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Oat Milk Chocolate

Pudding
SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT

I used to clip recipes all the time, back when I

was an ambitious young cook. But these days, I
don’t have the patience for complicated, time-
consuming recipes. If I don’t already have most of
the ingredients on hand, forget it.

This oat milk chocolate pudding recipe from The

New York Times caught my eye not just because
it’s dairy-free, but because it’s so easy to make.
The whole process took less than fifteen minutes.
I didn’t have to buy anything, since all the
ingredients were already in my kitchen, including
the carton of Oatly oat milk that I’ve been
grooving on the past couple of weeks.

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This pudding was better than other dairy-free

puddings I’ve tried, like Zen Chocolate Almond
Pudding or the vegan pudding from Kreation
Organics. Zen was fine but tasted like the Snack
Packs you put in a kid’s lunch box. Kreation’s
tasted fresher but was cloyingly sweet. This New
York Times pudding put them both to shame.

My husband shared some with his vegan co-

workers. One sent him this text:

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I urge you to try the swill for yourself!

OAT MILK CHOCOLATE PUDDING RECIPE

Adapted from The New York Times

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups non-dairy milk, preferably oat
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (at least
66% cacao)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, use a silicone spatula to

stir together the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and
salt. Slowly stir in the milk and keep stirring until
smooth and combined.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium-low

heat until the pudding thickens, begins to bubble,
and coats the spatula, 5 to 10 minutes. (If the
pudding is coating the bottom of the pan too
quickly, reduce the heat.)

Add the chocolate chips and stir vigorously until

they melt and the pudding is thick and smooth. (It
will thicken much more after it’s chilled.)

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Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Spoon the pudding into a serving bowl or
individual cups or ramekins. After it has cooled
slightly, press plastic wrap onto the surface of the
pudding to prevent a “skin” from forming on top.
Refrigerate until cold. The pudding will keep in
the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Makes 4 to 6
servings.

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Kreation Cacao Pudding

FEBRUARY 13, 2017 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and for many

people, that means one thing: chocolate. If you
don’t eat dairy, this can be tricky. Luckily, these
days there are dairy-free options that are
delicious, decadent, and even healthy.

In the summer of 2015, Kreation Organic Juicery

opened on West Third Street in Los Angeles, a
few blocks east of the Beverly Center. Walking by
during its grand opening party, I was intrigued by
the open-air layout and grassy decor, but let’s be
honest, mostly by the live sitar music and couples
yoga demonstration in the middle of the dining
area. Pretentious or awesome? I couldn’t decide.

It wasn’t until just a couple of weeks ago that I

actually tried any of Kreation’s creations.
They specialize in cold-pressed juices and
smoothies, but they also make desserts, which
they’ve given the cute category name “Saints &
Sinners.” The saints are the healthy ones with no
dairy or refined sugar. The sinners… well, let’s just
say they probably taste great.

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I went right for the Cacao Pudding, one of the

saints. What makes it different from other dairy-
free puddings? It doesn’t contain any milk
substitutes. The ingredient list is short and a little
surprising: dark chocolate, avocado, orange juice,
cacao powder, cinnamon, vanilla, maple syrup,
Himalayan salt, cacao nibs.

Avocado? Orange juice? Really?

But I love how natural everything is, and the

result is excellent. You’d never know there’s
avocado in it, but I assume that’s what gives the
pudding its thick, creamy texture. Genius. The
sweetness comes from the orange juice and
maple syrup. I have to say it’s a little too sweet
for my taste, but I’m willing to forgive that
because it’s otherwise really good. This pudding
is so rich, it took me almost a week to finish it;
after a few spoonfuls I would be satisfied. That is
the sign of a fabulous dessert.

So, if you and your sweetie want to indulge in

something chocolatey and guilt-free this
Valentine’s Day, swing by Kreation and pick one
of these up. And then maybe do some couples
yoga in front of the other diners.

Zen Chocolate Almond

Pudding
JUNE 6, 2016 ~ 1 COMMENT

Seems like at least half the foods I loved as a kid

are off-limits to me now that I don’t eat dairy.
One of those is chocolate pudding. I’m not talking
about fancy, gourmet pot de crème. I’m talking
about those little plastic pudding cups that my
mom used to put in my lunch box. What I loved
about that pudding, besides its convenience, was
how silky smooth it felt on my tongue. And, well…
chocolate.

Shopping at Sprouts recently, I found Zen

Chocolate Almond Pudding (Made with Almond
Milk), a dairy-free, soy-free version of those little
pudding cups. Now, let me just rant for a moment
about the overuse of the word “zen” these days.
It’s used on everything from massage parlors to
energy drinks to medical marijuana dispensaries.
Usually, when I see the word “zen” on a product, I
avoid it on principle. But I had to try the dairy-
free chocolate pudding, no matter what it’s
called.

I’m pleased to report that despite its unfortunate

packaging (which also features an illustration of a
panda), this pudding rocks. It’s nice and
chocolatey and, once you stir it a few times with
a spoon, smooth as silk. There’s no detectable
almond flavor to it. And you can’t beat the
convenience.

Just a note to vegans: Before you eat this pudding,

you have to eat your meat. ‘Cause, as Pink Floyd
taught us, “How can you have any pudding if you
don’t eat your meat?”

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