The Best Dairy-Free Chocolate Avocado Cream Pie with Whipped Coconut Cream!

Avocado in a chocolate pie??? 

Despite avocado’s relatively neutral flavor, for years it’s been relegated to the savory foods department. Avocado is typically used in guacamole and salads, or the occasional dip for variety. And with these kinds of limitations, it only makes it to the table once every few weeks. What a shame that this amazing nutrient dense fruit with so many health benefits is only eaten once a week at most, on Mexican night!

Now, I confess that initially I thought using avocado in sweet dishes was weird. As a kid a saw a recipe in an international cookbook for some kind of sweet avocado dessert from South America and I was like “gross”. But as an adult I’ve realized that some foods or food combinations I used to think were weird as a kid, are actually quite good if I just give them a chance. So when I started seeing recipes for avocado desserts around the internet I thought, I have to try this. And when I saw the chocolate pudding and pie recipes, I was like, What better way to begin my foray into avocado desserts but with chocolate? Ah…chocolate.

To read the rest of my post and view the recipe, please hope on over to Whole Lifestyle Nutrition!

The Best Dairy-Free Chocolate Avocado Cream Pie with Whipped Coconut Cream Recipe!

Oh, and if you want to skip right to my simple and healthy crust recipe (made with palm shortening or butter), click here!

Coconut Lime Fruit Salad

Being from tropical West Africa there was never a shortage of delicious fruit. Most fruit tastes good just by itself, but especially when mixing several different kinds, I like to have a creamy dressing to add some flavor and tie together the flavors.

We went to a dinner gathering at a friend's house this evening and I threw together this salad and was really pleased with how it turned out. I was sure to snap a few pictures so I could put it up on the blog!

Coconut Lime Fruit Salad

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 small pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch pieces
3 medium to large bananas, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 pint strawberries, hulled and chopped, or two ripe mangoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pint blueberries

Coconut Lime Dressing, below

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the shredded coconut on a small baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees for about five minutes or until starting to brown.  Set aside.

Mix the fruit together in a large serving bowl. Toss with Coconut Lime Dressing to coat. Sprinkle with toasted coconut just before serving.

Coconut Lime Dressing:

2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
4 Tablespoons coconut milk
2 Tablespoons honey

Whisk together all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Serve over fruit.

Preparation time: 20 minutes (to chop the fruit). Cook time: 5 minutes. Servings: 12.

My little boy tried to swipe a piece of fruit while I took the picture!

{This recipe is linked up at Fat Tuesday, Traditional Tuesdays, Tasty Traditions and Whole Foods Wednesday.}