Pumpkin Chestnut Mousse Recipe

adapted from Levana Cooks, using Vanilla Bean Levana Nourishments

Pumpkin Chestnut Mousse with red beans:

Does this sound funky enough for you?

The best part is, no, make that the best parts are:
– No cooking
– Delicious
– Vegan
– Raw
– Quick
– Nutritious enough to be much more than dessert, indeed part of dinner.

And Gluten-free to boot!

No time to make dessert? I have here what it takes to make six ample servings of something absolutely delicious without turning on your oven or your stove. I admit it: I was in a mad scientist mood when I dreamed up this pumpkin chestnut mousse: The bean-pumpkin-chestnut trinity is as improbable as it gets, but it works! I knew a star was born, and it became one of my favorite comfort foods! All natural, and no cooking whatsoever!

Who knew beans could find their way into a dessert?

Just listen to what my son Yakov wrote me: “Ma, your unlikely bean pumpkin chestnut mousse concoction (I think that’s what you should call it) was delicioso! My kids gobbled it up, and I stole a few bites. Yummy!”  At first he had looked too horrified to taste it after I rattled off the ingredients, even though I offered him a dollar bribe, just for old times’ sake, but then he reconsidered….. Morality: Do NOT rattle off funky ingredients! Especially when the said funky ingredients are blended and do their unseen magic, just offer a serving of the delicious stuff for dessert, and wait till it’s been devoured. Oh gosh I almost forgot: don’t talk about beans, OK?

Vacuum-packed chestnuts have recently become widely available, and a real pleasure to use in savory and sweet dishes. And if you happen to have freshly cooked pumpkin, of course use it.