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!
Apple-Pear Sauce in 3 Easy Steps
As I settle into the Midwest’s predictable winter rhythm of chilly weather, heavy gray skies, and long dark nights, the kitchen calls to me with a different voice this time of year. I find myself drawn to warmer, heartier dishes flavored with fragrant spices and nutrient-rich broths. My heavy Dutch oven gets pulled out of the cabinet on almost a daily basis as I prepare warming soups, stews, and sauces like this one comprised of subtly spiced apples and pears.
Nothing says winter like a bowl of piping hot stewed fruit. And would you believe that homemade fruit sauce takes just about a half hour to come together? I promise you that after you get into the habit of making your own applesauce, store-bought simply won’t hold a candle to what comes out of your kitchen!
Because apples and pears are great storage fruits (meaning that they keep for several weeks in the refrigerator), it’s easy to keep all of the ingredients you’ll need on hand for this so that you can make it whenever the craving strikes.
Aside from eating it straight up in a bowl with a few walnuts on top for a snack, I savor this apple-pear sauce in a few other ways, too:
- Spread on top of the whole grain gluten-free pancakes from my cookbook
- Mixed into muffin and cake batters for extra fruity flavor
- Served hot as a chunky sauce for roasted chicken or turkey
- As a spread/condiment for these gluten- and sugar-free Banana Chai Muffins
Because apples and pears are relatively inexpensive fruits, turning them into sauce is a creative way to stretch your dollar when it comes to eating fresh produce. Divide the sauce into small glass containers to keep handy in your refrigerator for packing into school/work lunches.
What is your favorite way to enjoy winter’s abundance of delicious fruits? Share your ideas in the comments!
Apple-Pear Sauce in 3 Easy Steps
Makes 5-6 cups2 pounds apples, such as a mix of Gala and Braeburn, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 pounds pears, any variety, peeled, cored, and chopped
3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/3 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Bring all ingredients to boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the fruit is soft and breaking apart, about 25-30 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Use a potato masher or pastry cutter to mash the sauce to your desired consistency. (For very smooth sauce, puree the cooked fruit in a blender or food processor. Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.)
- Cool the sauce completely before storing in the refrigerator. (Can be refrigerated for 4-5 days.)
Hallie Klecker is the author of The Pure Kitchen, a gluten- and dairy-free cookbook with over 100 healthful recipes. She also writes the recipe blog Daily Bites, where she shares her passion for cooking with whole, natural foods. Hallie is a certified Nutrition Educator and former personal chef.
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