It's Never Too Early for Dessert.

Morning! It's been a while since I posted anything. I thought I'd start small and tell you about the accidental chocolate pudding smoothie I made to follow my run. I say "accident" because I didn't intend for it to look, smell, and taste like pudding. It just happened that way.

This smoothie is much more nutritious (and decadent!) than traditional Jell-O pudding. The flax meal contributes dietary fiber, magnesium, phosphorus and copper, and is a very good source of thiamin and manganese. It also contains protein and healthy fats (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids). The strawberries are a good source of folate and potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C and manganese. The banana adds even more dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium and manganese, and is a great source of vitamin B6 (read more about vitamin B6 here). You can read more about all the ingredients here.

Keep in mind that while this shake is packed with vitamins, protein, and nutrients, it also contains a high amount of healthy fats (from the coconut milk) and natural sugars (fruit and maple syrup) and should be consumed in moderation in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise regime. But don't worry, 1 cup will keep you full for hours. This will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days so portion it out. Don't forget a spoon!

What you'll need:

• Blender or food processor
• 10 ripe strawberries (scoop out the hard, white pithy center)
• 2 ripe bananas
• three tbsp pure cocoa powder
• 1 cup coconut milk (can substitute with 1 cup plain yogurt mixed with a little water to thin it out)
• 2 tbsp flax meal
• Maple syrup to taste
• Sliced almonds (to garnish)

1. Start by washing and depithing the berries. Blend until smooth. 
2. Add the banana and coconut milk/yogurt and blend until smooth. 
3. Add the cocoa powder, flax meal and maple syrup and continue blending for 1 minute. 
4. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a large measuring cup or pitcher (it's thick! I used a whisk to help push the smoothie through). 
5. Add more maple syrup to taste. 
6. Pour into a glass and garnish with almonds. 

You can eat this with a spoon (like pudding!) or add a little water to make a drink of it. 

Enjoy!