My family and I have discovered one of the most nutritious and delicious vegan recipes we’ve ever made and enjoyed. It’s definitely one of our favorites and I’m excited to share it with you.

It’s so easy to make, too! And even easier for me, because I have three eager helpers in the kitchen.

When I was Elisha and Elyssa’s age, I hated anything related to homemaking, especially cooking, which is a lesson to learn about the power of perspective, and about how the worst experiences may contribute to our biggest blessings.

We have fun cooking together because perfection is not expected, because we have fun together, and because we do it with purpose.

But don’t worry, my dear positive mom, you will find that this vegan chocolate mousse recipe is sweet, even without the help of sweet little girls. If you have one or a few of your own, I do encourage you to involve them in this process.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse Ingredients:

• 2 blocks silken or firm tofu (tofu is bought or made to be soft, firm, or extra firm).
• 1 cup Almond Milk
• 1/3 cup Maple Syrup
• 2 cups semi-sweet, non-dairy chocolate chips
• 1 package strawberries
• 1 tbsp. alcohol-free vanilla extract

Before we go into the preparation, let me assure you that the chocolate mousse won’t taste like tofu. Tofu is very versatile and bland. Because of its subtle flavors, it can be made to taste like anything – so you won’t notice it – and neither will your loved ones with sensitive taste buds.

Tofu, also known as bean curd, is very popular among vegans, but you don’t need to be vegan to enjoy it. Tofu is made from soybeans (by curdling soymilk to coagulate its proteins), and therefore, it is plant based.

The recommended daily protein intake is 46 grams for most women, and one half-cup serving of raw firm tofu contains 10.1 grams, so vegan chocolate mousse is very nourishing a great source of plant based protein, with a very low calorie count.

Many commercially available brands of tofu are made from organic and non-genetically modified soybeans, so those are the ones you must look for when you’re shopping for groceries.

How To Prepare Vegan Chocolate Mousse

• Melt the chocolate chips in the milk on the stove in a saucepan
• Add the vanilla extract and let it cool.
• Blend tofu, chocolate mixture, and maple syrup in a blender until smooth
• Pour into a large dish and chill in the refrigerator for about 1-2 hours, or put in freezer for 30 minutes

It’s that easy!

You can involve the kids in different activities so each has a distinct, age appropriate responsibility:

pouring
blending
holding down the blender lid
stirring
mixing
refrigerating
measuring

Do something fun while the chocolate mousse is done so the kids don’t ask you a hundred times whether it’s ready or not. Frustration affects the flavor of even the yummiest foods.

When it’s time to serve, have your kiddos add their own strawberries (tell them how many so no one is let out and they can practice their math), and enjoy the treat at the table together.

This is a very easy and delicious vegan recipe. Will you be making vegan chocolate mousse for your family?

[ela]