Avocado Chocolate Pudding

   Good monday morning to you! 
   Today I bring to you a treat that has saved me many a time while eating clean! Being honest, as a woman, there is a certain time every month where if I don't eat some chocolatey sweetness at least once in the day I could just have an adult melt-down! Just joking...well, half-joking.
   Anyway, years ago a friend gave me a recipe for chocolate banana avocado pudding, but at some point I lost the recipe and was just winging it. There was always something that wasn't my favourite about it though. After it had been in the fridge for a day, it started to taste a smidge like super-ripe banana, which is not what I want to taste while eating chocolate pudding! 
   So, I've been winging and tweaking, and have a pudding that not only tastes great right when you make it, but tastes even better after it's been in the fridge! 

5 Ingredient Avocado Chocolate Pudding (no bananas!)

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1 Tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 Cup maple syrup (or to taste)
  
• 1/4 Cup cocoa

Method:

1. Cut the avocado open (remember there is a huge pit in there), scrap out the fruit into a small bowl with high sides, and toss out the pit.
2. Using an electric hand mixer or mini food processor, cream the avocado (it'll still have some lumps if you're using a sub-par hand mixer). 
3. Add the melted coconut oil, and blend well. Then add the lemon juice, half the maple syrup, and blend well again (take at least a minute to whip it up).
4. While still blending, add the cocoa, a little at a time, until it is all added in.
5. Whip until well blended, then shut the mixer off, and taste the pudding. If you like a really rich, dark chocolate, the pudding may taste good to you at this point. If not, add more of the maple syrup while mixing/processing. I personally like the full 1/4 cup, but it's up to you! The pudding will also be a bit thicker without that extra maple syrup, but that's o.k. too.
6. Now, you can eat this pudding right away, and it will be a delicious, pudding-y texture. Or, if you put it into the fridge and let it set a little, the pudding becomes something of a mousse. Not exactly a mousse, but it thickens up, which is a whole new delightful treat if you ask me!  

   So, that's it! It's super easy, super yummy, and therefore you should make some! :)