Carob Banana Tofu Pudding (easy, gluten-free, vegan)

Naturally sweet and packed with protein and calcium, this healthy plant based gluten-free dessert comes together in minutes and doesn’t require heat. The chocolate adjacent sweet caramel notes of carob powder pair exceptionally well with creamy ripe bananas in this guilt-free vegan treat.

WHY I LOVE IT

This pudding is healthy comfort food at it’s best. It reminds me of the chocolate Jello pudding of my childhood except better because it’s more satisfying than that stuff ever was. Adult me avoids processed sweeteners, so I no longer enjoy sugary things. This pudding is just sweet enough when it’s made with ripe bananas. How is this even possible? Unlike cocoa powder which is inherently bitter, carob powder is naturally sweet, providing a healthy boost to the sweet creaminess of the bananas. A tiny bit of maple syrup, agave, pre-soaked dates, or even powdered sugar, can easily adjust the sweetness if necessary. With only 5 ingredients, one of which is optional, and no need for heat, this pudding is a convenient spur of the moment treat that helps keep me healthy. Finally, and this is very much a me thing, the combination of tofu, carob and bananas seems to help with muscle recovery after long workouts, providing me with the essential plant-based nutrients to repair micro-tears and restore energy.

WHY CAROB? WHY NOW?

Carob is a whole plant food that’s overdue for a comeback. Though it’s not a perfect substitute for chocolate, it’s its own awesome thing and needs some respect. Unlike chocolate, carob has no caffeine, contains no oxalic acid, is naturally sweet and acts as a thickener. Carob’s thickening and sweetening properties are why this recipe works as well as it does. It’s also a great source of calcium, among other nutrients, and contains significantly less fat than chocolate. Finally, from a climate change and sustainability perspective, growing carob beans may be a better choice than cocoa beans because carob trees are more drought and heat resistant.

RIPE BANANAS, FROZEN OR FRESH

This pudding should be made with ripe bananas. Not the kind of pitch black bananas that you can still use in banana bread but, ideally, the bananas you use should have some freckles. I prefer to use sliced frozen bananas because frozen bananas are sweeter and create a slightly chilled pudding that’s ready to serve. But if you don’t have time to freeze bananas that’s ok, just chill the pudding after it’s made (if you can wait that long).

GUAR GUM AND ALTERNATIVES

Guar gum is a moderately controversial ingredient in healthy vegan and gluten-free cooking. This versatile plant-based thickening powder is made from the endosperm of guar beans. It’s a powerful gluten-free thickener that works at any temperature. By powerful I mean that a very small quantity goes a long long way—for this pudding a quarter of a teaspoon is all you need. The soluble fiber in guar gum has some health advantages such as regulating blood sugar and possibly lowering cholesterol. One of the downsides of guar gum is that some people find that it upsets their stomach. Another issue is that there’s research suggesting that guar gum may adversely affect gut health. But because the research has focused on guar gum in highly processed food, results may or may not pertain to its use in home cooking. Guar gum doesn’t upset my stomach and I will continue using it sparingly at least until further evidence emerges.

In this recipe I love how a tiny amount of guar gum gives my pudding a thick and bouncy consistency. If you are reluctant about using guar gum, know that it upsets your stomach, or just don’t want to have to purchase another new ingredient, you can make this recipe without it by either substituting the guar gum with an eighth of a teaspoon of xanthan gum or by not using any added thickener at all. A pudding that’s a little less thick will still be delicious.

SHELF STABLE SILKEN TOFU

The versatility of silken tofu for both sweet and savory plant-based cooking can’t be overstated. It’s nice to have a shelf stable version ready to go on your pantry shelf, no refrigeration needed, and usually good for at least one year. It can go in desserts, scrambles, dips, spreads, smoothies and more. Where I live shelf stable silken tofu is available at most major grocery stores, but you can also order it online. I always get firm or extra firm. For this recipe, I recommend extra firm.

USING A DIFFERENT KIND OF TOFU

If you need to use a different kind of tofu, this recipe will still work though you’ll probably get a different texture. To substitute one package of extra firm shelf stable tofu with fresh tofu, chop up the fresh tofu and measure 1-⅓ cup.

MAKING IT SWEETER

If you need to make this pudding sweeter, there are several great options.

• Pre-Soaked Dates: Using whole dates is the most whole food plant-based adherent way to sweeten this pudding, and it’s a delicious choice. Cover your dates with boiling water and let them soak for 10 to 30 minutes. How many dates you need will depend on the size of the dates you’re using and the desired level of sweetness. Think in terms of using 1 to 3 tablespoons of chopped dates.

• Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is considered a whole plant-based food. Simply add 1 to 2 tablespoons to the recipe.

• Agave: Another great vegan sweetener, agave is significantly sweeter than maple syrup so you would probably only need one tablespoon.

• Powdered Sugar: If you’re not actively avoiding refined sweeteners, powdered sugar is always a great choice for pudding. One tablespoon will probably be sweet enough for this recipe.

FOOD PROCESSOR RECOMMENDED

For this recipe you need to have a food processor or a high speed blender (a blender with a mother exceeding 1,000 watts). A food processor is ideal. All the ingredients are added simultaneously and then processed until smooth. For all the ingredients to get evenly distributed, you will probably have to use a silicone spatula to push down the sides of the bowl at least once.

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