Organic Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Choosing a Vegan Lifestyle

More people are aware of the many circumstances involving animal cruelty, including factory farming and product testing. As individuals ponder new lifestyle choices, a vegan diet, which eschews all animal products, stands out as an option.

A vegan diet offers a variety of health benefits as well. Numerous doctors advise reducing meat intake and over-processed “white foods” as an effective method to reduce weight, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar spikes. The primary concern of turning vegan is to make sure to review vitamin, mineral, and protein requirements, and select foods or supplements to fuel your body well.

Learn more about turning vegan from the Vegan Society.

Finding Vegan Chocolate

Organic vegan chocolate is a popular dessert choice because the cacao beans are sourced from a fair-trade farm collective. This practice encourages equal trade agreements and a disassociation with West African cocoa production, which is under suspicion for its connection to tribal slavery and terrorism. The product is vegan due to the lack of milk powders and butter used in other chocolate goods.

Americans consume more than 11 pounds of chocolate a year each, on average. That may sound like a lot, but the Swiss enjoy twice that amount! Sustainable farming methods help reduce the reliance on pesticides and encourage better yields. It takes approximately 200 beans to make one pound of chocolate.

Unfortunately, there are not many instant organic vegan chocolate mousse mixes on the market. But here are a couple of options.

You’ll discover practically any organic chocolate product available in the world through Vegan Essentials. Try the Orgran Chocolate Mousse Mix and in six minutes, dessert is ready! Another tasty vegan chocolate treat is French fondue, a perfect accompaniment to fresh strawberries and orange slices.

Hillside Lane Farm has a mousse base that is easily adaptable for vegan recipes.

Stock up on vegan cocoa powder, baking chocolate, and carob chips at Nature’s Flavors.

The premier organic chocolate company Dagoba also has a fine selection of powders, bars and syrups.

Recipes for Organic Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Tofu is a primary ingredient in homemade organic vegan chocolate mousse. It adds a silky texture, and acts as an emulsifier, or thickening agent. Soy milk is also a common addition.

Here’s an easy mousse you can create in just a few minutes. However, for the best consistency, make sure to allow the mixture to chill for at least an hour.

10 oz. unsweetened vegan baking chocolate (more or less to taste), plus extra for shavings

20 oz. soft tofu

½ cup organic evaporated cane juice

2 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine the tofu, cane juice, and vanilla with a mixer or food processor until glossy and smooth, scraping the sides often as you go.
2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler. Make sure to use the lowest heat or flame setting so as to not burn the chocolate. You don’t want chocolate soup--melt until it just starts to liquefy, then stir.
3. Add the chocolate into the tofu mixture, a bit at a time. If you have tiny chocolate clumps, that’s OK.
4. Taste to see if you want to add more chocolate or cane juice.
5. Spoon the mousse into elegant cups and chill. Before serving, add some chocolate shavings, fresh fruit, or a vegan cookie. Serves 4-6.

Here are more mousse recipes to try:

• Dagoba’s Vegan Chocolate Mousse Pie
• 101 Cookbook’s Amaretto-Spiked Vegan Chocolate Mousse
• Vegan Chocolate Mousse Cake
• Chocolate Mousse

Find other great recipes at LoveToKnow Recipes.