Paleo Chocolate Pudding

   Today is (nearly, almost) the day! 
   We fly out tomorrow, but today we drive out to Brantford where the kids will be staying while we're away on our trip. 
    I am really excited...and super nervous! My experiences on airplanes haven't been the best...nothing 'bad' has ever happened, but I just get all in knots thinking about it, and then taking off...I'm usually ok once we're really on our way, but the take-off and landings do me no good. Or thinking about how freakin' high in the air I am!!! 
   My first flight ever was with a "buddy pass" (my cousin worked with the airline, and he'd get deals). Basically though, all the first class passengers boarded, then the regular class, then the stand-by passengers.....then me! Luckily the seat available was First Class, so I was cozy, had lots of room, and was treated super-duper well (they must have seen on my 16 year old face that I was terrified!)! 
   That particular flight taking me to England had me making a few lay-overs (which meant more take-offs and landings!), and riding in some small (and wildly bumpy!) planes! I almost missed one flight in Georgia, but started chatting with a very pleasant old man, who randomly asked what flight I was waiting for, and I showed him my ticket, and he informed me I was at the wrong gate! And the airport in Georgia is big and sprawling! I literally had to sprint to my actual gate so I didn't miss my flight! 
   I flew to Cuba with Adam for our honeymoon, and that was alright. I was 7 months pregnant, and had to turn my air vent right on my face and breath very deeply to keep from feeling sick, but it went alright. 
   On a flight to South Africa (a 16 hour adventure!), I ate the meal they provided about an hour before landing...and it didn't have time to settle in my tummy before the shaky landing began....I barfed everywhere....I know, so classy. I could feel it coming though and warned the people sitting next to me...I'm not sure it did much to make them feel better, but I think it's better than just being surprised by someone vomiting on you? No? 

   I shouldn't intro food with being sick....I'm an idiot. 

   Ok, well, I am hoping this flight will be better because I feel like I have better mind control. Haha, that sounds whacky! What I mean is, over the last few months or so I've been learning how to keep myself from getting too nervous. I needed to learn to be in control for the musical I was in; I needed to know that what I could do in rehearsals I could do for a real performance without being so nervous I was pitchy or wobbly on my dance feet! I channeled some sort of inner Rachel Berry (from Glee!) and just took control over my mind. It might sound crazy, but learning to take control of your thoughts and emotions is powerful, and I am glad I know I am capable of it because I plan on exercising that 'muscle'!  

   Alright, let's move onto my last post until I get back! I was thinking I could post once or twice while I was away, but we're not bringing the laptop, and working on posts from  my phone sounds like torture! 

   So, once upon a time I posted about homemade chocolate pudding, but I'm here today to share the paleo version. This pudding was is yummy, I mean, for realz delicious! As far as paleo treats go (and remember, this is a treat, not an everyday pudding! Try this one if you want a slightly more healthy paleo pudding!), this is in my top 5, Two thumbs up!    

Paleo Chocolate Pudding


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pure maple or coconut sugar
  
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups nut milk (I use almond) or coconut milk (the lighter the milk, the less rich the pudding)
  
• 4 teaspoons tapioca or arrowroot starch/flour
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 3 large egg yolks
  
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Method:

1. Whisk the sugar and the cocoa together in a medium sized pot (not on any heat), just to blend together.
2. Once well mixed, whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the milk, and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer while whisking, then remove from the heat.
   
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the tapioca or arrowroot starch & salt together. Whisk in the the egg yolks, and vanilla. Once this is well blended, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of milk into the mix. 
4. Now, slowly whisk the hot chocolatey milk into the egg mixture (don't rush this step, you want to make sure this all comes together creamy and non-lumpy). 
5. Return to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat whisking constantly, until the pudding comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and continue whisking until thick, about 2 or 3 minutes more. I have both whisked and used a hand mixer for this step. My hand-mixer gets super hot doing this, but sometimes I'm just a-feelin' lazy! :)  
   
6. Pour the pudding into 6 small cups, or into a cooked pie shell, or a bowl if you need it for something else that isn't prepared yet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until set.

   I need to sign off! I am packed up and ready to go, but I need to get the last minute things together, load the van, and give the low-down to the person house/horse/dog sitting for us while we're away! 

   Good-bye for now everyone! 

xoxoxo