Good-for-You Chocolate Mousse

Mmm, mmm tasty: Chocolate Mousse

On Saturday while I was trying to make an frozen dessert in my Blendtec blender, I did what I frequently do and simply grabbed ingredients that were handy and hoped for the best. The result surprised me. My palate was expecting an ice cream of sorts, but was treated instead to a very tasty mousse. In retrospect, I realize the mousse-making ingredient must have been the added cocoa butter. (The chia seed helped, too, of course.)

Who knows why I throw in the ingredients that I do? Impulsivity teaches me some interesting lessons. This is one for which I am most grateful.

Now, the ingredients I used included a large tomato because that is what was readily available and practically begging to be used. Plus, I love tomato; however, for those of you who shudder at the thought of including tomato in your mousse--skip it. It's that simple. Substitute an equivalent measure of another ripe fruit.

Also, the liquid base I used was cucumber water, again because that was handy. In this household we brew up pots of teas or simply steep batches of vegetable or fruit waters. I will include a post about this within the next several days. Cucumber water is simply water that has had sliced cucumber sitting it for a bit. By the glass, just add a slice (or chunk) or two of cucumber--being sure to include the seeds--let it sit a moment and drink. The result is surprisingly refreshing and delicious.

As always, where possible I use raw, organic ingredients.

Ingredients

• cucumber water -- 12 oz
• flax seed -- large palm full
• chia seed -- large palm full
• maca root powder -- 1 T
• cacao powder -- 1 T
• Action Whey [TM] -- 2 scoops
• cocoa butter -- 2 T
• very ripe figs -- 4, peeled
• fresh papaya -- 3/4 cup
• ripe tomato -- 1
• maple syrup -- 1 blurp (maybe a tablespoon? I just tip the jug quickly)
• frozen blueberries -- 1/4 cup
• frozen strawberries -- 1 cup

Directions
Blend for whole juice.
Serve immediately or chill and serve the next day.
Garnish with sliced strawberries for an added sweetness.

Warning
Although made as a dessert, it is highly recommended that this food only be consumed at a time when the eater plans to stay alert for several hours. The inclusion of superfoods, in this instance most particularly the cacao and maca, make this treat not only a sweet dessert but also a recipe for sustained alertness. I only had one serving on Saturday night, yet was up well into the wee hours. A serving on Sunday following lunch kept me fresh and alert through the remainder of the day.