No Bake Mini Chocolate Mousse Tarts {nut-free}

No-bake means no oven.  These easy Mini Chocolate Mousse Tarts are egg-free, nut-free, and no-bake!  Just stock up on avocados for the chocolate mousse filling and you're off to a great start!  An irresistible nut-free crust filled with silky smooth chocolate mousse.  You'd never know hidden veggies were hiding in this delicious dessert!  

I love making raw no-bake treats.  You don't have to use an oven!  Everything can be made with just a food processor, a refrigerator/freezer, and a pan!  Naturally, the desire to create no-bake treats started to brew in my mind.  No-bake seemed challenging, but also magical. 

MINI CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TARTS INSPIRATION

After seeing no-bake carrot cups from a favorite blogger of mine: The Healthy Maven, I knew it was time to have a go at no-bake treat making.

Davida made these little mini carrot cake no-bake treats that not only looked delicious but the presentation was spot on.  I was mesmerized.   The centers were whipped to perfection with an oat crust.  I watched her make them on a video, and I knew no-bake was something I wanted to partake in. 

The trouble for me with her creation was that it used all the ingredients that I couldn't have, plus I'm not the biggest fan of carrot cake.  But it got me thinking about what I could create, and if you've been following along for a while you know I love chocolate.  Along with a gluten-free diet I am also nut-free, egg-free, and dairy-free.  And all those free's had landed me in no-mans ingredient land.  How could I make a no-bake raw treat without the use of nuts?  

AREN'T ALL RAW NO BAKE DESSERTS MADE WITH NUTS?

• Mostly, yes
• Many store-bought no-bake desserts are made with nuts
• Unless you come across someone with a nut-allergy/sensitivity who makes raw treats (like me)

While in ingredient no-mans-land I began to develop recipes with real food ingredients opposite of my sensitivities.  I feel a sense of accomplishment when I can hide veggies in smoothies, and desserts.

This recipe uses healthy but decadent ingredients such as Medjool dates, watermelon seeds, coconut, avocado, cacao, gluten-free whole grain oats and so much more providing an all-around nutritiously dense crust.

HOW TO CREATE A NO-BAKE MINI CRUST

• Choose a mini cupcake mold
• Using a food processor add whole food ingredients in order of a recipe and blend together with the click of a button
• You'll take ingredients in their whole form and blend them together to create what will look like cookie dough.  Instead of baking the dough, you'll mold it into a mini cupcake tin and put it in the refrigerator.  And that is how the crust gets made.
• It's going to be easier than it looks.  There are steps.  Follow the steps and the step picture examples below.  You are guided.

WHAT SEEDS TO USE INSTEAD OF NUTS

Go Raw makes raw seeds. and raw seed creations.  This is the brand I love using for raw seeds and nuts, along with Healthy Truth Foods.  For this recipe, I played with watermelon seeds.  But if you cannot get those choose a seed like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.  Their seeds and nuts are raw and sprouted.  Raw and sprouted are the best because they are easier to digest and they give you the most nutritional benefits.

HOW TO USE HIDDEN VEGGIES

• Avocado creates the same creaminess that dairy creates.  So instead of cream, instead of dairy milk, we are using ripe avocados.   
• This green fruit, yes I said fruit has a mild flavor.  When seasoned with lime and salt it brings out the immense flavor.  If you are using sugar and chocolate you'll have the opposite effect, the avocado gets hidden,
• Using hidden veggies is the way to go with healthy treats so you can enjoy more and sacrifice less.  This also means that your body is absorbing nutrients all the time, rather than wasting them on empty calories.
• If you do it right you'll have friends asking you where you bought this chocolate from.

I'll be honest, if these treats are in my house, I'll tackle at least 5 at a time!  And I can't feel too guilty since the ingredients are so pure.  We could all use a little sweetness in our lives, don't you think?

READY TO GATHER YOUR INGREDIENTS?

 

MORE HIDDEN VEGGIE RECIPES

• Strawberry Avocado Mousse
• Vegan Chocolate Mousse Smoothie
• Chocolate Chickpea Brownies

Love, and health!