Growing up, there wasn't a snack in site that I would keep my hands off of, especially if it included chocolate. Chocolate chip cookies, Oreo’s, chocolate pudding snacks, and my grandmother's German chocolate cake! This list is quite endless.

And the adult in me likes to tell myself that I can have as many cookies as I want ... but I don't ... because the reality is that 1) I have no self control and 2) overdoing it on processed food can be detrimental to our health. A lot of my clients have come to me with a mindset of deprivation, meaning their initial thoughts were that in order to be "healthy," they would have to give up all of the foods that they love. And that's really not what it's about. It's about shifting your mindset to operate from a place of fueling your body with an abundance of quality foods, and empowering yourself with the knowledge of how your choices are functioning biologically in our bodies.

And there are options, including healthier alternatives to some of the foods that we love ... and if you love chocolate pudding, well I have a sweet treat for you! This recipe includes a healthy dose of avocado, a fruit that is well known for a multitude of nutritional benefits, including protein (yes, protein), healthy monounsaturated fats, phytochemicals and trace minerals, and organic, raw, cacao, a super food loaded with a variety of unique phytonutrients, including sulfur, magnesium and phenylethylamine.