Chocolate for breakfast? Absolutely, as a nutritionist I encourage you to have this for breakfast. This pudding is made entirely of healthy, nutritious foods, is high in protein, fiber, good fats, magnesium and potassium. Eat up. I like to make this spoon consistency but you could add more milk to make turn it into a smoothie. This pudding also make an excellent dessert. Full of chia and ground flax this pudding keeps you full for hours and it does not contain ANY refined sugar.
Raw cacao is an antioxidant which helps slow the oxidation of cells caused by free radicals. Studies show that raw cacao has 4 times more antioxidants than green tea. Raw cacao has a great nutrition profile so eating it for breakfast is perfectly acceptable. Beside being high in antioxidants, raw cacao contains magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, calcium, sulphur, potassium and B vitamins. Other health benefits are improved cardiovascular health and increased “feel good” neurotransmitters in the brain. That means it can help regulate blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
When buying raw cacao, skip the processed cocoa powder usually found at your local supermarket. Find unroasted, raw cacao and cacao nibs at a health food store. I love Navitas Naturals cacao nibs but have found great cacao powders, raw cacao nibs and raw chocolate at The Light Cellar.
Omega 3’s found in flaxseed, chia and hemp make this pudding anti-inflammatory and great for skin health. Adding nutrient dense food to your body will help you achieve glowing, healthy skin. Who wouldn’t want that?
Raw Chocolate Pudding/Smoothie
Serves 1
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1/4 avocado
- 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup hemp milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons chia gel (chia soaked in water overnight or for at least 5 minutes)
- Sweeten with a few drops of stevia or a little pure maple syrup (optional)
Blend all the ingredients together in a high-speed blender and serve with toppings of your choice.
To make this thinner for a smoothie add more hemp milk. The above recipe is for spoon consistency.
The fun part {Toppings}
Bee Pollen
Raw Cacao Nibs
Pecans, Walnuts or Almonds
Coconut
Berries
Banana Slices
A scoop of protein powder
Maca powder
