Instant Gratification Chocolate Tootsie Roll Pudding

Move over, post-it notes. I have made the most wonderful accidental invention. I was making a smoothie one day, did things in a slightly different order, and ended up with (...drumroll...) chocolate pudding! And please don't tell me because I think it is a HUGE dessertey treat but it is (whispered) fuel pull!! Other fine qualities: except stevia, ingredients can be bought at any grocery store at affordable prices, contains 20g protein. 

So, without further ado, lets get started! 

3/4c very warm tap water (not scalding or boiling)

2T gelatin

1-2T presweetened cocoa powder (combine 1c cocoa powder with 1/2t stevia; great in any recipe!)

1T almond meal

dash lemon flavoring (I use frontier)

dash vanilla

10 drops liquid stevia

1/4t salt

4 or more ice cubes

Place very warm water in blender. Put on cover and turn on. Carefully lift up cover and gradually pour in gelatin. Mixture will turn white and frothy, and smell strongly of gelatin. Don't worry, just let the blender keep running while you get the other ingredients assembled on the counter. 

Add remaining ingredients except ice cubes and allow blender to run until the mixture looks creamy and uniform. Add ice cubes two at a time. After either four or six ice cubes, your mixture will start to look very thick (if it doesn't, keep adding ice cubes until it does). Turn off blender immediately (otherwise you'll get shredded jello). Pour into your bowl-- yes, you get to eat all of this deliciousness!!! :) 

Nutritional information: 3g carbs, 5g fat (7 if using 2T cocoa), 20g protein 

Variation: Blackberry Green Tea Pudding (FP)

Necessity was the mother of this invention. I slept maybe four hours last night and have an important business meeting this morning, so I brought out the Matcha powder for wakefulness. The result is super... wouldn't have thought it could be as delightful as the original but it totally is. Yum. 

Omit chocolate and almond meal. Add 2t Matcha powder. After adding first two ice cubes, add 1/4c (or less) frozen blackberries. Pudding will probably set immediately; if not add one more ice cube. This is a fp recipe, too, and it is even lower fat than the original.... there is no source of fat in this recipe. 

Variation: Decadent Thin Mint Pudding (S, not fp)

Use 2T chocolate, 1/2t salt, 20 drops stevia, and substitute peppermint oil for the lemon oil. 

Variation: Lovely Lemon (FP)

Omit almond meal and chocolate, add 2 t lemon juice. Beautiful white fluffy cloud of yum! 

Variation: Egg Nog (S)

Omit cocoa, almond meal, and lemon extract. Add cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, 1/4 c coconut milk, 1 pastured egg yolk and extra vanilla. This is the most scrumptious of all!