Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Avocado Pudding

I'll admit "avocado pudding" sounds pretty weird, but bear with me. It turns out when you puree avocado in the food processor, you wind up with a mild, smooth, creamy base that is just the texture of pudding. Adding some other flavors to the party turns it from the beginnings of guacamole into an amazingly decadent pudding. Since avocados FINALLY went on sale at my Whole Foods, I was quite excited to buy some and make this recipe again! It's great as a snack, as dessert, or even as breakfast.

Here is how we start:


1 really ripe avocado (too ripe is better than not quite ripe enough)
1 ripe banana
3 T toasted carob powder*
1/2-1 tsp raw honey, optional (not pictured)

Cut the avocado in half and scoop the halves into the food processor. Peel the banana, cut it into large chunks, and add it to the food processor too. Add the carob powder on top.



Looks appetizing huh? Anyway, process the ingredients until they start to break down and get smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness with the raw honey. Process again until the pudding is completely smooth and creamy and then scrape into a bowl.



The pudding is done! Stick a spoon in it and go to town. You can also keep it in the fridge for a few days, but it's a good idea to put a piece of plastic wrap down touching the surface so that it doesn't get a skin (just like "real" pudding). I usually get two servings out of one batch.

---------

*Note about carob: Carob is often marketed as a chocolate substitute, which I think does carob a pretty big disservice. As a chocolate substitute, frankly, it sucks. As a food in its own right though, I think carob has a delicious toasty flavor. I you don't like carob or if you would rather have a chocolate pudding, just replace the carob powder with cocoa powder and up the honey to 1 Tablespoon (carob is naturally sweet whereas cocoa powder isn't, so the cocoa powder needs a boost).

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have made a similar "pudding" with a banana (frozen or fresh), some coconut milk and cocoa powder. I'll have to try it with avocado sometime.

PaulaG said...

Avocado is really bland and makes a great smoothy ingredient. This looks great! I am stuck at home in the snow today with no avocados!

TrailGrrl

Lauren said...

Looks fab, Elizabeth! Do you have a carb count for carob powder? I'd really like to try this.

Elizabeth said...

Specialkara - Try it! I don't think you'll be disappointed.

TrailGrrl - It was snowing here too! I didn't feel like digging my car out so I actually walked to the store to get my avocados. Lucky I live so close. :)

Lauren - Ok I just went to the kitchen to look at my carob and it says that 2T contains 11g carb, 2g of which is fiber. So it might be a little carby for you. I bet it would work well with cocoa powder and erythritol though. When I was doing just LC and not paleo I used to make this with no banana (or maybe 1/4 of a banana), cocoa powder, and splenda. Splenda and chocolate don't go together very well though.

Mark said...

Do you have any recommendation if I want to use raw Cacao powder?

Elizabeth said...

Jumpow - I would probably start out with 2T cacao powder and 2 tsp honey and then adjust to taste from there.

By the way, thanks for commenting on my other recipes! I'm glad they worked out so well for you. It's always nice to hear about people actually cooking the food I blog about. :)

Mark said...

I got a little excited and just tried it out. I used about 2.5T of cacao and no honey. I probably should have put honey in b/c it is a little bland. I also probably used a bit too much cacao. Even so, the consistency is amazingly similar to pudding and the taste is a bit neutral. I look forward to having it for dessert!

~M said...

I had to double the honey to make it taste sweet enough (perhaps Dagoba cacao is on the slightly bitter side) but this was a fabulous, easy, filling breakfast for my husband and me this morning. Keep up the fantabulous - and Passover-friendly - recipes!

Elizabeth said...

M - So glad you guys liked it! Thanks for commenting!

PaulaG said...

Ok we are dug out of the big ice and snow storm so I am going to pick up some avocados today! I will make it with some cocoa powder... I've got some Valhrona.

TrailGrrl

Darcey Blue said...

mmm i love avocado pudding! A friend made it for me for my birthday last year, but put it in a walnut date crust and we topped it with sliced strawberries!
I must make some pudding this week!

Geoff Aucoin said...

I've been snacking on this treat a few times and it's just soooooo gooooood. Thank you for this great resource!

Elizabeth said...

Shamana Flora - Your version sounds divine!

Geoff - Awesome! I'm so glad you liked it!

pnw fitness said...

My attempt:
http://twitpic.com/4bk74

Laura said...

This is absolutely delicious! I'm eating it now :) So rich and smooth. I'm going to try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting!

Thanks for sharing all your great recipes and photos!

David Mathis said...

Soooo. It's my second week of caveman foods and I was craving something chocolate and with oils. This is freaking great! I have made this three times now and the third time I used fair trade cacao and then added chopped banana, strawberries and walnuts on top. All I can say is WOW. YUM!

Michael said...

Just tried this tonight. Very tasty!

Vimseli said...

WOW! I just started this "primal" eating thing- my kids loved this!!!! and they usually only love Oreos;) thanks!

Cee Matos said...

This looks DELISH! However I do not eat chocolate, is there a vanilla alternative that I can use?

Jessica said...

Been wanting to try this for awhile. Made it today and it was delicious!!! Kinda reminds me of chocolate ice cream w/ bananas!! thanks for sharing!

Angel said...

I have read somewhere else about adding banana to avocado pudding... I may try that sometime. :) I eat avocado pudding almost everyday. Yummy! :)

stephanie krise said...

I just made this pudding. I'm gluten free,sugar free(no sugar subs), food allergies....
This pudding is perfect for my craving of chocolate and creamy texture!! If you like very dark chocolate, it's not a stretch of imagination...
I will make more and enjoy again
Stephanie

stephanie krise said...

I just made this pudding. I'm gluten free,sugar free(no sugar subs), food allergies....
This pudding is perfect for my craving of chocolate and creamy texture!! If you like very dark chocolate, it's not a stretch of imagination...
I will make more and enjoy again
Stephanie

Monisha said...

My favorite paleo pudding yet! so simple, perfect texture, sweet enough without the honey! (i used carob powder... and it really is an awesome flavor

Tarantamom said...

This looks amazing, thanks for the recipe.

Kymmulvey said...

I used your recipe for inspiration, then changed it up a bit. I used 2 avocado, 4 zucchini, a can of coconut cream, cocoa powder, all spice, nutmeg, vanilla, a little maple syrup, and a couple of heaped teaspoons of home made cumquat jam like a marmalade.... I stirred in some dissolved gelatine and set in the refrigerator. It was a little like a chocolate orange/jaffa.
A great pudding for this little black duck!

pixel fairy said...

berries make a great sweetener too

pixel fairy said...

use a food processor. doesnt work so well with a blender, even blendtek.

Raine said...

I am going to try your recipe,as it looks so good. Love chocolate!

I have read where if you have a damaged liver, that if you eat one avocado per day, it will repair your liver. I do not like the taste of just raw avocado so I have been making Avocado pudding with another recipe I found online :Avocado Breakfast Pudding (a.k.a. Vitamina de Abacate)
serves 1 or 2

1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup of milk
1 TBS honey
2-3 TBS of granola (or, as I used, crushed almonds)

Scoop avocado into a blender (or cusinart). Add 1/2 cup of milk. Add the honey and blend until smooth. Garnish with granola or almonds. You can also chill for about an hour for a refreshing coolness.

Raine said...

Oops...I meant to say if you eat one avocado per day for a "MONTH", it will repair a damaged liver. I am soon to get another liver test and will see if that holds true! HOPE so!