Chocolate Collagen Avocado Pudding (Paleo, Keto, Dairy-Free, Grain-Free + Loaded with Healthy Fat)

Chocolate lovers unite! This chocolate avocado pudding will have you giddy with joy because it’s a dessert that’s ridiculously healthy for you.

And for anyone already shaking their head ‘no’ at the thought of avocado in a dessert – TRUST! Even some of my fussiest clients who can’t stand the taste of avocados, absolutely love this dessert. It’s a great way to sneak it in if you’re not a fan of the texture or taste but still want to benefit from the nutrition.

Speaking of nutrition, have you ever wondered why all nutritionists love avocado? It’s for good reason. Avocados are a fantastic source of fibre, healthy fats and even some B vitamins.

Chocolate avocado pudding was one of the first desserts that I was introduced to when I started eating healthier. I was completely skeptical. I mean, avocado in dessert?? WTF, right? Well, I learned very quickly and very early on that a lot of goodness can be hidden behind a blended concoction of sorts.

Avocados in pudding…kale and cauliflower in smoothies…it was a whole new world to me back then. Now, it’s second nature to me. I’m surprised when I see smoothie recipes without any vegetables in it! It takes time and it’s definitely a process. So if you’re new to all of this, don’t be so hard on yourself and be prepared to be daring and try new things.

A few things to note about this recipe:

1. If you don’t have stevia, I suggest using 1-2 Tbsp of real maple syrup. {Truth be told, I prefer the taste of maple syrup, but will resort to stevia when I’m on a cleanse}.

2. The toppings are optional, although I highly recommend the addition of the frozen raspberries.

3. If you do opt for the toppings, you’ll want to prepare the coconut milk by refrigerating a can the night before making this.

4. I have enjoyed this dessert as a breakfast on more than one occasion!  No judgement if you do the same.

I like adding a scoop of collagen powder to mine for a bit of added protein to help stabilize those blood sugar levels and support my hormones as well as for gut support but it’s entirely optional here and you don’t need it especially if you don’t have any on hand.

You can 100% have dessert that’s clean and healthy and DELICIOUS.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding
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Ingredients
  1. 1 ripe avocado 1 can full fat coconut milk
  2. 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
  3. 1 tsp vanilla extract 12-15 drops stevia
  4. 1 scoop collagen powder (optional)
Toppings
  1. (optional) coconut whip (see below for directions)
  2. mint leaves 70% chocolate shavings
  3. Frozen raspberries
Instructions
  1. Add all of the above ingredients (minus the toppings) into food processor and blender until smooth and creamy.
  2. Refrigerate mixture for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  3. To make the coconut whip, refrigerate a can of full fat coconut milk overnight.
  4. Next day, turn it upside down and scoop out the cream only.
  5. Add it to a bowl with 1 tsp vanilla & a few drops of stevia.
  6. Using a hand held or stand mixer, whip until it resembles whip cream.
  7. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
  8. To serve, portion out chocolate avocado pudding into individual ceramic dessert bowls or mason jars, top with a generous serving of coconut whip, a few frozen raspberries, shave 70% dark chocolate over top and garnish with mint leaves.
  9. Enjoy!!!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Sun Butter Bark (Paleo, Keto, Nut Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free)

Do I dare even say the word? …. CHRISTMAS!

I know I know, it’s still over 2 months away, but every time I make a bark of some sort, I can’t help but think of Christmas. And this Sun Butter Bark is seriously off the charts.

And listen friends, Christmas will be here before you know it, so you better start getting your shit together 🙂 Honestly, that’s advise I have to take myself because I hate being a last minute shopper (which ends up happening most of the time and I tell myself every year that I’m going to be organized and prepped, but my schedule always seem to get the best of me!). 

Not this time folks! My plan is – 1. to take time off. At least 2 weeks over the holidays, 2. to spend time baking up a delicious storm and 3. to begin my shopping in October. 

But let’s talk about this bark. Because I will definitely be baking it again over the holidays, although there isn’t anything to bake. It’s more of an UN-bake. It’s a mix together, pour on a tray and freeze kinda recipe. Meaning, it takes minutes to make!

And for all you peanut butter lovers out there, you’re gonna LOVE this recipe. I love peanut butter myself and yes – you could swap the sun butter for peanut butter, but unfortunately peanuts are an aflatoxin – meaning they contain a type of mould, so they are not a go to in our home. 

The odd time I’ll buy a container of peanut butter just for a quick fix, but truthfully, sun butter is such a close second that I don’t even miss the peanut butter. And you can also swap the sun butter for any other nut butter – almond or cashew would be great!

It’s treats like this that I love having on hand. It’s high fat, low sugar and I can keep it in the freezer for months. If I’m feeling like a little treat with my evening tea, then I have something on hand that’s delicious and healthy to reach for. 

For you momma’s out there who are wanting to send treats to school with your kids that must be nut free, this recipe would be perfect. BUT… the only thing is that it does melt and come to room temperature quite fast. So it could get a little messy in your kids lunch bag. You might need to pack it with a cooler pack. 

Ok, let’s get un-baking…

ENJOY! 🙂 

Sun Butter Bark
Paleo, Keto, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Egg Free
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup coconut oil, softened
  2. 1/2 cup sun butter (sunflower seed butter), be sure to look for sugar free
  3. 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional, omit for keto)
  4. 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  5. Pinch of sea salt
  6. 1/4 cup shredded or finely chopped chocolate (I used a 70% dark chocolate bar)
  7. 2 tbsp cacao nibs
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients, except the chocolate and cacao nibs, in a medium bowl and mix together to combine.
  2. Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet and spread out evenly across the sheet.
  3. Sprinkle with chocolate and cacao nibs.
  4. Place baking sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to freeze and harden.
  5. Remove from freezer and break into pieces.Store in an airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Notes
  1. *Feel free to add in dried fruits, chopped nuts or seeds.
  2. *You can swap the sun butter for any type of nut or seed butter.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Adaptogen Adrenal Fat Bombs (High Fat, Low Carb, Keto Friendly, Paleo)

Who woulda thought you could support your adrenals and eat chocolate all at the same time? Well, it’s possible and these adaptogenic adrenal fat bombs are delicious and super simple to make!

First off, let’s go over some of the key ingredients in this recipe that make it magic (aka. adrenal supportive). 

One of the ingredients used was He Shou Wu – a Traditional Taoist Herb and Jing Tonic. He Shou Wu has been used throughout the centuries as a longevity, anti-aging, blood-building, beauty, and rejuvenation food. Long revered as one of the most important and powerful herbs in Chinese Medicine, He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum), has a rich and mystical history due to some of its more exotic—and highly sought after—benefits and effects. It is rich in iron and zinc—two hard-to-get essential minerals—and is wonderful for:

  • Improving stamina 
  • Promoting red blood cells
  • Enhancing immune function
  • Increasing antioxidant activity 
  • Can tonify and nourish the blood, hair, skin, nervous system, sexual centre
  • Can stimulate the body to produce many longevity-promoting substances, including superoxide dismutase
  • Can stimulate and harmonize adrenal gland function and promote general endocrine system balance

Sounds amazing right??

Then I added in some Anandamide. I know, another strange sounding ingredient. This is an exquisite blend of unsweetened, raw heirloom cacao and tonic herbs. It’s hand-crafted in small batches using organic or wildcrafted ingredients and freshly-ground spices. This blend may activate and balance the nervous, digestive, and immune systems and is a perfect treat to brighten the mind and open the heart. It is loaded with adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha, astragalus, suma, moringa, and reishi mushrooms that may all work together to help boost your immune system, enhance and strengthen energy levels, and reduce stress and anxiety.

Basically, it’s awesome-sauce! And it tastes delicious. I really love using Sun Potion tonics as they are of high quality and great additions to smoothies and elixirs – or amazing just on their own. 

Do keep in mind that if you do not have these products on hand, it’s all good. You can leave them out of the recipe. But, I highly suggest giving them a try since they are amazing for adrenal and hormonal health. 

As you can see from the picture, there is ZERO sugar used in this recipe. If you’d like to sweeten it, I would suggest using Lakanto or maybe stevia. You can add in raw honey or maple syrup, but that will take the sugar content up quite a bit and defeat the purpose of a strictly high fat treat. 

You’ll notice I also used the Perfect Keto Chocolate Collagen. This is a grass-fed keto collagen that provides complete collagen recovery. Collagen has a full amino acid profile and is the most important structural protein in your body. However it’s largely absent from the average person’s daily diet. Keto Collagen protein is 10 grams of collagen peptides from grass-fed cows.

This Keto Collagen is paired with MCTs and gut-healthy acacia fiber for great low-carb energy as well. 

I linked up all these ingredients and if you’re interested in getting your hands on any of them, I shop over at PureFeast.com. This is where I buy just about everything! You can save 10% off your first THREE orders over $75 over on Pure Feast, plus get free shipping, when you use coupon code – HolisticWellness. Please note – they only ship within Canada. 

You can purchase Perfect Keto off the US site here and save 15% with coupon code – HolisticWellness. 

Ok, now, lets get to the recipe. Enjoy!

Adaptogenic Adrenal Fat Bombs

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Course: Dessert
Keyword: adrenals, fatbombs, hflc, high fat, highfatlowcarb, holisticwellness, keto, paleo
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Author: Samantha Gladish

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup cacao powder
  • 2 scoops Perfect Keto Collagen in chocolate
  • 2 tbsp Anandamide
  • 1 tbsp He Shou Wu

Instructions

  • Add almond butter and coconut oil to a pot and melt over medium-low heat.
  • Once soft and melting, add in remaining ingredients.
  • Stir together until well combined.
  • Pour into silicon molds, then place in the freezer to set for roughly 30-45 minutes. You can use large or small molds, or pour this onto a tray lined with parchment paper to make fat bomb "bark."
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Cacao Coconut Almond Butter Cups (Keto, High Fat & Sugar Free)

I’ve been obsessed with making fat bombs. Mainly because I love spending time recipe creating, but also because I want to be able to enjoy something sweet every now and again without a boat load of sugar. 

Enter these fat bombs. 

They are high fat and sugar free. Now of course, you can always add in more sweetness if you like as cacao can be slightly bitter, but I much prefer them without the sweetness and the extra guilt. 

Not to mention the insane cravings that start to follow once you consume too much sugar. Ever notice that? You go sugar free or low carb for a while and then – BAM – one bite of a sweet cake or cookie or piece of bread and your cravings come back full force?

It’s normal. Sugar triggers pleasure receptors in your brain, which cause you to want more and more and more. 

This is why I like to keep my sugar intake very low and my fat intake high. It keeps my sugar cravings at bay, it helps to balance my blood sugar, it keeps my brain fuelled and it provides me with lots of energy. Plus, fat is incredibly important for hormonal health. 

Fats are structural components of some of the most important substances in the body, including prostaglandins, which are hormone-like substances that regulate many of the body’s functions.

You need fats because they regulate the production of sex hormones, which can often be the reason why some teenage girls and women in general can experience amenorrhea (no period). 

So if you’ve been hesitant about including fats in your diet, don’t be. Just be sure to choose the right kinds, such as: coconut oil, ghee, grass fed butter, animal fats (ideally from organic, grass fed, pasture raised animals), olive oil, avocado oil and avocado. 

I hope you enjoy these yummy fat bombs as much as we do. We keep a bunch in the freezer all the time for a quick grab and go snack or treat. I originally made these for my trip out to Banff. I wanted to have something healthy and high fat to fuel me while on the plane. 

Originally, I made these without the almond butter and they were great, though a little more on the bitter side. As a note – the almond butter does mean they will melt quicker, so just an FYI if you do plan on traveling with them.

I also used my new silicon molds which I’m obsessed with. They are amazing for baking as nothing sticks to them, plus they are reusable.

You can click here to get them on amazon. I also got the mini silicon baking molds. These were great for my Chocolate Cherry Fat Bombs

I highly recommend them for all your baking necessities 🙂 Enjoy and happy baking!

 

Cacao Coconut Almond Butter Cups (Keto, High Fat & Sugar Free)
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Ingredients
  1. 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
  2. 3/4 cup cacao butter, cut into small chunks
  3. 2 tbsp coconut oil or ghee (I like the vanilla ghee from Lee's Ghee)
  4. 3 heaping tbsp almond butter (crunchy or smooth)
  5. 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  6. Pinch of sea salt
  7. 2 tbsp lakanto or swerve, optional (you can add more or less depending on the amount of sweetness you prefer. Liquid stevia would work well too).
  8. 1/2 cup coconut chips, roughly chopped or broken into small pieces (chopped nuts would work well too)
Instructions
  1. Line a large muffin pan with silicon liners.
  2. Over a double boiler, melt cacao butter and coconut oil or ghee together.
  3. As they start to melt, add in almond butter and cacao, gently stirring everything together.
  4. Add in vanilla extract, sea salt and sweetener of choice.
  5. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in coconut chips.
  6. Pour into silicon muffin molds. I filled mine just over 1/4 of the way. I didn't want them to thick.
  7. Place in the freezer for 1 hour to set. Then remove from freezer when ready to eat. If using the silicon molds, they pop right out of them with ease!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Chocolate Coconut Cherry Fat Bombs (High Fat, Low Carb)

Chocolate, coconut and cherry is pretty much a magical match made in heaven. 

These delicious fat bombs are so-damn-good and perfect to whip up for your special Valentine. 

I just absolutely love cherries! I buy tart frozen cherries and always keep a stash in the freezer. They are perfectly sweet and in fact, are great for combating inflammation and helping with sleep as they contain melatonin. 

Melatonin is a hormone secreted at night by the pineal gland in the center of your brain to help to regulate your circadian rhythm. In order to produce adequate amounts of melatonin, it’s important that you head outside for at least 30 minutes – 2 hours a day (regardless of the weather), as natural light exposure helps support your natural circadian rhythm.

But melatonin is not only produced in the pineal gland—it is also naturally present in certain foods, cherries being one of them. Their was a study done on participants who drank tart cherry juice post workout to help with their recovery and they found that not only did the cherry juice help combat inflammation, but it also increased melatonin levels. 

Now, if you eat these delicious gems during the day, trust me, you’re not going to all of a sudden do a face plant on the floor and fall asleep. It’s not that strong! But they might help encourage better sleep – bonus!

As we age, we produce less melatonin, which is often the reason why so many elderly men and women struggle with insomnia. And if you throw in autoimmunity or other health complications and conditions, lacking sleep means your body is not healing. 

As I work on healing my Hashimoto’s, sleep has become my number one priority. And guess what? I’m feeling like a million bucks because I’ve been sleeping so well. 

Last year I had so many issues with sleep, getting to sleep, staying asleep and because of it, my healing process was taking a long time. I felt exhausted (obviously) and this started to affect my workouts and my day-to-day. 

Now, I’m working out 4 days a week and sleep through the night. I do take a cocktail of supplements before bed and I’ve been using the true dark glasses at night if I’m watching netflix. These glasses have been a GAME changer for blocking out blue light. I recommend getting both the yellow (for the computer) and the red glasses (the stronger ones for tv and sleep). 

Anyhow, enough talking. Let’s get to these delicious Chocolate Coconut Cherry Fat Bombs. Oh! and Happy Valentines Day xoxo

P.S. Here is the silicon molds I used for this recipe. I ordered it off of amazon here. These molds are a game-changer for baking. Easy clean up and nothing sticks to them!

P.P.S. If you’re loving the high fat, low carb way of eating, then click here to learn more about my metabolic reset weight loss program. This 12 week program is amazing for helping you burn fat and balance your hormones.

Chocolate Coconut Cherry Fat Bombs
Yields 30
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Ingredients
  1. CHERRY FILLING
  2. 1 cup full fat coconut cream (from top of canned coconut milk)
  3. 3/4 cup frozen tart cherries, pitted
  4. 1 tbsp lakanto or swerve (optional)
  5. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  6. CHOCOLATE COATING
  7. 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
  8. 2 tbsp shredded cacao butter (optional)
  9. 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
  1. CHERRY FILLING: place all cherry filling ingredients into a food processor and combine until creamy. Spoon mixture into mini silicon molds. (you can use any size, I personally like the mini ones. My silicon mold holds 30). Spoon mixture about 3/4 of the way, leaving space to pour in chocolate.
  2. Place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to harden.
  3. CHOCOLATE COATING: over a double boiler, melt together chocolate chips, cacao butter and coconut oil. Once melted and smooth, remove fat bombs from freezer and pour in chocolate over each mold.
  4. Place back in the freezer for 1-2 hours to set and harden. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and pop out fat bombs from the molds. The silicon is great as the fat bombs don't stick and pop right out! These fat bombs melt fairly quickly, so eat right away once out of the freezer.
  5. Can keep stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Sugar Free Almond Butter Chocolate Brownies

Ready for the fluffiest brownies ever? These sugar free almond butter chocolate brownies are to die for. 

And guess what? They contain ZERO dairy, gluten AND sugar! Yup, that’s right. No sugar here. Only healthy fats and protein – which is my kind of treat. 

I absolutely love spending time on the weekends testing out recipes. Truth is, I have so many new ones to share with you but I just haven’t had the time to post them on the blog!

But ready for the best part about these brownies? They contain fat burning MCT Oil. I added the MCT on a whim – as I was too impatient to melt coconut oil, so instead, I opted for MCT oil.

#fatburningbrownies

If you’re unfamiliar with MCT oil – which stands for medium chain triglycerides; this healthy oil comes from coconuts and your body actually uses it as a preferred energy source instead of storing it. So just to be clear – FAT does not make you fat. Sugar does.

Now with that said, if you’re eating fried foods and lots of inflammatory vegetable oils – then those types of fats will cause you to gain weight, while healthy fats from coconut, grass fed butter, pasture raised meats, ghee, avocado, olive oil and fish, actually fuel your body, your brain and your hormones – leading to less sugar cravings and more weight loss! Amazing right?

I’d love to see your fat burning brownie creations on social media, so be sure to tag me #holisticwellness and
#fatburning brownies so I can check out your posts and connect with you!

Now onto these delicious gems. Enjoy and happy baking. 

Sugar Free Almond Butter Chocolate Brownies
Yields 16
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
25 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
25 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup creamy almond butter
  2. ½ cup coconut milk
  3. 3 eggs
  4. 2 tbsp MCT oil (or melted coconut oil)
  5. 1/3 cup lakanto sweetener (monk fruit)
  6. 1 tsp vanilla
  7. 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  8. ½ cup unsweetened cacao powder
  9. 2 tsp baking soda
  10. Pinch of sea salt
  11. 2 tbsp creamy almond butter for drizzle
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375° and line a brownie pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine almond butter, eggs, milk, mct oil, lakanto, and vanilla; use a whisk to mix together.
  3. Add cacao, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and mix together well with whisk. Pour into prepared brownie pan.
  4. Over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp almond butter and drizzle overtop of chocolate brownie batter.
  5. Place pan in oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until brownies are cooked through.
  6. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  7. Cut, serve and enjoy!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Fat PHAT Bombs – High Fat, High Protein & Sugar Free

Are you ready for a sugar free treat that is full of healthy, gut supportive, hormone loving FAT?

Ya… I thought you’d be excited!

My good friend Marni, over at the Ultimate Health Podcast shared a recipe for Carob Cookies on her FB page the other day and I went ahead and just had to make them and added in a few extra ingredients of my own.

And the best of part; you only need are 5 simple and healthy ingredients, that you probably already have on hand! #bonus

One of the ingredients in this delicious fudge or bark or phat bomb (it’s just so many things, I’m not sure what to call it!), is carob.

If you don’t have carob powder, you can use cacao powder, but you would need to add some sweetness to the batter. I would suggest Lakanto or maybe stevia. This would keep it sugar free. Otherwise, you can use some brown rice syrup or maple syrup. Raw cacao powder is quite bitter, so it would definitely need a touch of sweetness.

So why carob?

Well, you know I’m a big fan of cacao and it’s loaded with lots of minerals and goodness, but it does contain caffeine and theobromine, which can be stimulating for some people. And, often times, when people are looking to lower inflammation and/or histamines in their body, chocolate/cacao needs to be eliminated, whereas carob can still be enjoyed! 

In the effort to support those trying to lower inflammation and heal their gut, carob is a great alternative to chocolate/cacao. And best part of all, this recipe is incredibly supportive for those who are trying to eliminate sugar. 

I know how difficult it can be to kick the sugar habit, but by introducing more healthy fats and quality protein, you’d be surprised how quickly your cravings can diminish.

I think you’ll love this guilt free, delicious treat! Be sure to let me know how you like it and how quickly your family eats them up!

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups large coconut flakes
  • 2 tbsp carob powder (toasted or roasted, NOT raw! I use Bob’s Red Mill brand, otherwise use cacao powder)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil (not melted, but soft, room temperature)
  • 2 heaping tbsp raw almond butter
  • 1 scoop organic Chocolate Whey Protein Powder (I used Progressive Organic Whey. Use your favourite brand and type).

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Scoop out onto a plate or tray covered with parchment paper. Evenly spread out ‘batter’ and put in the freezer for 30-40 minutes. Once frozen, break up into pieces and enjoy! 

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