CHOCOLATE OR CAROB SWEET POTATO PUDDING for VALENTINE’S

© Jane Quincannon Stanchich

Enjoy this Valentine’s chocolate flavored treat in the healthiest way, with no hard fats, sugar, or dairy! So many vegan puddings have refined sugar, coconut oil, coconut butter or lots of nuts. Here is one with a lovely surprise….you would never guess…highly nutritious sweet potatoes or yams. Heightened with pure maple syrup, almond butter, and lovely hints of spices, it delights. You  may choose chocolate or carbo powder- of mix them! Look for Garnet Yams or Japanese Yams for the most naturally sweet taste of all. Nutritious organic sweet potatoes/yams baked until tender are the creamy base for this easy and delicious pudding! I include some scrumptious options for toppings too!  You will fall in love! 

• 1 pound sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 – 4 )
• 1/3 cup raw organic unsweetened cacao powder or carob powder
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened, unsalted almond butter (smooth or crunchy)
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Line a cookie sheet or glass baking dish with parchment paper (makes clean up so easy!)
3. Scrub the skins of the sweet potatoes/yams well. Rinse. Place on top of the parchment paper and/or pan.
4. Bake 45 minutes. Open the oven and with a skewer or fork, test the tenderness of the sweet potatoes. They should be soft.
5. Continue baking if not soft and tender. When done, set baking pan out to cool so you can peel the skin off the vegetables.

Place sweet potatoes into a food processor. Blend until creamy. Add all remaining ingredients. Blend well. Taste. Adjust the flavors as you wish with more of this or that. Let us know how yours came out!

GORGEOUS GARNISHES:

• Bright red strawberries or a colorful berry mix
• Toasted Slivered Almonds or Chopped Hazelnuts
• A Dollop of Tofu-Almond Cream

NOTE: When grating the zest of the orange or lemon, zest/grate only the orange skin, never the white under-skin, which can be bitter. 

YAMS OR SWEET POTATOES? These days the terms are used interchangeably.