Blissful Tropical Parfaits

Today’s post is a guest post from Ashley Cox of The Naked Food Life.  I know you are going to love it!

Hello, everyone! I am extremely grateful and excited to share a summer recipe with Melissa’s awesome followers while she is out of town. I read all of her posts and they have definitely served as inspiration to my own recipe development. Like Melissa’s creations, this one includes exclusively whole foods, comes together quickly, and tastes amazing! Thanks for reading!

Sunshine. Ocean water. Fruity cocktails. I am totally into anything that evokes feelings of tropical paradise. Beachside vacations are not something that any of us get enough of, so we just have to pretend. Thus, I created a dessert that takes us on a mini vacation, far, far away. It’s a parfait, because I love , LOVE layered desserts. Each bite tastes a little bit different, and parfaits are just overall fun to eat and very refreshing during warm summer days.

Chia pudding makes a refreshing base for this dessert and the mango cream tastes a lot like cheesecake and has a lovely caramel overtone. The streusel is ridiculously healthy and adds a crunchy/chewy texture. And let’s top this thing off with whipped cream and lots of tropical fruit and macadamias because we are on a beach, remember?!

Blissful Tropical Parfaits

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Prep Time 20 min Serves 4     adjust servings

The perfect dessert for summer!

Ingredients

Mango Cream

• 3/4 cup cashews , soaked and drained
• 10 medjool dates , pitted and soaked
• 1/2 cup diced ripe mango
• 3 tbsp softened coconut cream or coconut butter
• 3-4 tbsp date soaking liquid
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
• 2 tsp fresh squeezed orange juice
• Optional: 1 tsp maca powder

Chia Pudding

• Liquid from 2 cans chilled coconut milk (use the solid part for the whipped cream below)
• Remaining date soaking liquid from mango cream
• Pinch sea salt
• 1/4 cup chia seeds

Streusel

• 4 Medjool dates , pitted
• 1/2 c pecans
• 1/2 cup macadamias, or cashews
• Pinch of cinnamon

Instructions

1. Mango Cream:
2. Blend everything in a high speed blender until smooth.
3. Chia Pudding:
4. Without washing the blender, blend everything but the chia seeds. Add the chia seeds to a large bowl and whisk in milk. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
5. Streusel:
6. Pulse the nuts and cinnamon a few times in a few processor. Add dates and process for 10 seconds or until crumbly.

by Melissa King

Recipe Notes

For Serving:

Coconut Whipped Cream

Whip the solid cream from 2 cans chilled coconut milk until light and fluffy. Add 1 tbsp maple syrup and whip for a few more seconds.

Diced mango and pineapple
Banana slices
Coconut flakes and/or chopped macadamias

Assembly:

Spoon 1/2 c chia pudding into glasses or jars. Top with 2 tbsp mango cream, 1/2 tbsp streusel, and fruit.
Continue to layer until glass is full. Top with coconut whipped cream, streusel/nuts, and more fruit.
Refrigerate until chilled. Enjoy for breakfast, dessert, or an indulgent snack.

Ashley Cox is Culinary Arts graduate and personal chef specializing in sustainable, plant-based food, special diets, and holistic living. She worked as a Raw Vegan Chef for two years in the Chicago Suburbs where she discovered her passion for vegan cuisine and taught raw food classes. She resides in Forest Park and enjoys yoga, exploring Chicago, traveling, and cooking for anyone who enjoys a fresh healthy meal. Her philosophy is eat pure, eat simple, and listen to your body, because when you nourish your body, you nourish your soul!

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