This pistachio pudding looks like some sort of alien green slime, but don’t let the look or color sway you from trying it. Let your taste buds experience the rich, creamy, decadent flavor on their own. Believe it or not, pistachio pudding used to be a very common treat for children. Cookie bars had signature green fillings, but they contained artificial dyes and colors, whereas this recipe focuses on natural raw vegan ingredients.

The great thing about raw vegan pudding is that you can enjoy it for breakfast or dessert. It even makes for a filling snack that can fuel you up before or after a workout. Pistachios contribute to the green color, but so do avocados, which contribute to the creaminess. If you want to sneak more greens into your life, throw a handful of spinach in during the blending process. You’ll get all the benefits of spinach without having to taste it! The sweetness of the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and almond extract counteract any bitterness that may come from the avocado or spinach.

One of the best things to do before you blend the ingredients is to soak the pistachios in water for a couple hours. Soaking the pistachios makes them softer and easier to blend, helping you avoid pistachio chunks in your pudding. The goal is to have a velvety texture, which you can easily achieve with a food processor. Keep processing and scraping down the sides until you reach the consistency you desire. Enjoy this raw vegan dessert with optional raw cacao nibs and raw pistachios. Get tropical and add some fresh raspberries to your pudding! Or stick with the bittersweet topping of raw cacao nibs and pistachio pieces.