I always like to give you a bit of a background on the development of a recipe. This one was born literally over the past week, purely after a consultation with one of my clients who requires quite a specific diet around her very complicated health issues.
I proudly feel that the JCN Clinic has built a strong reputation for being trailblazers in the arena of gut health and due to this we are attracting some pretty intensive cases. We still see what we would call our regular gut health clients that for us are more simplistic to treat. These clients generally require some general tweaks and some relatively simplistic changes to see them feeling fabulous and educated regrading what works for them. However, some of our more complex cases involve more intensive long-term treatment, which requires an investment in time and patience.
After twelve years of practice (and still going!) these types of clients have become my soft spot. It pains my heart to hear their stories so often filled with years, if not decades of ongoing treatments with usually thousands of dollars spent. Frustratingly, I often feel that the money and time they have spent could have been used so much more effectively with the right guidance.
By no means am I saying I am the holy grail of answers, but I do know a case that has been mismanaged a mile off and I would even boldly say exploited at times for making a buck. From inflated consultation costs to unnecessary amounts of costly functional testing, the range of dollars spent can be overwhelming. I think in our current world of complimentary medicine functional testing is a very powerful tool, however it is fundamental that we do not forget the person sitting in front of us and what they are telling us. Too often practitioners are seduced by functional testing to get ‘all the answers’ when the answer can be right in front of them if they just really listen.
For me, functional testing has been a game changer but without question the person telling me their experiences, their symptoms and their health story is the most valuable tool I can have. Functional testing can also put a lot of emphasis back onto supplement protocols and have practitioners treating in a symptomatic way if not careful. We have to remember the integral basics of ‘we are what we eat’ and ‘how’ we eat. You can pump someone full of 15 – 20 of the best supplements on the market (believe me, we see these types of supplement numbers in the clinic too often) but if they are not eating the right diet for them and taking care of their own health, taking accountability for their wellness then this can be fruitless waste of money and time.
I get attached and emotionally involved with my clients like a lot of practitioners out there. I guess that’s why I can be so passionate about this topic. I want to see these clients who have struggled so immensly with their health in ways that many of us cannot imagine really thrive and feel well. So commonly they are on the most restrictive of diets that you can not begin to imagine, so working on building up their food intake and variety of meal options is truly rewarding. Their case history is often littered with hundreds of supplements and tests, numeruous practitioners, intergrated doctors and the like. For me, really stepping back from the overwhelming nature of all of this is vital along with listening to what the client is telling me about themselves, their health struggles and of course reading inbetween the lines where needed.
Food is so magical. Obviously there is a time and place for supplements but the wonders of food used medicinally and therapeutically aligned with a persons needs is a very powerful tool indeed. Food is also an important part of our lives and something to be enjoyed. Therefore, creating recipes and dietary plans for these types of clients, allowing them to enjoy food once again and get excited about eating is rewarding to me as their practitioner, but more importantly them as the client!
That is where this avocado chocolate mousse was born. There are a lot of recipes already around for this type of raw mousse , but I needed one without any sugar and also void of any added nuts, seeds or coconut. You can imagine for those wanting creaminess with limitations around dairy, nuts, seeds and coconut the choices can be quite limiting! Enter stage left this mousse recipe, sweetened naturally with pure vanilla and carob powder it works a treat to bring that chocolate like flavour, whilst ticking all of the dietary requirements for those who need joyful variety with food that is so often lost in tough cases. For others, its still a fabulous recipe that will have you enjoying some common pantry ingredients in a whole new way!
avocado chocolate mousse
- serves
- makes approx 2 cups
- preparation time
- 10 mintes
- cooking time
- nil
ingredients
- 2 medium sized hass avocados
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or powder (or seeds from a vanilla bean)
- 1/3 cup carob powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup cold pressed unrefined macadamia nut oil
method
Use a sharp knife to half the avocado’s and scoop out all of the flesh into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend till smooth and creamy.
Spoon out and enjoy immediately or place in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy alone or spooned on top of pancakes, granola or waffles. Lovely with fresh seasonal fruit.
Additions: try adding chilli flakes to the mousse for a choc chilli flavour, use raw cacao instead of carob and add a date to sweeten, add macca and mesquite with more salt for a salted caramel flavour, and a few drops of food grade peppermint oil of a choc peppermint finish.
Jessica Cox is a qualified practicing Nutritionist with a Bachelor Health Science (Nutrition) and over 15 years of clinical experience. She is the founder and director JCN Clinic, published author and established recipe developer. Jessica is well respected within health and wellness space for her no fad approach and use of evidence-based nutrition.
