Carob Chia Pudding

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Carob Chia Pudding

My Little Blue Heron

Carob isn't chocolate, but it's often used as a stand-in. If you’re a devoted chocoholic, you’ll snort at this statement. I’ve never been a chocoholic and I admit, I’m a vanilla. But excellent chocolate is delicious. I am not turning my back on chocolate. This is just not about chocolate. It’s about carob. 

When you’ve had enough, say “cacao.” 

Some interesting facts about carob: 

Carob is from an evergreen tree that’s indigenous to the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The pods that grow on the tree are ground into carob powder.

Wikipedia refers to carob powder as an “ersatz cocoa powder”, popular during the 1970’s natural food ‘movement’. (Will someone please edit that article.)

Carob is naturally sweet and chocolate is naturally bitter.

Chocolate is associated with triggering migraine headaches. Carob is not.

Are YOU a chocoholic? Seems like every other person I meet is. There’s truth to it. Wikipedia says, “Enkephalin triggers opioid receptors similar to those triggered by heroin and morphine use. This chemical leads the brain to desire more after chocolate is initially consumed, which can lead to addiction.” There’s lots more to read about this, and I don’t think it’s exclusive to chocolate. It probably has much to do with sugar and fat. But it makes sense. There’s a great deal of both in delicious chocolate.

Let’s return to carob. Here's a link to the NIH article on the nutritional profile of carob. It's pretty cool.

Making chia pudding is a snap. I prefer the texture when I make it in my blender, but you don't need a blender.

It’s dairy free, gluten free, vegan, low in sugar, high in fiber and it has protein and nutrition. I like the addition of maple syrup, but if you don’t want it sweet, omit the maple syrup, or add some stevia! Well, wowza me yowza.

You can add stuff, like chocolate carob chips, toasted coconut, or when you serve it, add some fresh fruit. Try some dairy free whipped oat or coconut topping!

Join me while ersatz back to the 70’s? 

pudding peace and love out to you,

jane

Carob Chia Pudding

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk (or any milk of your choice)

2 Tbsp. carob powder (I like Anthony’s Organic)

4 Tbsp. organic chia seeds

¾ tsp. pure vanilla powder (linked) or 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

optional: 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)

Procedure:

Using a blender: (I use a Vitamix), place ingredients in listed order in your blender and pulse until mixed. You may have to stop and scrape down the sides. Pour into one large serving bowl or individual pudding cups. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Using a bowl: To the almond milk, whisk in the ingredients. Wait 5 minutes and whisk again to prevent chia seeds from clumping. Wait 10 minutes and whisk again. Pour into one large serving bowl (or use the same bowl) or individual pudding cups. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Serve “as is” or garnish.

Serves 2

Sugar-Free Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Sugar-Free (Chocolate dipped) Coconut Macaroons

(Passover Recipe!)

Adapted from David Lebovitz’ “Ready for Dessert” by Blue Heron Kitchen

For those seeking low carbohydrate and low glycemic desserts, I offer coconut macaroons, kosher for Passover, plain or dipped in chocolate! This dessert will be a welcome addition, sans weird chemicals, for people who don’t like or whose bodies can’t process sugar.

I’ve combined Erythritol and stevia, both ‘natural’ sweeteners. Almond flour replaces traditional flour (and it legalizes these for your Passover table!)

Here's the poop on Erythritol: according to Wikipedia: is 60–70% as sweet as table sugar yet it is almost noncaloric, does not affect blood sugar, does not cause tooth decay, and is partially absorbed by the body, excreted in urine and feces. It is less likely to cause gastric side effects than other sugar alcohols because of its unique digestion pathway. Under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling requirements, it has a caloric value of 0.2 kilocalories per gram (95% less than sugar and other carbohydrates), though nutritional labeling varies from country to country.

I bought my Erythritol from pureformulas.com. This site seems to have the best prices. Shipping was free and fast. I bought "NOW" brand. 

According to nutrition labeling: 1 tsp. contains zero calories and 4g of carbohydrates. That’s it. It’s about 70% as sweet as sugar, and there’s a ‘cold’ taste to it, so combining it with Stevia (I highly recommend you buy NuNaturals brand NuStevia White Stevia Powder, which you can buy online at Amazon.com or in Whole Foods) works out well in terms of the sweetness factor as well as ‘warming up’ the ‘cool’ factor. Stevia is a sweetener that is derived from a plant called Stevia.

A great place to purchase unsweetened coconut and almond meal is at your local Indian market. Apna Bazaar on Long Island is a great market. Any Patel Brothers in the New York area is also a great choice. In NYC, go down to 28^th and Lexington. Bob’s Red Mill is another great resource for both unsweetened coconut and almond flour. Large markets like Fairway, Stop and Shop and Whole Foods sell Bob's Red Mill. Or, buy from them directly or on Amazon.com.

This recipe is a first for me, and I’m excited to share it with you. Don't expect the gooey, sticky, glutenous canned macaroon product you find after you've sliced your finger to find the 10 settled balls at the bottom of the Streit's can. My hope is that this will bring sweet satisfaction and enjoyment to those who have been missing and searching for something sweet to finish off a Passover seder (a meal capable of throwing the healthiest individual into chemical imbalance) or to just savor the sweet combination of coconut and chocolate without jeopardizing or taxing ones health.

Have a ziesen* Pesach

* and isn't "sweet" is subjective anyway?

peace and love,

jane

Ingredients:

5 large egg whites, size large

1 ¼ c. pure Erythritol

¼ tsp. Kosher salt

2 ½ tsp. pure White Stevia powder (NuNaturals brand, if possible)

2 ½ c. dried, unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ c. almond meal (almond flour)

1 ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

optional for dipping:

2-3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped, plus additional Stevia for sweetening, to taste

½ tsp. coconut oil

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350º F. and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.

In a large (4 quart) saucepan, mix all ingredients (EXCEPT THE OPTIONAL CHOCOLATE FOR DIPPING) together over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to ‘sizzle’.

Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl.

When mixture is still warm, working quickly, form into mounds, about 1 ½ “ high. Work fairly quickly, because when the batter cools too much, it tends to dry out and is difficult to work with.

These will not spread, so you can place then fairly close together.

Form approximately 24 to 30 macaroons and bake them on two racks, rotating them top to bottom, front to back, half way through the bake, for about 20 minutes, until they are well browned.

Cool completely.

For optional melted chocolate:

Line one of the baking sheets with another piece of parchment paper or some waxed paper.

In the top of a double boiler, melt about 2 to 3 ounces of excellent quality unsweetened chocolate. Add ½ tsp. coconut oil and stevia powder, to taste (add it ¼ tsp at a time!)

Dip the bottom of each macaroon in the melted chocolate and place on the prepared baking sheet. Place in fridge until chocolate is set.

These can be kept in an airtight container for a few days. Or, freeze them, in layers, between sheets of waxed paper.