Hormone-Loving Chocolate Teff Pudding

Many of my clients with endometriosis feel better both with their gut symptoms and their pelvic pain when they reduce or remove gluten from their diet. Whilst this isn’t true for everyone, experimenting with new forms of grains can be beneficial for all of us (providing we aren’t sensitive to them)!

In fact, teff is a wonderful addition to a hormone-friendly approach to eating and it has numerous nutritional benefits for endometriosis too. It’s rich in hormone-supportive nutrients such as B6 and zinc, and additionally aids in energy production with its levels of iron and magnesium. Finally, it’s high in fiber, a gut-friendly food, which helps to support our body to eliminate waste. This is important because we need a healthy gut to better remove any old or excess estrogen, reducing the chances of developing estrogen dominance symptoms such as heavy, clotty, and painful periods (which we don’t need more of)!

To enhance the hormone-supportive qualities of teff even further, I’ve paired with fat and extra protein sources (teff is already a good source of protein) to help stabilize blood sugar levels, which in turn keeps our hormones balanced.

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients for hormone-loving chocolate teff pudding

• 100g/3½ oz teff
• 12 tablespoons nut butter (I think either cashew butter or hazelnut butter are best, as they are subtly sweet)
• 1475-500ml/2-2¼ cups cashew or hazelnut milk
• 12½-3 tablespoons raw cacao
• 12 teaspoons sugar-free maple syrup alternative
• 11½ teaspoons vanilla extract or a scraping from a vanilla pod
• 1½ scoop good quality organic protein powder (hemp, rice or pea would be ideal)
• Optional toppings: Berries, nuts, seeds, cacao nibs, or a drizzle of nut butter

Directions for hormone-loving chocolate teff pudding

1. Combine the teff, milk, nut butter, vanilla and maple syrup in a small saucepan with a whisk, and continue whisking occasionally whilst bringing the mixture to boiling point over a high heat.
2. Once the teff has reached boiling, turn the heat down until the pudding is just simmering and place a lid over the top for about 15 minutes, while checking in and stirring every now and then. If you find your teff is thickening too quickly, add a splash more milk as desired. You’re aiming for the teff to be like porridge by the time it’s cooked through.
3. Remove from the heat and either transfer to a food processer with the protein powder or cacao, or use a stick blender, to blend until smooth with just some grains leftover. You might want to add more milk, but you’re aiming for a creamy texture.
4. Top with whatever goodies you desire – I like nuts, seeds and berries for an anti-inflammatory antioxidant boost! You can also add more sweetener or cacao if desired.