Good 'n healthy Almond Rice Pudding

Good 'n healthy Almond Rice Pudding

No guilt allowed. This treat with honey-almond sweetness and a hint of spice adds up to only 134 calories per one-half cup serving. It’s low in fat and sodium and has no cholesterol. Switching out white rice for brown added more fiber and nutrition.

Using unsweetened almond milk (a good source of vitamins A and D) instead of cow’s milk, even skim milk, cut the calories by more than half. And brown rice and almond milk are naturally gluten free and lactose free.

Give yourself a bit more time when you prepare this dish since brown rice takes longer to cook (about 45 minutes), compared to white rice at 15 or 20 minutes.

Initially, we tried a recipe that baked the pudding. That turned out too dry for our tastes. Since we wanted a creamier texture we chose the recipe below that is cooked on the stovetop. Stovetop cooking takes a bit more watching and stirring, but gave us the end result we were seeking. A creamy rice pudding.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup basmati brown rice
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup raisins, optional
• Sliced fresh fruit and sliced almonds for garnish, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine almond milk and rice in a 2 quart saucepan and bring to boil. Stir to make sure rice is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
2. Stir in raisins, if desired, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes. Cover the pan while the rice simmers but place the lid slightly ajar over the saucepan to allow steam to escape and keep the milk from bubbling over while it cooks. Stir occasionally to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. Stir in honey, vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Top with fresh fruit and sliced almonds if desired and serve warm or cold.

Recipe adapted from Oregon State University Food Hero website.
Makes 8, ½ cup servings.

Brown Rice

• Fights colon cancer: Its fiber lessens the amount of time cancer-causing substances spend in contact with colon cells; and it’s a good source of selenium, a trace mineral that has been shown to substantially reduce the risk of colon cancer.
• Helps reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers, and may even contribute to maintaining a healthy weight. -It is also a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, thiamin, niacin and vitamin B6, and an excellent source of manganese, with 88 percent of your daily manganese in just one cup cooked.*

What is Manganese?

• Manganese helps regulate your blood sugar and supports the health of your nervous system. You need it to absorb calcium, break down carbohydrates and fats, and synthesize bones, endocrine hormones, connective tissue, the proteins necessary for blood coagulation and the enzyme superoxide dismutase, a powerful antioxidant.

Nutritional Information
Note: Optional ingredients such as raisins and fresh fruit and almonds for garnish are not included when calculating nutritional information.
Per ½ cup serving: 134 calories; 1.8g total fat (0.0g saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated); 90.5mg sodium; 0.0mg cholesterol; 27.5g carbohydrate; 2.2g fiber; 8.7g sugars; 2.5g protein; 92.5mg potassium.