Quick and Easy Chocolate Pudding

My oldest son and I have a love in common...we both truly and deeply love chocolate. My son especially loves chocolate pudding, but after reading the ingredients' list on a package of instant pudding and discovering that many of the ingredients are unrecognizable and even derived from petroleum, such as artificial food colorings and additives, I decided that chemically processed and artificially flavored pudding is not something I want my family to consume on a regular basis. I love the real food tips that are provided by one of my favorite bloggers, Lisa, at 100 Days of Real Food. She has a great article on artificial food dyes. After doing my own research and reading her article, I definitely decided that artificial food dyes and chemical supplements in food is not something I really want my family to eat.

So, I found this simple, easy, and less processed alternative. Granted, this recipe requires sugar, but sugar consumed occasionally and in small amounts by my family is acceptable by me. The original recipe, from Debra at allrecipes.com, required a full cup of sugar for 8 servings. I reduced the amount of sugar by half and only used a half cup instead and added butter and vanilla for extra smoothness and flavor. My kids love it! Now, if only I could make it taste great without the sugar...hmmmm...a work in progress.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup confectioners sugar (you could use granulated sugar instead, I just like the smoothness of the powdered sugar)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 cups milk
1 TBSP vanilla
1 TBSP butter

In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa and cornstarch.

Whisk in milk a little at a time so the mixture does not have any dry lumps. Place in the microwave, and cook for 3 minutes on high. Stir, then cook at 1 minute intervals, stirring between cooking times for 2 to 4 minutes, or until shiny and thick. Stir in vanilla and butter.

I have a secret to share with you. If you don't know me by now, I am a little impatient, especially when it comes to chocolate...so...sometimes I cook for 2 minute intervals rather than 1 minute intervals as the original recipe states. My only caution is to watch the microwave to make sure the chocolate pudding does not bubble over your microwave safe container as its cooking.

Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming (I know, I know, in previous blog entries I have written how I dread plastic wrap on warm food, but if someone comes up with a different way to prevent the surface of the pudding from forming a skin, let me know), and chill in the refrigerator or if you are like me, eat it immediately after its cool enough to touch your mouth! You could go without the plastic wrap. The chocolate skin on top tastes just like the pudding, just firmer and thicker in texture.

Unsweetened Banana Muffins with Chocolate (Carob) Chips

I am always in search of clean eating recipes for me and my family to consume, the entire purpose of this blog. When I use the phrase clean eating, I refer to unprocessed and totally sugar free without any honey, agave, and especially without any artificial sweeteners. Sometimes though....I crave something sweet, usually chocolate...o.k. to be honest the only sweet thing I usually crave is chocolate.

When you bake muffins following this recipe, the ripe bananas add enough sweetness that you do NOT need to add sugar, honey, or sweetener of any sort. Add some cinnamon along with the bananas and the muffins are sweet enough to eat. I have made this recipe before and have even included the recipe on my blog, but this time, we added "carob" chips to the mix for a different twist and to sedate my chocolate craving. To be honest though, "carob" chips are not chocolate and I would prefer 70-80% cocoa chocolate chips with very low sugar content, but the kids find dark chocolate too bitter for their taste buds.

What are "carob" chips you ask? I am so glad you asked..."Carob" chips are made from the carob plant. It is an evergreen plant native to the Mediterranean region, but now grows in other locations, like California. To find out more about "carob" chips, visit this link at eHow Food.

There are some health benefits to eating carob chips. Carob needs less sugar than chocolate to make it sweet, carob chips have one third of the calories of chocolate, and because it is not chocolate, it is safe for animals to eat!

 Ingredients:

6 lg. bananas
2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
2/3 cups melted butter
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
3 cups organic whole wheat flour
1 cup "carob" chips or dark chocolate chips (70-80% cocoa content)

Mash bananas. Add cinnamon and slightly beaten eggs. Add melted butter.
Sift dry ingredients together and add to above mixture. Add carob or chocolate chips. Mix until moistened. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. This makes two dozen muffins, which my kids loved as a snack!

Mix the dry ingredients together first. My kids love making this recipe!

Add the wet ingredients to the sifted dry ingredients.

My dear son loves to break the yokes with his fingers.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Ok...down one week until baby Sosa arrives and I still have a sweet chocolate craving, but I don't want to succumb to all the sugar of a normal cookie, so I have been experimenting. I have 4 jars of natural peanut butter in my cupboard (no sugar added) and need to find a way to use those as well. After searching online, I found a recipe at www.allrecipes.com and made some modifications by reducing the sugar, increasing the amount of peanut butter, and using a high percentage of cocoa chocolate chips (which uses less sugar).

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup 60% cocoa or higher chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, and baking soda; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cool for 1 or 2 minutes on sheet before removing, or they will fall apart.