Valentine Day Parfait!

 Raw Dessert — Vegan and Gluten-Free!

There’s something very magical about being able to make a delectable chocolate pudding using an ingredient that one would usually relate to more savory and salty dishes.  But the avocado — called the love apple for many centuries — will astound you by how rich and creamy it turns out.  It’s important to get all the lumps out so either use the tines of a fork, a potato masher or even your food processor.

Avocados have 20 essential nutrients including fiber, Vit-E the B-vitamins & folic acid    Cashews contain thiamine that works on memory, similar to gingko biloba. They are both considered brain-boosting foods!  Imagine having a decadent parfait and having it actually be good for your brain!

The Perfect Parfait

Serves 2
Ingredients:

• 1 cup Vanilla Crème Sauce (see recipe below)
• 3 ripe avocados
• 2-3 TB. agave or coconut nectar
• 2 TB. raw cacao powder

Directions: Cut open avocados and scoop out into a bowl. Pour on sweetener and mix in with a fork or potato masher. When fully mixed add 1 TB. raw cacao at a time, blending into a pudding-like consistency. Add more cacao if you want a deeper chocolate flavor.  You can buy Hershey’s cocoa (un-sweetened) at a “regular” market if you don’t have cacao powder.

Vanilla Creme Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup soaked raw cashews
• 1 TB. vanilla extract or seeds from a vanilla bean
• 2.5 TB. virgin coconut oil
• 1/2 cup water (can use date soaking water)
• 2 TB. agave or maple syrup
• 5 pitted medjool dates, soaked (you can replace with 2-3 extra TB. of agave or maple syrup)

Prep: Two hours ahead, soak cashews in water. Soak dates separately in 1 cup of water. Remove pits from dates.

Directions: Remove dates from soaking water, but reserve water. Place drained cashews in blender with ½ of the date water, agave and coconut oil and blend until smooth. Add rest of water with the dates and vanilla and blend until smooth.

Storage:  This sauce can be sealed and stored for several days in fridge.  It becomes thicker upon refrigeration.

Assembly: In parfait glass spoon a layer of chocolate, then a layer of vanilla and top with chocolate layer. Garnish with berries, banana slices, coconut shavings or mint leaves. Repeat for 2nd parfait. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours to set. When you dig into this parfait, the vanilla/chocolate layers mixed together on your spoon taste like the best (and healthiest!) milk chocolate.  I have also made this in 3 layers.

Enjoy!