Coconut Chocolate Mousse with Cashew Cream and Cocao Nibs Recipe // Life is Made with Katie Miles // www.lifeismade.com

Recipe for Coconut Chocolate Mousse with Cashew Cream and Cacao Nibs // Vegan, Paleo, Raw Food, Low Sugar, High Protein

Happy New Year Life is Made blog readers! Who's ready to start eating healthy in 2015? I'm NOT!!! But, I feel like it's time to up my game in the health department. I would say that I do eat pretty healthy most of the time, but I definitely have some serious trouble saying no to sugar. So this year I'm determined (more than ever) to cut my sugar intake down as much as possible. I also want to start eating more foods that are rich in nutrients and vitamins. My husband bought me a Vitamix for Christmas and, if you don't already have one, do yourself a favor and save all of your pennies and get one. Talk about a life changing appliance! I'm making nut butters and smoothies like a crazy person and it is seriously changing my healthy eating habits. It's also great for my 3 year old who thinks that cashew cream is a major treat (when in reality its just pureed cashews) and asks for it slathered on her waffles, crepes, fruit and yogurt. It also allows me to sneak a lot of healthy items into her smoothies like spinach, gogi berries, nut milks and flax seeds because it pulverizes everything you put in it and she has no idea it's even in her smoothie when mixed with delicious fruits.

This recipe for Coconut Cream Chocolate Mousse with Cashew Cream and Cacao Nibs is a delicious dessert and can be whipped up in just a few minutes, provided you have presoaked the cashews and refrigerated the cream. Nowadays, I almost always have a can or two of coconut cream in the refrigerator and cashews soaking in a ball jar. The coconut cream is high in good fats, protein and iron. The cashew cream is high in good fats and protein. The cacao nibs are high in fiber, magnesium, iron and antioxidants. Combine all these super foods together with a touch of sweetener and you have a nutritious, low sugar, high protein dessert!

Yield: Serves 4

* You will need a mixer (hand mixer or table top mixer) for the mousse and a high powered blender (like a Vitamix) for the cashew cream.

Ingredients:

For the Coconut Milk Chocolate Mousse:

1 can full fat coconut milk refrigerated for 2 or more hours (preferably in a BPA free can)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup (or sweetener of your choice)

For the Cashew Cream:

1 cup raw cashews (soaked in water for 2 or more hours)
1 tbsp pure maple syrup (or sweetener of your choice)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup filtered water

- Cacao nibs for sprinkling on top (you could also substitute shaved or chopped dark chocolate).

Remove the coconut milk from the refrigerator and open the can. The fat will have separated from the milk and will now be on the top of the can. It has a hard, cold butter like consistency. Scoop the fat into a medium sized bowl. Add the cocoa powder, sweetener and vanilla to it. I like to add about a tbsp of the milk that is left in the can slowly while I'm whipping the cream to give it a softer consistency, but that is up to you. Whip together until all the ingredients are well incorporated and the mousse forms soft peaks. Refrigerate until you are ready to eat it or eat it immediately. The mixture will firm up a bit after refrigeration.
Pour the water off of the soaking cashews. Put the cashews into a high powered blender along with the sweetener, vanilla and water and blend starting at a low speed and slowly turning to the highest speed (about 2-3 minutes of blending) until the cashews are pulverized and the the mixture is a creamy consistency. Refrigerate until ready to eat or eat immediately. The mixture will firm up a bit after refrigeration.

The full fat from the can of coconut cream.

The leftover milk after rooming the fat from the can of coconut cream. — The leftover milk after rooming the fat from the can of coconut cream.