I am a bonafide foodie with a major sweet tooth so of course my first post is about food! When I first tried to eat a 100% raw vegan diet back in 2007, I loved the idea of eating a whole foods, unprocessed diet made from plant based foods! And I'll admit it did give me a lot of energy and I lost a bit of weight on it. It was easier than I thought and I found my creativity was inspired by creating more meals that weren't just salad. The best thing a raw or even just a whole foods diet will do for you though is make you realize how much crap is in processed foods! I admit that I am not 100% raw now but I try to eat that way a lot of the time...especially when I start to feel sluggish.
As much as I liked eating that way, I knew it would never last if I didnt get at least a few different dessert recipes down. This idea for a raw vegan chocolate mousse came to me from a few different places but I think the original idea was from watching the eco documentary starring Woody Harrelson and friends, Go Further (watch trailer below). Man, that film inspired me on so many levels and it still does! I highly recommend watching it. There's also a book version How to Go Further for my fellow book nerds.
Anyway, back to dessert. A few years back, I attended a party that was a pot luck. I decided to bring this dish but also decided not to tell anyone exactly what was in it. Side note: make sure your friends don't have any particular food allergies before trying that! Anyway, people knew it wasn't traditional chocolate mousse with dairy because it was vegan but nobody guessed it was made with avocados. AVOCADOS!?! you say? yes...avocados. So, without further ado, here is the recipe for a vegan chocolate mousse to die for.
3 avocados (skins and pits removed)
3 medjool dates (pitted and soaked in water for 15-30 min before)
and/or 1-4 TBSP pure maple syrup (the amount you use will depend on if you use dates or not. I use both because I like it sweet!)
4 TBSP raw cacoa powder or organic dark chocolate melted and added in (though this will make it not raw)
1 TBSP organic coconut oil
1 TBSP pure vanilla extract
Blend avocados, dates, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract in a food processor until smooth. If using dates and not maple syrup, you can also use a little of the soaked date water for a smoother consistency.
Blend in the cocoa powder until fully blended. Taste to see if any more sweet or chocolate is needed.
I've served this a few different ways. I've put it in a pretty martini glass and topped with fresh berries. This makes for a nice, light, crustless mousse. I've also used a store bought graham cracker pie crust (also, not raw) but my favorite way is making this really easy crust using just a few ingredients.
1 cup walnuts
1 cup cashews
3-4 medjool dates, pitted
1 TBSP pure maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg (I didn't have any so I used 1 drop of Young Living pure essential oil instead)
dash of sea salt
Blend nuts in a food processor until nice and crumbly. Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend. This should be fairly sticky. Place into a glass serving dish, pressing the crust down evenly. Layer the chocolate mousse over it and top with berries and mint...or just eat it plain! Also good served with a cold glass of cashew or almond milk. Enjoy!