Now that's a silly title, not to mention the socks; my mom got them for me and my sisters for Christmas this year.
Lucky for me (especially since they've been on my feet), I didn't actually get any snow in them. I just like linking two ideas together with one word. In this case, the word is "in," as in we've been snowed "in" all weekend, while I kept warm "in" my sock monkeys that are, in fact, worn as socks (I think that classifies as a run on sentence, but proper grammar isn't always a necessity on my casual blog).We really are snowed in, which is evident in the background of my pudding pics. I had made some alterations to one of my favorite bases, although the results still looked the same. But, rather than bore you with the same old file photo, I opted to at least give you a new backdrop.
The funny part was when I decided to open the door to take the pudding outside; I didn't even have to leave our foyer to snap a snow-covered pic. The usually sheltered front porch was blanketed in a sea of white, walling off my entry to the outside world. And, with the blizzard-like winds still blowing strong, my only choice was to quickly nestle the bowl in the chilly cushion before me, take a couple shots and whisk it back inside before it became hidden, too.
Now don't be fooled by the white flakes atop this delight. They are actually raw cocoa butter shavings, a garnish recommended by the inspiration for this revamped dish.When my Internet was up and running (it was out during the storm/aftermath, which explains this delayed post), I somehow came across this Raw Chocolate Protein Pudding recipe on the World Redress blog. I was immediately intrigued with its addition of both apple cider vinegar and miso.
Just the other day, I learned that apple cider vinegar lowers the glycemic index of whatever you put it on. Or, at least that's what I heard on Oprah. Who knows? It couldn't hurt, right?
Anyway, I also found that miso helps improve my immune system this time of year, so I try to incorporate it into my diet when I can. Unfortunately, my sweet tooth usually wins over the often savory dishes containing this ingredient.
You can imagine how happy I was to find a recipe that offered something for my sweet cravings (but not too sweet), balanced out my blood sugar (at least it felt that way), energized me and helped boost my immune system when I needed it most (I'm snowed in with an under-the-weather hubby and son; Hayden and I are trying are best not to catch it). Best of all, it was concealed in chocolate.
Of course, being stuck at home, I had no way of getting all the specific ingredients, so I made some modifications to the recipe. Who am I kidding? I'm always tailor-making recipes to suit my tastes and needs.I guess that's why I never settled on a cookbook or uncookbook to blog about in its entirety, such as in the movie "Julie and Julia." I finally got a chance to watch it this weekend (I also watched "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist," one of my favorite movies to leave on whenever its on cable, as well as "500 Days of Summer," which never gets old either. Did you notice I was viewing "Nick & Norah" in my "Nick & Nora" monkey socks? Nevermind.)
Anyway, back to the pudding. I didn't have any young Thai coconuts, and I wasn't about to use that much agave (I'm trying to rely on just the fruit for sweetness). Also, I wasn't sure if it was meant to feed one person or a whole family. Factoring in a few more alterations, here is what I made:
Miso Happy It's Chocolate Pudding
1 banana
3/4 avocado
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. raw cacao powder
1 tsp. maca powder
1-2 Tbsp. walnuts
1 Tbsp. coconut flakes
1/2 gala apple, unpeeled
1 tsp. miso
1 Tbsp. hemp protein powder
sprinkle of cinnamon
*raw cocoa shavings and/or goji berries to garnish
Put all ingredients (except for the cocoa butter shavings and/or goji berries) in a high-powered blender and whip into a creamy, fluffy, pudding-like consistency. Garnish as desired.
*If you do venture to try this, please keep in mind that I have been reducing my sugar (mainly agave, maple syrup, etc.; I still consume some fruit) intake lately (kinda like Ellen; the cool thing is that bland foods now have a lot of flavor) in addition to my already odd taste buds (I had a thing for pickles and ice cream long before I ever got pregnant). In other words, sample this at your own risk :-)
