4 minute read
Food for Thought
Food for Thought … with Vicki Bennington
Going Green
When you hear someone say they are might not sound so out of the ordinary. “going green,” you may jump to the conclu- But she is always looking for or concocting sion that they are going to start recycling; healthy foods, and came up with a recipe for they began to use filtered water instead of Healthy Chocolate Mousse that actually utibottled water to reduce lizes the super healthy avocado as its base. waste in landfills; they What? you might ask. are turning out lights to It is almost hard to believe once you reduce use of electricity taste it. And I knew ahead of time. We even in their homes or are only fooled my husband who had no idea what using natural “green” was in it until we told him - after he had products for cleaning. already eaten it. But since you know Not only is it a delicious dessert, but you this is a food column, you benefit from all the wonderful attributes of Vicki may be a little curious about how to go green that little green avocado, including a long list of vitamins and nutrients, more potasBennington with food. A story simply sium than a banana, heart-healthy fat, fiber about vegetables is way and antioxidants. too obvious, but no matter how much you And the mousse tastes great. guess, unless you read ahead, I bet you My sister-in-law has sprung a lot of wouldn’t think I was talking about choco- “healthy” dishes on us over the years. She late dessert. How can chocolate go green? is gluten intolerant and has other food aller-
As my brother always says, “I just tell gies, so she is always searching for dishes it; I can’t explain it.” And I will have to that fit in with her “clean eating” style to second that. That same brother’s wife tried keep those allergies at bay – yet taste deliout a recipe on us that really took me by cious. surprise: Healthy Chocolate Mousse. That She developed – or at least discovered –
Start with avocados and cocoa. (Photos by Vicki Bennington)
Healthy Chocolate Mousse. (Photos by Vicki Bennington) these food allergies as an adult, and once she began changing what she ate, she was amazed at how much better she felt. But it’s been hard work for her, reading every label, down to the most minute ingredient – even food coloring – to ensure a pain-free, allergy-free day. But over time, she’s learned what works, what doesn’t, what tastes good and what others whom she cooks for will like, too.
Another bonus – she’s become more interested in food, in general, and loves to cook and come up with new recipes. Not that she didn’t cook before, but it’s become more of a challenge now, and she likes to make people happy with what she makes.
We all declared this Healthy Chocolate Mousse a win, and I will continue to make it for a quick and easy, and yes, healthy dessert.
Even cocoa powder is considered good for you, and maple syrup is a sweetener that is on the clean eating list as a great substitute for granulated sugar. Oddly enough, it’s actually sweeter than sugar, so here’s a tip: If you use it as a replacement in other recipes,
Healthy Chocolate Mousse 4 large, ripe avocados (or 6 smaller ones), peeled and pitted 10 to 12 ounces maple syrup (depending on desired sweetness) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 to 3/4 cup of cocoa powder (depending on desired level of chocolate flavor)
Fruit or other toppings (optional)
Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor until well blended and very smooth. Eat immediately, or refrigerate if you want it to set more. Top with whipped cream, caramel syrup, nuts, berries or coconut flakes – the sky is the limit.
In this column, Bennington shares her love of food and all that entails, from special dishes at local and regional restaurants to new trends and fads, and things to try at home. Contact her at vbennington@sbcglobal.net with comments, ideas or suggestions.
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