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!
Book Review: Sweet Freedom
Are you one of those people who sometimes feels a little bit trapped by her love of sugar?
I am.
Sometimes I feel like I can’t go a day without something sweet.
Not to worry. Ricki Heller, the dynamo behind the amusing and informative site, Diet, Dessert and Dogs, has come to the rescue with her book, Sweet Freedom: Desserts You’ll Love without Wheat, Eggs, Dairy or Refined Sugar.
Ricki provides recipes for over 100 delicious treats that are free of refined sugar, but not free of sweet delight. As she writes, “With Sweet Freedom, I hope to prove that you can have your cake, and great health too!” And she does.
Keep reading Kim’s review of Sweet Freedom on The Balanced Platter
Build a Super Salad
One of the highlights of spring is the profusion of color that explodes almost instantaneously around this time of year. But it’s not just the buds and blossoms bringing color into our lives about now; it’s the abundance of vibrantly hued fruits and veggies that are on offer at farmers’ markets as well. And there’s no better way to use seasonal produce than in a fresh salad!
Sure, the old “iceberg-tomato-cucumber” combo meets the definition of “salad,” but with so many seasonal ingredients making an appearance locally these days, your salad bowl can be so much more than that.
Here are some tips to help you build a Super Salad. To ensure a variety of nutrients, flavors and textures, try including ingredients from each of the following categories:
Leafy Greens
The base of most fresh salads is some kind of leafy green vegetable, such as lettuce (romaine, Boston or mesclun mix) or hearty greens like spinach, chopped kale, collards or chard (yes, raw!); or bitter greens like arugula or dandelion. And don’t forget that herbs are often included in this category, providing loads of vitamins and minerals along with great flavor (chopped cilantro and/or parsley work wonderfully).
Crisp Veggies (or Fruit)
A good crunch complements the softness of leafys perfectly. How about celery, carrot, broccoli, parsnip, fennel, radish, apple, cabbage, cauliflower or beets?
Juicy Veggies (or Fruit)
Adding juicy vegetables or fruits provides additional textural contrast along with more flavor to meld with your dressing. Try tomato, celery, sweet bell peppers, pear, pineapple, fresh berries.
Creamy (fats and oils)
Most salads use oil or a creamy base for their dressings. I love adding avocado to my salads, either blended in dressing or cut into cubes; a sprinkling of nuts or seeds provides polyunsaturated fats along with a hit of protein; or use blended silken tofu in a Caesar-like dressing.
TBP Friday Faves: Springtime Sprouts
Spring is in the air and we’re getting ready for our outdoor Farmer’s Market season.
We are lucky enough to have a sprout farmer at our market. She grows and sells a wide variety of beautiful, nutritious, and delicious sprouts.
But every now and then, I like to grow my own sprouts. Sprouting at home is affordable and it’s a fun activity to do with your kids – they love watching the sprouts grow quickly over a few days.
Sprouts are really high in antioxidants (especially Vitamin C) and they’re so versatile – eat them in a salad, on a sandwich, over stir-fry…my kids will even eat them by the handful and that makes me super happy!
Here are some sprouting how-to’s and some great recipes featuring sprouts.
Keep reading for more Friday Faves
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