Recipe: DARK CHOCOLATE & BANANA DESSERT (sugar, dairy & gluten free, paleo, vegan)

The great thing about preparing paleo meals is the massive room for experimentation – once you’re used to the new set of rules and the ingredients at hand, there are so many ways to approximate paleo versions of old favorites, or invent entirely new meals. Here’s a dessert I made up a few weekends ago that was absolutely delicious – a perfect complement of flavours with the dark bitterness of the chocolate, the sweetness of the banana and the richness of coconut. After freezing, the hard/soft textures really come into play too.

To echo the preface of my last “treat” recipe (chocolate coconut rough) – it’s so important to know your sweeteners and avoid the nasty ones (cane sugar, HFCS, agave etc). As always, don’t reward with sweets as this only reinforces the reward and pleasure triggers in our brain. If you’re craving sugar fill up on proper, whole foods and fats. When you do feel like a treat, stick to healthy recipes like this one:

Ingredients (serves one):

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp desiccated coconut
• 1 banana

Preparation:

Line a small bowl or large coffee cup with a square of baking paper (about 10cm x 10cm)

Directions:

Put a small pot on a low heat, add the coconut oil and water and slowly melt them down. Add the cocoa and stir until smooth. Turn the heat off and add the desiccated coconut and stir well.

Thinly slice the banana and stir into the chocolate mix.

Spoon the mixture into your cup or bowl and place in the freezer for at least an hour.

To serve:

Take your pudding out of the freezer 10 minutes before you plan to eat it.

Pull it away from the baking paper and return to the mug or bowl.

Take a teaspoon to CONSUME & ENJOY!