Simple, Quick Dessert (or Snack)

Have you ever had rice pudding? I don't think it's the most popular dish in the world, but I remember when I was young that my Mom would make it when she had some leftover rice, and it was such a treat. Recipes for rice pudding vary, but traditionally you mix white rice with milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and/or nutmeg, and raisins, then bake it in the oven. It's a sweet, cinnamon-y casserole, and it's delicious.

I wondered if I could recreate rice pudding with a healthy spin. Since I have been using a lot of brown rice lately, I saved a small amount to perform some experimentation.

Healthy fix #1: Make it one small dish instead of a whole Pyrex dish. For one, my family isn't as keen on rice pudding as I am, so it's just too tempting to go back to the dish again and again to "clean up the edges so they're straight." Yes. That's what I was doing. 

Healthy fix #2: Use coconut or almond milk. Both are sweet and thick, which mimics the thickness of the egg and milk mixture in the regular recipe. 

Healthy fix #3: I usually need just a little extra sweetness, so a small squeeze of agave nectar does the trick.

Then stir in a shake of cinnamon, a shake of nutmeg, and a few raisins. Pop it in the microwave for 45 seconds and voila: you've got a whole grain, low sugar version of rice pudding for a tasty snack or dessert! For an extra treat, sometimes I put some chopped almonds on the top, too. Yum!

A note for the cooking challenged: I know it's maddening, but I have no measurements for this recipe. It depends how much rice you have, and how creamy you like your rice pudding. Experiment and see what you like! There's no right answer...that's why cooking's so much fun.

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