. Definitely a win-win.
Get Alta’s Butternut
Farmers’ Market Veggie & Quinoa Stir-Fry
This guest post is from Cara Lyons from Cara’s Cravings.
In my next life, I’m going to live somewhere with year-round farmers’ markets. Heck, I keep telling my husband we’re going to do it in this life but we haven’t bit bullet. That’s what happens when you get comfy in a home that’s not too far from all your family and friends. But if they knew what they were missing, wouldn’t they pack up and come along with us?
What is so special about farmers’ market veggies? They are…
- Prettier than anything I see in the grocery store, even with their naturally quirky imperfections
- Colorful and sweet smelling, the way only freshly-picked, less-traveled produce can be
- Lovingly grown by people who care just as much about what’s going in your body as you do
Here in New England, we’re still a month away from farmers’ markets, but that doesn’t stop me from choosing what’s most seasonal and organic in the grocery store. When summer and early fall roll around, I’ll be giddily filling up my reusable bags with more locally-grown, seasonal produce than my husband thinks we can eat. What’s my secret, besides giant salads and nutrient-packed smoothies?
Tips for Frugal Meals ~ and Indian Lentil Recipe
You’ve heard it or you’ve said it yourself, right?
“Eating healthy costs too much money.”
Of course, there aren’t
- coupons for organic broccoli
- BOGO’s on pastured chicken or
- “catalinas” on coconut sugar
Sigh.
Those of us interested in eating healthier whole foods and doing so on a budget must look to other means to make budget friendly meals.
I’ve learned how to save money on whole foods the hard way.
Keep reading for Adrienne’s Tips for Frugal Meals and a recipe for Indian Lentils…
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