Vanilla Rice Pudding and Strawberry Parfaits (A Refined-Sugar-Free Treat for Valentine's Day)

 Oh, love!  Oh, Valentine's Day!  Oh, Treats and Sweets!

I welcome any opportunity to celebrate, and getting to celebrate the ones I love?  Woo-hoo!


Even, I, though, get that if you're going to go all out for the heart-y holiday, some of your treats should be not too sugary.


For my sweet treats, I'll be making Rolling Pin Sugar Cookies and Strawberry Chocolate Chunk Mini Muffins.  I might even make a candy or two!


To start the day off, though, I'll be cooking up this dessert for breakfast that's got some goodness to it.  It's pretty, it's creamy, and it's sweetened only with dates and a little agave nectar.  This might even edge out some of my old favorites!

I am a fan of rice puddings.  In fact, one of my favorite recipes from Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen and Gluten-free Vegan Recipes is the Coconut Rice Pudding.  It's naturally allergen-free, and it is so versatile. 

Vanilla Rice Pudding and Strawberry Parfaits

Makes 3-4 parfaits (depending on the size of your glass)

For the Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

2 cups nondairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage)

1/2 cup date paste (medjool dates soaked in boiling water, and pureed with enough of the soaking water to make a paste)

2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup arborio rice, rinsed

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325.

In a medium saucepan, bring nondairy milk, date paste, vanilla and salt to a boil.

Stir in rice, cover and move to oven.

Bake covered for one hour.

For the Strawberry Sauce
(Note: If you want a sauce with a thinner consistency, use more water; if you want it to be more like chunky fruit, use a little less.)

Ingredients:

20-24 strawberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon agave nectar

Preparation:

Bring ingredients to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 1/2 hour or until the strawberries are easily broken up with the back of a spoon.

Chill.

To assemble the parfaits:

Starting with strawberry sauce, alternate layers of sauce and pudding in a clear glass.

Happy Cooking! (and Happy Valentine's Day!)

Kim

My new book,  Ancient Grains: A Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Millet, Oats, Spelt, Farro, Sorghum & Teff (Superfoods for Life), is available for pre-order now. Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.