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Hey y’all! When you see this, I’m going to be on a choir tour, but I actually scheduled this post last Friday while I was grabbing some wifi at Starbucks in Ephrata, PA. (I was only at Starbucks because the McDonald’s wifi wasn’t working. I don’t like coffee, and $2.39 for a cup of hot tea is just a bit ridiculous. But it meant I got good internet, so it was worth the cost.) Wondering what I’m doing in PA? Check out this post to see what I’ve been up to lately and where I’m headed after this!
Today’s post is going to be short and sweet because I don’t have much time to write but I didn’t want to leave you stranded too long without a recipe. There’s been way too much silence on this blog lately due to my finishing up my cookbook project. First things first, though!
Since I finished up the recipe testing portion of my cookbook, I’ve been trying to eat lighter and focus on THM: Deep S recipes using foundation fats like coconut oil instead of Heavy S recipes with lots of heavy fats like cream and peanut butter that aren’t as easily digested by the body. While I was testing recipes for my cookbook, I was eating way too much heavy dessert (I made 3 cheesecakes in one week…). Now that I’ve switched to lighter fare I can definitely tell a difference in how I feel – and I’m losing weight again!
This pudding has a great texture and it’s super refreshing…and it’s a Deep S! Deep S recipes can be hard to come by, especially Deep S dessert recipes. This one is a chocolate pudding, but it’s more of a milk chocolate than a dark chocolate (which I know will make some of you happy). It has a full tablespoon of coconut oil in it to rev up the metabolism, and it makes a great afternoon snack!
This pudding also makes a great hot chocolate if you drink it warm and don’t refrigerate it to set it up like a pudding.
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You might also enjoy:
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- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp. Knox gelatin*
- 1 T refined coconut oil
- -
- 1 cup cold unsweetened almond milk (or carton coconut milk for a nut free version)**
- 3 T whey protein powder
- 4 tsp. cocoa powder
- ⅛ tsp. THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder
- 3/32 tsp. salt (3 doonks)
- Dash vanilla extract
- Whisk the gelatin into the water. Add the coconut oil and heat the mixture until the coconut oil is melted (1 minute in the microwave).
- Blend the hot liquid with the other ingredients until everything is emulsified and smooth. (Always be careful when blending hot liquids, and vent your blender as necessary. An immersion blender would be a good option.)
- Enjoy warm as hot chocolate or chill the mixture for several hours until firm and enjoy as a pudding. Yields 1 serving
**Most people with nut allergies can have coconut products no problem, but check with your doctor first.
Some instant coffee granules would be a great addition!
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This is an excellent recipe! I doubled the gelatin (using THM) after reading some people had a problem with it setting. I also used collagen in place of the whey. It definitely needed to set overnight, but by the next morning it was the perfect jello consistency. Thank you for a great recipe!
Brianna, I developed a coconut allergy after upping my coconut oil intake a few years ago. Is their another oil I can use that is still good for me?
I would try butter in this recipe if you can’t have coconut oil. 🙂
If I just used 1 teaspoon of coconut oil instead of 1 tablespoon, would this be a fuel pull?
Yep!
You just helped me make the perfect hot chocolate. Perfect ratio of creaminess to chocolatey. Tastes like I melted actual chocolate. Thank you thank you! This is my new go to. I can’t wait to try it chilled. I added a dash of orange extract to imitate my beloved chocolate orange.
I have tried this recipe twice in the past and it didn’t thicken at all…I buy the bulk gelatin from bulk barn. I tried it again today with 1 TBSP of the bulk gelatin and it is the perfect texture!! I’m just starting a fuel cycle, so am excited to have a delicious chocolate pudding for my snack!! Thank you so much for all the fabulous recipes…I use a lot of them!
That’s interesting! I’m glad you found the right amount for your gelatin brand! Thanks for sharing!
In my shaky post workout state, I made this thinking it was a smoothie so I threw in several fistfuls of spinach. I drank it like a smoothie which was so delicious, but oh so rich. I’ll definitely try again as pudding.
I am new to THM and still so confused after reading some of the chapters. I know I just need to get in there and read the Plan book before I ask questions. But when looking at carbs and fats, when I make a recipe, I don’t always know the total carbs and fats, so I’m just trying to follow the recipes I see that are supposedly THM. I know I’ll get there, but just puzzled at present.
Read the plan book a time or two, especially the chapters on S and E, and it’ll come! The plan book has some helpful lists of what ingredients fall under what fuel type, so once you become familiar with those you’ll find it easier to identify fuel types yourself. This Starting THM page might have some helpful info for you! https://www.briana-thomas.com/starting-trim-healthy-mama/
Kind of new to the THM lifestyle. Question …. since I can’t have nuts on a deep S, can I still have almond milk?
Hi Marcie! You’re right – no nuts on Deep S, but you can have up to a cup of unsweetened almond milk (the storebought kind with about 30 calories, as homemade may not be as “light”) per serving in a Deep S setting.
I’ve just started thm. I have celiac, and am dairy intolerant. I’d like to try this recipe for milk chocolate pudding. Is there no alternative for the whey protein in this recipe? Would collagen work?
You’re welcome to try collagen but it may not be as creamy.
Not sure if this is where I should ask but I have some fat free sugar free jello instant pudding in my cupboard and I wondered if it would be on plan for THM is I prepared it with almond milk. I understand if you only use like a quarter cup instead of the two cups milk called for that it will set up. I would like to use it up.
I will definitely give this recipe a try. Would really like some banana pudding but I understand bananas must be kept to a minimum. Thank you for your time.
Hi Dee! I’m sorry, but I’m not sure what the ingredients are in your pudding so I don’t know if it’s on plan or not. Most of those store-bought sugar-free puddings aren’t because they have off-plan sweeteners and starches, I’m afraid. If you want a banana pudding, check out the Banana Cottage Whip from A Home With Purpose blog!
Can I substitute glucomanan for the gelatin? I’m trying to figure out recipes to use it in. And I don’t have gelatin 🙂
No, glucomannan and gelatin thicken differently and are different strengths, so I don’t recommend that I’m afraid. If you’re trying to use up glucomannan, I recommend trying some of my single-serve pudding cakes! You can also use it in many of my shake and ice cream recipes.
Made this followed recipe to a t. Didn’t set up for me either. I used Knox gelatin. Wonder what went wrong.
I’m sorry – I have no idea what the problem is!
Would this still be deep S if you substitute heavy cream for almond milk? Mine didn’t thicken completely, even in freezer. Just wondered if that would give a thicker texture.
No, I’m afraid heavy cream is not allowed in a Deep S setting and would make this pudding a lot more calorie dense. If yours didn’t thicken completely, I recommend adding a little more gelatin next time. 🙂
Hey-tried the above recipe and the mixture never firmed into pudding. What did I do wrong ?
I’m afraid I don’t know. Did you make any substitutions? Would brand of gelatin did you use?
Mine thickened slightly, but more like a slightly thickened beverage. Not spoonable except like spooning soup. I used NOW brand beef gelatin with the increased measurement as mentioned in the notes. I wonder what happened? I had to increase the sweetener also, but it does taste great.
How long did you refrigerate it? Maybe it needs a little longer to set up?
Update: After about 5 hrs, it still had not set up. Then I left it overnight and it seems quite a bit more set up since the day before. Next time I make it, I may add slightly more beef gelatin and just plan to make it the day before I plan to use it. I do like it. Thank you for sharing.
Sounds like a good plan! I haven’t experimented with NOW brand gelatin, so maybe it’s not as strong as the other beef gelatins I tried. Thanks for letting me know!
I made this just now and doubled the recipe, felt it was not quite sweet enough as is, so added a bit of xylitol. It is now absolutely perfect as a hot cocoa recipe and I have the rest of it in the fridge for tomorrow to eat as pudding … I’m excited to have a pudding option that tastes SO good–I usually make the gluccomannan-thickened puddings and they are good enough, but the texture is not quite my favorite. I am sure this will be a nice, light fluffy texture with the protein powder–so glad you thought to try it and share it with us 🙂 Thank you!
Lila. .. how much xylitol did you add?
this looks so good. Can’t wait to try it. Though, I didn’t think almond milk (since coming from a nut) is deep S. hmmmmm…..
The kind from the carton with minimal fats and carbs is approved in a Deep S setting.
Hi, I’m a little confused on the ingredient list. Is that 3 doonks of stevia or 3 doonks of salt?
The recipe calls for 1/8 tsp. THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder and 3/32 tsp. (or 3 doonks) salt.
Thank you……i do hv the first THM book but hv not been able to wrap my brain around it. Ive made two good attempts and gained weight. Everyone has these success stories but me. Is there a THM book out there for dummies? I think thats what i need!
The new plan book has a more user-friendly interface. 🙂
This looks fantastic! And I love that It’s a deep S, but I’ve got a question… Do you have to add the Protein Powder? I’ve noticed that when I make Smoothies or stuff like that with the protein powder it always leaves that taste, and I can never seem to mask it with anything. I use the THM Pristine Whey protein powder…
I’ve had this question for a while, and I’m always scared to make anything that has protein powder in it! Can you help?
In this case, the protein powder is essential for creaminess. I use Swanson brand and I personally think it tastes better than the THM brand. Technically Swanson is no longer on plan because it’s whey protein concentrate, not whey protein isolate, but the nutritional info hardly changed so I still use it.
It really depends on the recipe. Sometimes it’s just added for a protein boost so you could omit it and get protein another way. In some recipes, like this one, it actually serves another purpose so leaving it out isn’t recommended.
I make a lot of recipes and leave out the protein powder. I have it. It just doesn’t sit well with me.
So glad to see no glucco man on in it…I don’t enjoy the “slimyness” of it. Thanks! Can’t wait to try it! *Jenn
I don’t care for glucomannan either so I use zanthan gum in place of it. SO much better.
Do you use equal amounts of zanthan gum as you would use glucomanan?
Typically they’re a 1:1 ratio. 🙂
Could you explain “Deep S” ? I don’t understand..
It basically focuses on foundation fats (butter, coconut oil, red meat, eggs) and cuts back on fats that are harder to digest, like those from nuts, cheese, and cream cheese. It also cuts out some foods that are generally OK in an S setting but contain more carbs, like dairy products, green peas, onions, and tomatoes. You can find out more in the THM plan books. 🙂
I had the same question. Thanks for explaining, Briana. Is it called Deep S in the first THM book that explains the plan in detail? I didn’t notice it when skimming the S section but maybe that’s not where it is or possibly it’s called by a slightly different name? (For some reason this post still says “Your comment is awaiting moderation.” I don’t fully understand that but thought I’d try again in case this wasn’t rec’d the first try. Thanks.)
In the original THM book, Deep S is explained in the fuel cycle chapter. I think that may be where it is in the new plan book as well, but I’m out of state and don’t have mine with me at the moment to check (that’s also why your comment was waiting to be approved for awhile 😉 ).
Can’t wait to try this! Praying God will pour His rich blessing on you and the rest of the choir as you share His Word in song.