3 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Coconut Pudding

When I was a child I was obsessed with pudding. I remember the delight of opening my lunch box at school and discovering the perfectly portioned pudding pack waiting for me to devour it. As I got older, I remember a friend timed how quickly I could eat those packs, 6 seconds is my record (yes, I was a cool kid). After college when I made a huge shift in my diet, ditching packaged food for more real nourishing foods, I kissed my days of pudding goodbye. Though I’ve tried a few dairy free brands since, nothing quite tasted as good as the pudding I remember from my childhood. Until I met this one.

This delicious, nutritious and insanely decadent pudding actually arose out of desperation. You see, I always have recipes that call for coconut milk but it’s never that much. So, I’m inevitably left with almost a full can of coconut milk and store it in the fridge for a few days assuming I’ll use it and I never do. It felt like such a waste. One day after using two tablespoons of coconut milk in a curry I was once again left with my quandary- what to do about all the milk leftover? That’s when it hit me- maybe I could make pudding!

So I threw three ingredients together - I don’t love to follow recipes when it comes to dessert and prefer simplicity, stuck the bowl of chocolatey coconut milk in the fridge and crossed my fingers. Two hours later I had some of the most delicious pudding I’ve had in my life. It was amazing and such an exciting discovery!

It’s also truly nutritious unlike its packaged counterpart. Organic coconut milk contains antioxidants that can reduce inflammation and has magnesium, potassium, copper and selenium in high percentages. Most importantly, it’s incredibly high in Manganese (110% of RDI). Manganese is a necessary nutrient for the body that helps it form connective tissue and supports bone strength, blood clotting factors and sex hormones. It also helps to absorb calcium, metabolize carbohydrates and regulate blood sugar. Cocoa powder (you can also make this with Cacao) is rich in polyphenols that lower blood pressure and improve blood sugar, it also improves blood flow to your brain and facilitates brain function. Finally, organic maple syrup (you want to go for Grade B darker options) contains 24 antioxidants and has a lower score on the glycemic index than other sugars. This is not a low sugar dish, but as far as desserts go if you want a little treat this is going to be way healthier that what you’ll find in the grocery store.

This pudding is best when you load up on toppings- I prefer strawberries, pecans, and toasted coconut flakes. It’s pictured here with some chia and Jem nut butter as well. You can add other ingredients into the mix as well like vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, pumpkin spice or even cayenne if you like a spicy kick. Make it your own - it’s half the fun!