Move Over Guacamole!

Sinfully rich and creamy, avocados are one of my favorite gifts from nature.  Up until now I've primarily kept them in the dip or salad catagory but that ends today.  Another talented classmate, Torie B., brought in Avocado Chocolate Mousse this week and let me tell you, it was fabulous!  Best of all it's one of the easiest raw desserts to make at home. 

Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:  (these are not set in stone, taste and add to your personal palate!)
3        avocados
5 T     raw cocoa powder
1 T     cinnamon
3 T     coconut milk (add more  to your desired consistency)
4 T     pure maple syrup, or honey (add more if you like sweet)
3        Dates
1 T     natural vanilla extract

Directions:Remove the seed from the avocado, scoop out the avocado into the food processor     (or blender).

Add the coconut milk, dates, maple syrup, cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon and blend.

Add more coconut milk to your desired consistency.
Continue to blend until smooth.
Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and serve. You can even freeze it for a cool and     refreshing frozen pudding, or make it thinner for an awesome frosting alternative.
Top with chia seeds, sea salt, nuts, shredded coconut, fresh berries or fruit!
May even add to a nut pie crust !!!

Nutritional Factoids:
Pure grade maple syrup, is a natural sweetener that is filled with minerals.
Raw cocoa is a source of magnesium, sulfur and antioxidant.

Avocados have diverse fats. For a typical avocado:
About 75% of an avocado's calories come from fat, most of which is monounsaturated fat.

• On a 100 g basis, avocados have 35% more potassium (485 mg) than bananas (358 mg). They are rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamin E and vitamin K.^[30]
• Avocados have a high fiber content of 75% insoluble and 25% soluble fiber.^[31]

High avocado intake was shown in one preliminary study to lower blood cholesterol levels. Specifically, after a seven-day diet rich in avocados, mild hypercholesterolemia patients showed a 17% decrease in total serum cholesterol levels. These subjects also showed a 22% decrease in both LDL (harmful cholesterol) and triglyceride levels and 11% increase in HDL (helpful cholesterol) levels.^[32] Additionally a Japanese team synthesised the four chiral components, and identified (2R, 4R)-16-heptadecene-1, 2, 4-triol as a natural antibacterial component.^[33]


Due to a combination of specific aliphatic acetogenins, avocado is under preliminary research for potential anti-cancer activity.^[34]Extracts of P. americana have been used in laboratory research to study potential use for treating hypertension or diabetes mellitus.^[35]