Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Chocolate Pudding

Until recently, the only pudding I had ever made was the kind where I added 2 cups of milk to the packaged mix. I absolutely love chocolate pudding, but I didn’t even need to read the ingredients of my beloved mix to know it wasn’t going to be something we could have anymore.
Then, my precious daughter got me a healthy cookbook for Christmas, and it contained a recipe for chocolate pudding that we could eat! The best part is that I had all of the ingredients on hand, and it was super easy to whip up. Well, actually, the best part was how good it tasted! My family is so excited to be able to enjoy this creamy treat again…guilt free.
One ingredient you might not have on hand is arrowroot. I would definitely recommend buying some—it was a little expensive, but it lasts a really long time. I purchased it in the baking aisle at Whole Foods about 6 months ago, and I’ve only used about half the package. If you’re not ready to purchase arrowroot, however, you can substitute cornstarch for it in the recipe.
Another ingredient you might not have is liquid stevia. I absolutely balked at the price when I first shopped for this, but again, it lasts forever. It comes with a dropper, and most recipes call for just a few drops--it's very potent.
One other note worth mentioning: Although honey is a natural ingredient, it must be consumed in moderation. It’s still a little high on the glycemic index and can affect your blood sugar level. Anything with honey in it is still, as the characters on Sesame Street say, a “sometimes food.”
Ingredients:
2 cups milk, divided (I used organic whole milk. If you still can't bring yourself to use whole milk, skim milk will work.)
2  Tbsp. arrowroot
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. honey
1 ½ tsp. vanilla (I recommend Tone’s vanilla—it has no added corn syrup and is very reasonably priced.)
¼ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. liquid stevia
Directions:
Mix together ½ cup milk with the arrowroot and set aside. Combine 1 ½ cups milk with the rest of the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. When tiny bubbles form around the edges, add the arrowroot-milk mixture and continue to cook. When the pudding thickens and boils, remove from heat and pour into a glass bowl. Place plastic wrap directly over the surface of the pudding and chill, then serve.
To change it up, try making the pudding next time with almond milk! You’ll add in great protein and amazing taste! Just add an extra tablespoon of arrowroot, and you’ll be good to go!

4 comments:

  1. Hi Amy! do you know if this recipe will work w/ either soy milk or almond milk? Thx so much!
    -Rachael Ball

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    Replies
    1. Rachael,
      I'm not sure about soy milk, but the original recipe did list almond milk as a possible alternative, and she actually said the pudding was really good with almond milk! Let me know if you like it!

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  2. What are your thoughts on Stevia vs Agave? Are they similar?

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  3. I never use agave. It's actually pretty processed, has a higher glycemic index, and can contribute to inflammation. It's gotten really mixed reviews. Stevia comes from an herb and won't raise blood sugar or add any calories.
    Having said this, I do use small amounts of honey when I bake. If I can get it raw and local, I do, but a lot of times it's just too expensive. Honey is also higher on the glycemic index and can also contribute to inflammation, so I definitely have to use it in moderation.
    Please check out agave--some people think it's fine--I just prefer to stick with Stevia and occasionally, a little honey.

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