Life in the Spunky Lane: Medicine for the Chocolate Lover's Soul

Today was one of those days. The kind of day I am spent and just want to go home and curl up in my elastic pants with spoonful of chocolate. I scoured the internet for a simple, healthier version of warm, chocolate pudding but I couldn't find what I wanted. I was tired, but not so much I was beyond experimenting in the kitchen with a few of my new favorite ingredients. It was one of those dumb luck recipes that turned out great. Instead of sharing some insightful blog post, I instead provide you a must-try mid-week-get-me-outta-this-slump recipe. Sorry, I'm no photographer so the pictures are lack luster (I desperately need my BF's mad newly acquired photography skills, but alas, she's all the way in Denver! Boo-hoo).

Double Dr. Chocolate Cacao Pudding

Cast of characters:

Nutiva Cacao Powder 1/2 cup

Coconut Sugar to taste (approx. 1/8 cup)

3 TBSP Cornstarch or flour

2 cups full fat coconut milk

2 TBSP grassfed butter or coconut oil

1 TBSP vanilla

Enjoy-Life brand chocolate chips

Simple Stupid Instructions:

1. Mix the cacao powder, sugar, and cornstarch/flour in a sauce pan.

Side note: Have you ever tried coconut sugar? It's my favorite low glycemic index sweetener. It's got wonderful toasted aroma and adds just enough sweetness to my baked goods. It will tend to make things a bit drier so I usually add a smidgen Maple Syrup when I substitute regular sugar with coconut sugar. Seriously, try this stuff!.

(This is my first recipe using cacao powder. I have used cacao nibs substituted for chocolate chips in coconut milk-shakes, but I was excited to try the powder form. Apparently it's the raw, unheated version on cacao and has a high amount of antioxidants: AKA- cancer prevention. Yes, please!)

2. Turn on to low-medium heat and gradually incorporate the coconut milk while whisking the crap out of the mixture (Lump prevention in full force). Whisk, whisk, whisk! (Good thing for my yoga arms. The Chaturangas are perfect for building up my whisking muscles. Did I mention I skipped yoga today to make pudding. He-he).

3. Add your dab of butter/coconut oil and continue to whisk.

4. Once the mixture thickens, remove from burner and add vanilla (Another side note, isn't it so funny that to make Chocolate pudding one has to add vanilla?! It made me chuckle. Clearly after a long day of work I'm easily amused).

5. Stir the vanilla and toss in a chocolate chips. Stir again.

6.Serve up a heaping portion into a brightly colored dish, and enjoy!