Avo-Banana-Chocolate Mousse [Dairy free, Gluten free, Sugar free]

I am not a fan of chocolate, crazy when you think about chocolate being everyone's friend, being a soother to many in times of "need" -whatever that "need" may be, chocolate has been said to be soul-satisfying and makes those that indulge in it, happy and life more bearable!

Chocolate is high in sugar. Without sugar it would taste too bitter for most people to eat. High amounts of sugar in your diet can lead to dental problems like gum disease and cavities. Another concern of eating large amounts of sugar each day is the increased risk for diabetics. If you are a diabetic, chocolate can cause your blood sugar to become elevated by supplying you with more than a meal's worth of sugar. And this is probably the reason I stay away from chocolate - and also the reason that partly contributed to my diabetes status all those years ago - childhood chocolate, among other processed foods that I over-indulged in!  Chocolate is also high calories, and excess caloric intake leads to weight gain. Being overweight can result in a number of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.  Too much of anything can often be detrimental to one for many reasons but everything in moderation I guess, and indulging your craving for chocolate is fine, as long as you do so only occasionally - chocolate lovers may disagree entirely though!

In creating a dairy and sugar-free chocolate mousse and endeavouring to find cocoa powder that was free of sugar and highly ingredients, I decided to try out Raw Cacao powder as the substitute that many use for cocoa or chocolate.  Raw cacao is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans. The process keeps the living enzymes in the cocoa and removes the fat (cacao butter). The benefits of eating raw cacao are lowering of insulin resistance, protection of the central nervous system, reduces the risk of heart disease, reduces blood pressure, works as an anti-oxidant in our bodies, is rich in minerals and is a mood booster.

Cacao is the raw and pure form of chocolate - decadent in it's purest form and is used to make chocolates, add to smoothies and sweetened with non-processed additions like banana, coconut milk or dates, creating chocolate desserts, much like this one.  Should you wish to sweeten this mousse, medjool dates may be used, soaking them in a bit of water first and then blending to form a date-paste. For a non-choccie lover, I warmed up to the taste of this A-B-C mousse!


Ingredients

1 ripe avocado
1 medium-large banana
1/4 cup full fat preservative and sugar free coconut cream or milk or almond milk
1/4 cup raw cacao powder or unsweetened preservative free cocoa or carob powder
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Raw cacao butter shavings and fresh fruit for garnish

Optional flavourings
pinch of salt
dash of cinnamon powder
medjool dates

Optional garnishes
1tblsp 100% sugar free dark chocolate shavings
1 tblsp raw cacao nibs
coconut flakes

Here's How

• Halve the avocado and remove the pit.
• Scoop out the flesh into the small bowl of your food processor along with the banana, milk, cacao or carob powder, and vanilla extract.  If you have an immersion blender, you may use this along with the "bowl" attachment that comes with it.  If using a food processor without the smaller bowl attachment, then double the quantities of this recipe for maximum mousse effect.  You may also whip this by hand, if you want to work out those arms!

 

• Add the salt and / or cinnamon powder, if using and blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice.

• Serve in individual bowls or ramekins and garnish as desired.