3 Ingredient Nutella Avocado Banana Mousse

Today I have a special treat for you: luxuriously smooth and creamy chocolate decadence which is actually healthy, and what is more, is ready in under 5 minutes. I know, it sounds too good to be true. This 3 ingredient mousse tastes and looks absolutely sinful, but it's creamy lusciousness hides a surprising secret: 

Nutrient rich avocados and a banana that are completely enveloped by the deliciousness of nutella or if you are allergic to nuts, simply melted chocolate, or even  cocoa powder and a bit of sweetener of your choice. Yes, yes! Believe! It is even more delicious than it looks! and no, you cannot taste much of the avocado or the banana. You probably wouldn't even guess they were there if I hadn't told you. All you taste is deep chocolate decadence and all you feel is smooth creaminess that your spoon will not have enough of! 

Whenever I think of avocados I remember those early months with the toddler when he had just started on baby food. Mashed bananas and avocados, roasted pureed sweet potatoes- these were our picky eater's favorites. Avocados were blended with a little sugar or maple syrup a lot in this house. Past the finger food stage however, we had rarely bought them, mainly because I actually don't like them very much. 

Then one day a couple of friends got together for a potluck and my friend Vijitha brought over a chocolate mousse. When I heard that it was made with cocoa and avocados I was pretty sure I wouldn't like it, because I just don't like the taste of avocados. I think they taste kind of eggy. But her mousse looked so creamy and irresistible I had to taste it, and gosh was I proved wrong! I LOVED it!  

The awesome thing about avocados, apart from their dreamy creaminess, is that although it has a pretty strong flavor on it's own, when it is mixed with something else, it completely takes on the flavor of whatever it is that you mix in. And what could be better than nutella?

We love desserts, T and I, and our little three year old has a big sweet tooth too. The last couple of years we definitely have indulged a little too much, thanks mostly to my baking obsession. So this year, at-least while my new year resolutions are still quite fresh in my mind, I was on the lookout for healthier alternatives to satisfy our sugar cravings.  

When some one tells me that something is healthy, I used to automatically expect it to taste "healthy". You know what I mean. Healthy desserts are a bit of an oxymoron right? Chalky, tasteless is what I had come to expect of most desserts that had been robbed of butter, cream, sugar, eggs and other sinful ingredients that make it awesome yet overindulgent.
If you are an unbeliever too then one taste of this mousse will convince you that going healthy does not mean missing out on delicious.

Since today is World Nutella Day, I couldn't resist making something rich and purely decadent and this secretly healthier mousse totally hits the spot.

Even though I waited till today to post this, I have actually made this mousse many times, especially since it is dairy-free, eggless and allergy friendly and wholesome for the three year old and not even T could tell that this was a "healthier" version of mousse. It can be slathered on anything, and I am also  planning on using it to fill crepes like the ones I always make sure to get whenever we head to Fisherman's warf in San Francisco. They make the crepes on large cast iron griddles, slather a big gloop of nutella on them and serve it to you hot and crispy, with sliced strawberries on the side.

I love going over to Pier 39. It is such a colourful, bustling place. I like playing tourist and going over to gawk at the sea lions, watching the street performers and eating nutella crepes are almost always part of the experience. These pictures were taken on our last visit to Fisherman's wharf over the holidays. 

This mousse it would make a really rich tasting, thick and creamy chocolate frosting for a layer cake, or sandwiched between cookies... I am sure I will be playing with this healthy mousse in many ways!

Recipe for 3 ingredient Nutella Avocado Banana Mousse 

Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 Avocados ( Tastes best with ones that are just ripe, dent lightly when pressed with a finger, with green not brown flesh)
• 1 Yellow, not over ripe banana (Over browned bananas may have a stronger banana flavor)
• 1/3 Cup Nutella (Use less or more as per your preference)
• 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder ( optional- I use and love Ghirardelli's unsweetened, Cadbury's or Valrhona)

Directions:

• Whizz all of the ingredients in a blender or use an immersion blender until creamy and combined and no lumps remain ( Do not add any liquid) 

Note: 

Taste and add more nutella, a sweetener, or if you like, a shot of vanilla extract, or even balsamic vinegar or a little sea salt if you like some tang.

In place of the nutella you can also use chocolate chunks that have been melted in warmed milk or soymilk
You can also just mix the mashed avocados with or without the banana with just cocoa powder and a sweetener like sugar or maple syrup as per the original recipe that this version was inspired by.

Can store the mousse for about a day or two in the fridge and serve either at room temp or chilled.

If you are as nuts about nutella as I am, you may like to check out other recipes celebrating nutella here

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quick cooker carrot pal paysam and a girl's day out in the city!

Gosh has it been a long time since my last post! Where to begin. Well I started working with a non-profit. Even though it is only part-time and I get to work from home,  it has been challenging managing deadlines and conference calls, what with having to report to a toddler as well, who we all know is the most demanding kind of boss!

While I have been cooking some and photographing a little, sadly blogging was put on the back burner. I wished for more hours in the day, but what I was really lacking was motivation.

And then last week, much needed motivation came  in the form of my lovely friends and super talented fellow bloggers Vijitha, Prerna and Kankana.  Along with two other new friends, Viji's Mom and our kids, we took a day off from our everyday routines to meet up in the city. We had been planning and discussing this for weeks. The night before we all made and packed snacks for the little ones, yummy beetroot parathas, ragi patties, chocolate loaf and some vattayappam from me ( recipe coming soon) I was so excited the night before I could hardly sleep, just like before long ago school excursions!

On the morning of our trip, I had a long call from work and all along I kept thinking of the bus I had to take to go meet the girls and if I missed it (which I did) I would have to wait an hour for the next one.  Thankfully T came to the rescue dropping me off to the ferry landing so that I could take the ferry to San Francisco and I must say we traveled in style! My little monkey and I thoroughly enjoyed our ferry ride and I am so glad I ended up missing that bus.

 

If there is one thing that I learnt in life is that everything is much, much better shared with a gang of girl friends. Whether it be prawn pickle in a hostel mess or pre-exam panic, or a beautiful outing. I miss my girl friends and roommates from my college and hostel days a lot and was beginning to think I would never be able to enjoy that kind of female bonding again. I am so thankful to have met some good friends even after moving here and at this stage of my life as a mom, when I think I need friends most!  We talked and laughed and munched, wandering through the market, pushing our strollers with our naughty toddlers along, while around us the city whirled and buzzed. Smartly suited professionals out for lunch waited patiently behind us as we discussed and debated what to order at the numerous little stalls within the ferry building.Young couples out on a date and nosy little pigeons edged out of the way of not one,  not two, but four strollers and us large group of chattering women, brandishing our cameras and clicking away. We must have been quite a sight!

I only took my point and shoot along and left the photography to the experts, but then they decided they wouldn't let me eat my ice cream in peace and suddenly, my melting malted chocolate cone from Humphry Solocome was caught up in the middle of a full blown photo-shoot.  I love that picture taken by Prerna and you can see Kankana and Viji's versions on their blog posts, beautifully capturing our magical day at the San Francisco Ferry building.

There was a farmers market happening that day and some of the girls bought gorgeous heirloom carrots to take home. Since they posted their carrot dishes as part of or impromptu group blogging activity to record our magical day out, I thought I too would blog about this super easy and very delicious cooker carrot pal payasam- a perfect spring time dessert!

Pal payasam is a sweet milk pudding that is commonly served in temples as prasadam in Kerala and most of South India. Phirni is a similar sweet dish, popular in North India which is served in clay pots which impart an earthy flavour and draw out the water, making the pudding thicker and creamier. While we add a handful of rice to give the sweet some body, it is not really a rice pudding, more of a milk pudding I think!. I used basmati rice although traditionally a special type of payasam rice called Unakalari is used in Kerala which imparts a pinkish colour to the pudding. You could use brown rice, but do not use glutinous or sticky Asian rice. This payasam is mainly sweetened milk which is slowly cooked, stirring for hours until it has reduced and tastes somewhat like condensed milk. Often it is made with creamy buffalo milk.

I made this in the pressure cooker, so it was super easy and quick, but you can also make this in a slow cooker or the traditional way-cooking it in a wide pot ( so that there is more surface area for the water in the milk to evaporate faster) until the milk has reduced to half it's original volume, though you have to watch that the milk at the bottom of the pan doesn't burn, so you have to stir it occasionally.

I added some grated carrot which melded very well, imparting their sweetness without overpowering the flavour of the milk which is the star. Sometimes a pinch of cardamom powder or saffron is used, and the pudding is  usually garnished with chopped nuts, but I agree with purists that this is not necessary as you don't want anything distracting from the wonderful taste of the reduced milk. 

4 Ingredient, quick and easy Carrot Pal Payasam

Ingredients:

• Carrots 6 medium ( omit for traditional pal payasam)
• Kerala Rosematta or Basmati Rice 1/4 cup ( Not sticky or glutinous rice) 
• Sugar 1/2 to 1 cup ( You can easily adjust  sweetness depending on your preference, start with less and you can also add more sugar if needed at the end) 
• Milk 4 cups ( I used whole milk) 
• Ghee or butter 1 tbsp
• Chopped nuts for garnishing ( not necessary) 

Directions

Pulse the rice in a blender a few times to break it up. Do not grind it to a powder. 

(I skip this step if I'm in a hurry.)

Wash the broken rice and let it drain in a strainer

Grate the carrots using a box grater or food processor

Heat the ghee or butter in a large pressure cooker or a heavy pot 

Add the carrots and cook, stirring until they no longer taste raw

Add the sugar and stir for a few minutes more until the sugar melts completely

Now add the rice and the milk  and mix everything well

If you are using a pressure cooker, put the lid and the whistle on. 

Cook on medium heat until one whistle.

As soon as the whistle goes, switch the heat on to low for about 10 more minutes and then switch off the flame.

(If you leave it on for too long, the pressure cooker may leak all over your kitchen so be careful!)

Once you have switched off the heat, leave it on the stove until all the steam has gone.

(Go do something else like paint your nails or read that blog post you had bookmarked!)

Once all the steam has gone, open the pressure cooker and taste. If you want you can add more sugar now.
Stir the payasam occasionally on med-low flame (with the lid off) to thicken it more to your liking.
Serve warm or chilled ( I prefer it chilled as it gets a little thicker and creamier)

Keeps well in a lidded container in the fridge for a few days. Make sure it has cooled before keeping in the fridge.

The taste of this payasam is rich and luxurious and I was craving it for days after it was all over. You might think that 1/4 cup of rice is not much but it really bulks up, absorbing the milk and you really don't want to add more. Even if you are a cardamom freak like me, and be tempted to add some or other spices- don't. Let the reduced milk flavor shine through!

I will be sending my carrot pal payasam to The Kerala Kitchen hosted by Jehanne of The Cooking Doctor this month 

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Product review: Baby stuff- what's essential, and what's not

A friend recently shared her good news of a tiny teeny bundle on the way and asked me about the essentials she would have to get ready before baby arrived. Since I went through this phase pretty recently I know how overwhelming an experience it can be. One trip to babiesrus and I ran out screaming in about 10 minutes.

There was so much stuff ! I found that I was more comfortable looking online for reviews and good deals rather than a huge store with rather uninformed and disinterested salespersons. So to all you new moms/ new aunties here is my list of top baby things ranging from the most essential-cant-live-without to the nice to have but not reeeeaaally needed.

1. A safe, sturdy, yet doesn't-weigh-a-ton car seat and stroller: You can't leave the hospital without a car seat so this is one of the first things you should have ready, and installed properly. Travel systems or combos of car seat + stroller often are better deals than buying each individually. We bought one that was highest rated for safety on consumer reports but is a pain to lug around because it is so heavy (gracco quattro) I wish we had got the Metrolite instead:

2. A nursing pillow: The first few weeks (months for me) of nursing can be really really challenging, and a nursing pillow really helps! I had neck and back pain for weeks before a cousin recommended this goofy looking pillow which I now use to prop up jelly bean up on our couch during the day. His "arm chair" I call it.

3. A Crib or Packnplay: Even if you are planning to co-sleep with baby in your own bed (which I do since it's much more convenient to nurse in the night) it's really nice to have a safe place to lay baby, especially in those first few months when baby is so small and fragile and you are terrified of rolling over him or her in your sleep. I lost many sleepless nights until my sister-in-law sent us a Graco pack-n-play in Cabo which is great because it is lightweight and portable and can be easily rolled from room to room, and converts into a play yard when baby is older. I couldnt find the cabo model online now, I liked it because it has a "stages" mode, where the mattress can be lowered to accomodate growing baby. Packnplays also come with all sorts of fancy things like bassinet and changing table etc. which I don't think you really need. Try and get hold of the Cabo model at your babiesrus if you can.

The Co-sleeper is also something I explored, since it attaches to the side of your bed so its very easy to slide baby from your bed into it. Didn't work for us since our bed was too high.

4. Avent Bottles with Microwave Sterilizer:Even if you are planning to nurse, having some bottles and formula on hand is a good idea.We tried various bottles before my awesome sister-in-law sent us these. They have a nature replicating 'slow flow" which is important for a new born, we found they didn't cause gas like other bottles which made baby suck in more air, and best of all they are easy to sterilize. Two times, random women- one at the mall the other a waitress, who saw me using these bottles have actually come up to me to tell me how great they found these bottles too! I too highly HIGHLY recommend them. The only quirk is that when shaking them with formula, just be sure to hold the lid down with your thumb so that you don't spray your self with leaking liquid.

5. A baby tub: Technically you can bathe baby in your sink or in a basin, but this tub really makes bath time with a squirmy, slippery baby s lot more hassel free. I love this tub since it has a safety "bump" to prevent infants from sliding into the deeper part of the tub. Not that you need me telling you, still remember to NEVER leave baby unattended in the tub for even a minute! It helps to have everything ready before bath time so you dont feel the need to run and get something while baby is in the tub.

6. Daily essentials: You should have a bunch of diapers since babies go through about 10 a day especially in the first few months. Yes poor you . Get pappa on diaper duty if you can! Jellybean uses the Pampers Swaddlers though I've read reviews where the newer version of these with "dry max" technology has caused lots of babies to get diaper rashes. We haven't had problems so far but I still prefer to get the original ones if I can find it. I've heard that the Luvs Diapers brand also from the Pampers stable is a good, lesser cost option. Once you know the brand your baby suits, getting them in extra large cases from amazon.com or diapers.com is a good idea.

Oh and after rashes and Tylenol recalls I shun Jhonson & Jhonson products like the plague. Jellybean likes Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo which many mommies recommend.

7. Cotton front open, snap button shirts and long onesies & mittens: Do yourself and baby a favor and don't get rompers and t-shirts with small necks and frilly and itchy clothes for your baby.They may look cute but you'll be changing baby several times a day with spit ups and diaper blowouts and onesies are the easiest to wear, comfortable and since it is one piece, that's one item less to wash and fold! also don't forget mittens! babies have surprisingly sharp nails and could hurt themselves or you!

8. Nursing Pump: This is great especially in the first few weeks while you and baby are getting used to nursing. Can be a lot less frustrating than waiting for baby to latch on properly and be awake long enough to get a proper feed. Essential absolutely if you are planning on getting back to work and want to continue working.

9. Nice to have- Moby wrap: I'd heard a lot about this but was skeptical about a long piece of cloth to hold my baby. Would it be secure enough? Would I be comfortable looking like a crazy hippy/ tribal woman? Well it is a little fussy to put on but it really helped me soothe poor Jelly bean during his colicky days when he wanted to be carried around all the time. No poky buckles and it comes in many pretty colours too!Good for running errands so that you have your hands free too. Lots of moms swear by it.

10.Nice to have-baby entertainers: In a few months you'll be watching your little one like a hawk waiting to see signs of your little one qualifying for the baby olympics with turning over and crawling and other fantastic feats. Jelly bean spends tummy time on his baby gym gifted to him by his sweetest aunt C, and he likes to bat at all the overhanging toys with a double windmill arm-action.

Swings are good to entertain and rock baby to sleep.Preferably one with a plug in option so that you don't spend a small fortune on batteries! This one lasts till toddler hood so its a really good option.

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