Go Dairy Free | Dreamy Crimson Mousse: Dairy-Free and Sugar-Free

Crimson Mousse: Vegan, Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free

Ricki Heller ~ Does anyone out there remember Jello 1-2-3? This dreamy mousse-like concoction reminds me of the top layer of that treat: exceptionally light and airy, yet rich, sweet, and fruity. The color is vibrant, and the flavor is a tantalizing combination of almond, coconut, and vanilla, with a surprising source of sweetness.

Like so many recipes on food blogs this time of year, this one possesses detoxifying properties, since one of its main ingredients is cooked beets (But it doesn’t taste like beets, I promise!). Besides adding that brilliant fuchsia color and a mysterious sweetness to the dessert, beets are also great blood detoxifiers and liver toners. In addition, they’re a good source of fiber, contain cancer-fighting antioxidants, and help reduce inflammation in the body. What other dessert can boast such benefits?

So when you serve this Valentine-inspired mousse to your friends and family, don’t tell them the secret ingredient. Instead, just present them with a beautiful, fluffy, pillowy dessert. Then you can smile knowingly as you watch them gobble it up ...

To note, boiling the beets helps to remove any trace of earthy flavor here; what remains is a vague sweetness and stunning hue. I’ve tried baking the beets instead, and while the color becomes even more intense in that case, so does the “beety” flavor; I wouldn’t advise it.

Recipe: Creamy Crimson Vegan Mousse

Ingredients

1 medium beet, peeled, diced and boiled until very soft (at least 30 minutes)
1/3 cup (55 g) raw cashews
1 cup (240 ml) full fat coconut milk
2 Tbsp (30 ml) whole chia seeds, measured first and then ground in a coffee grinder to a fine powder
1/4 tsp (1 ml) pure almond extract
1/4 tsp (1 ml) coconut extract (optional)
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
15-25 drops stevia liquid, to taste (will depend on the brand)**
1 Tbsp (15 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

Once the beets are soft, drain them well (you can reserve the liquid for soup or other uses).
Place the drained beets and remaining ingredients in a high speed blender* and blend until perfectly smooth, pushing the mousse down into the blades occasionally as necessary.
Turn the mixture into a bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight (refrigerating allows the cashews to absorb some of the liquid and the mousse to thicken).
Spoon or pipe into serving dishes and top with coconut whipped cream, if desired.

Quick notes

I used a VitaMix, but I’m sure this would work in a regular blender, too. In a conventional blender, I’d do it this way: pour coconut milk and all other ingredients except beets and chia into the blender and blend until the mixture is smooth. Add beets and blend again until perfectly smooth; then add the chia and blend to combine. You may need to blend in smaller batches this way, and then stir the contents together in a bowl before refrigerating.

Variations

You can use agave or maple syrup if you prefer, but make these changes: use 1/4 cup agave or maple syrup, remove about 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of the coconut milk and increase cashews to 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp (70 g) before blending.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegan, Dairy free, Egg free, Gluten free, Peanut free, Soy free, Wheat free, Sugar free

Number of servings (yield): 3

Article, recipe, and photos by Ricki Heller, author of Sweet Freedom, a dessert cookbook free of dairy, wheat, eggs, and refined sugars. Ricki currently blogs new recipes that are ACD and SCD-friendly (dairy-free, low glycemic, gluten-free, and vegan) at her blog, Diet, Dessert and Dogs. On her blog, you can also find her two latest e-cookbooks: Desserts without Compromise and Anti Candida Feast Book.