Your first thought is likely, “What on earth is she doing putting mushrooms in chocolate pudding? Quickly followed by, “How can that rich, indulgent chocolate pudding be heart-healthy?”

We are often under the idea that if food tastes good it’s bad for us and if food is good for us, then it tastes bad. But, it’s not true. There are plenty of foods that are good and good for you —  including chocolate.

Read on for the recipe for this great Heart Healthy Mocha Mushroom Chocolate Pudding, why mushrooms amp up the flavor, and the “best life” living tip that you can appreciate at any age.

Best Life Living Tip

The great tennis player Arthur Ashe is credited with saying, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” I’ve long loved this quote and like to think of it as “doing the best that you can with what you’ve got.” This is the philosophy of “living your best life” in a nutshell!

We don’t often have the same physical attributes or abilities in our 20s as we have in our 80s. As we age, it’s only natural that our health and nutrition needs will change. The concept of “doing the best with what you got” is perhaps the best way to consider healthy aging and heart health. Whatever your age, you need to start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can to keep your entire body, including your heart, healthy in the future.

Since I’ve lost weight and changed my life I feel younger and more spry, my bloodwork numbers are better than they were 30 years ago, and numerous people have commented on how much younger I look. Check out this piece on Healthy Living at Any Age for health and wellness tips from your 20s and beyond. You can do it!

Self-Care Technique

The deal is that if your ticker isn’t working right, pretty much else doesn’t matter. February is heart-health month and it’s a great time to assess and address your heart health.

Your heart is the main organ of your cardiovascular system, a network of blood vessels that pumps blood throughout your body. According to the NIH, “Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women.” Heart-healthy living means understanding your risk, making healthy choices, and taking steps to lower your chances of heart disease.

Speaking of taking steps… walking is one of the most popular forms of exercise according to the American Heart Association. It’s my favorite and I walk at least 3 days a week.

According to the Mayo Clinic  in addition to heart health benefits walking can also help:

• Maintain a healthy weight and lose body fat
• Strengthen your bones and muscles
• Increase energy levels
• Improve your mood, cognition, memory, and sleep
• Improve your balance and coordination
• Strengthen immune system
• Reduce stress and tension

Walking and spending time in nature brings me peace. Give it a try and check out this link for fitness tips for more ways to improve your heart health.

Ideas and Inspiration from Experts

I make it my mission to create recipes that taste good and include ingredients with health benefits.

Why did I put mushroom coffee in the pudding? Coffee not only brings flavor and aroma but the antioxidant polyphenols and caffeine found in coffee have also been linked to heart health and may even promote longevity. Mocha, the mixture of chocolate and coffee is a classic combination. From a culinary point of view, mushrooms are high in umami and help bring out savory aroma and flavor. As a chef, I knew that the bold umami-packed flavor of Reishi Coffee would intensify the chocolate flavor even more than plain coffee.

For more than 2,000 years, reishi mushroom has been used by herbalists throughout China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam for a wide range of health applications. Western medicine is just beginning to catch up and there’s a lot more research to do. We are now only beginning to understand the vast potential of mushrooms — and there’s a lot of misinformation.

It’s very important regarding health and wellness to gather advice and wisdom from medical professionals, educated experts, and people who can offer support, advice, and information grounded in science. Even if you are more interested in non-traditional medicine, there are often studies that can shed light on the validity of claims.

It’s your health! Dive a little deeper and only believe reliable information you can trust. Click here to learn about other tasty foods that can support heart health.

Swanson and Healthy Living

It’s important to use top-quality ingredients and I LOVE the ingredients from Swanson. To order the ingredients for this tasty heart-healthy recipe please click through to the Swanson Health website.

Check out the reel below to see how to prepare this incredible Hearty Healthy Mocha Mushroom Chocolate Pudding.

Make it Good and Good for You!

Good and Good for You Living is about HEALTH GAIN>Weight Loss.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy this Heart Healthy Mocha Mushroom Chocolate Pudding.

Bon Appétit Y’all!

Virginia Willis

Print Recipe

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Heart-Healthy Mocha Mushroom Chocolate Pudding

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Chill1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate, heart-healthy, Valentine's Day

Servings: 6

Calories: 276kcal

Author: Virginia Willis

Ingredients

• 1 vanilla bean split and scraped
• zest of 1 orange
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon reishi mushroom coffee
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 1/2 cups 2% milk
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• In a saucepan, whisk together the vanilla, orange zest, cornstarch, cocoa, reishi coffee powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the milk and honey. Whisk the liquid into the dry ingredients in the saucepan until smooth.
• Place the saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the chocolate and cook, whisking constantly, until the chocolate is melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat. Divide the mixture equally among 6 serving dishes such as dessert coupes or ramekins. To prevent a skin from forming, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of each pudding. Chill in the refrigerator until set, about 1 hour.

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 104IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 213mg | Iron: 1mg

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Disclaimer: When there’s an appropriate mutually beneficial opportunity I partner for sponsored blog posts. In full disclosure, I was provided products to work with by Swanson Health for recipe development and compensated for this blog post and its social media promotion.

Let’s cook something up! If you are interested in hosting me for a speaking engagement, event, cooking class, or book signing, let me know! Send an email to jona@virginiawillis.com and we’ll be back in touch as soon as possible.

I am not a doctor, RD, or health professional. I am simply sharing what works for me. My blog is for informational or educational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals.

Note that this post may contain affiliate links and I may make a commission if you use my affiliate link to buy the product.

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Good and Good for You with Virginia Willis is a lifestyle brand that shares food, fun, and fitness through digital channels and online community; events, seminars, and speeches; and print media. For more information visit virginiawillis.com