Trick or Treating… the Primal/Paleo Way

Halloween is just around the corner.  Millions of kids across the U.S. get to trick or treat.  Out of that mass of kids, no doubt a few thousand out of the group will prefer “tricking” unsuspecting homeowners with bags of flaming poo at their doorstep when the treat isn’t there.  I’m not suggesting this trick, mind you.  Just saying…

But who needs to wait until Halloween to trick a little?  Me, I chose last night to do some tricking.  And there’s nothing more fun to trick people with, especially kids, than with food.  We’re not talking about harmful tricking like that lame mom who fed her child hot sauce as a way to punish them.  We’re talking about giving them something they will love with some “creative coaxing.”  My unsuspecting friends were teenagers.  Who doesn’t enjoy tricking that crowd?  🙂

If you haven’t guessed by now, there are a lot of Primal/Paleo foods that the standard person is surprised to learn they can eat on the plan – like lots of fat, bacon, eggs, etc.  But one recipe that I thoroughly enjoy “introducing” people to is Chocomole.

A friend of mine, Taryn (gotta give you credit for the recipe AND the picture!) was the first person to make me aware of Chocomole.  I love the name, so if you’re new to it, it rhymes with Guacamole.  Uh – chocolate with guacamole makes Chocomole?  Seriously?  Well, kinda.  But before you get skeptic and all, stick with me here.  It gets better.  Trust me.

OK, so here are the ingredients I used, liberally borrowing from Taryn’s recipe, to serve for four people:

• 4 avocados
• 2 bananas
• 3-4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• organic honey (2 tbsp honey)
• Coconut milk

I cored the avocados and scooped out the innards and put them in my food processor.  Peel the bananas and throw them in along with the cocoa powder and the honey.  Process the mix until you get a smooth consistency.  Once there, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut milk and mix a little more.  Done.  The outcome should resemble a pudding like texture.

 

I love good food presentation, so here’s a trick I learned a while back.  I like to use a quart size zip loc bag or something like.  Put the Chocomole in the bag, cut off a corner and then squeeze out the mixture into a wine glass.  Using this method allows a clean way to get the pudding into the glass without making a mess.  You can add a little whip cream if you like if you’re Lacto-tolerant.  Finish it all off with 85% dark chocolate which you microplane/grate.  Sprinkle some on top and place in the fridge for an hour or two.

 

So, here’s the trick:  present the dessert and let the audience make their own assumptions.  Undoubtedly some will ask what is in it and you smile innocently and ask them what flavors they can pick out.  Some will say they can taste the bananas right off the bat.  Nod and say yes.  Tell them there is honey and cocoa powder.  That sets them at ease.  Say there is some coconut milk.  They are usually OK with that.  Then just enjoy.

 

After my young friends were more than halfway done with their dessert last night, I decided it was time.  I posed the question – there IS something in this that you haven’t mentioned yet.  Do you know what it is?  After many guesses, I decided it was time and disclosed it also had avocado.  You can guess the reactions – “I’m not eating anymore!  That’s like that stuff in guacamole, right?  Ugh!” and “You have got to be kidding me, right?  It’s really good.  I could tell there was something different, but it’s not bad.”

 

With a base of avocados, this is full of fat.  Good, high quality fat!  So it WILL fill you up.  But it’s great for entertaining friends and watching their expression.  It’s also a great reward food for you as well as a reminder that in a Primal/Paleo world, there are totally high quality alternatives we can enjoy.

 

If you haven’t tried this dessert, it’s highly recommended.  Search around on the web and you’ll find many variations of this treat.  Combine that with some unsuspecting people and there you have it:  Trick AND Treat, Primal/Paleo style.

 

Life is good.

 

What Primal/Paleo foods have you prepared that surprised people when they learned of its ingredients?