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!