coconut milk

Posts Tagged ‘coconut milk’

Coconut Sweet Rice with Honey Brülée

My memories of rice pudding are not fond, barely existent even. I didn’t have a grandma or aunt who had a secret rice pudding recipe that was made for special occasions. The first time I remember even being presented with it, I was probably around 13 or 14 and at a friends house, I think her mom had made it. I remember looking at the white, clumpy mass, studded with raisins and flecked with a dusting of cinnamon; I was hesitant, I just didn’t get it. Where’s the cookies and ice cream?

We reheated a little bowl and it smelled pretty good, but I took a small bite and blehh! Chunky, starchy rice, and the raisins! What was I thinking, I didn’t even like raisins (remember this is my younger “more dramatic” teenage self when food aversions were still high). So frankly I never really understood what all the hype was about. And to this day I have not eaten nor made rice pudding.

Fast forward to several weeks ago. I had this small inkling to make rice pudding. It hit me all of a sudden out of nowhere. It wasn’t like I had seen it somewhere or heard someone talking about it, I just had this urge to make it. Thinking this was a trick my mind was playing on me, I made chocolate pudding instead. And that settled that… so I thought.

I was flipping through the pages of Pure Green Magazine and I came across a recipe called Coconut Sweet Rice with Honey Brulée. Reading through the ingredients I thought, “Hmm, I like coconut milk and rice. I like spices and honey and vanilla. This sounds amazing, I must make it!” The recipe sat for about a week, while I hemmed and hawed and made chocolate chip cookies instead. When I finally got to it I decided to only make half a batch. You probably see where this is going, but people! I so get it now! It was creamy and sweet and it made my kitchen smell like a bakery. Not to mention easy. You just throw everything into a dutch oven, bake for a bit over an hour, then blast it for five minutes under the broiler. I did most of it the day before serving. And I wished I had made the full batch. It may not look like much, but I’m already scheming a day when I can make it again.

It was the perfect little dessert to finish reading all the amazing travel stories in Pure Green Magazine. This is another good one! Focused on green design and lifestyle. The most recent issue titled ‘Wanderlust’ has eco travel stories about traveling across Europe in a camper van (really wanting to do this now), a travel experience like no other to Antarctica, a beautiful story about hiking in Colorado by Kelsey of Happyolks, and so much more. And what goes better with traveling than experiencing new food! There are still a few recipes in there I’d like to try!

I should also let you know I’ve started a new monthly column on the Pure Green Blog called The Kitchen Gardener. It’s going to highlight all the produce coming out of my garden this next year. It started last month with lemony kale, so good. It’s going to be interesting these next few months as there’s not too much growing! As a new contributer, Celine, the Editor is giving all of you 10% off your subscription!! Just enter LOVEPGM when you check out.

Coconut Sweet Rice with Honey Brülée / serves 8
Adapted (barely) from Jonathan Mackay in Pure Green Magazine
The original recipe uses cinnamon sticks and whole cardamon. I had neither, so I used my best judgments for the ground measurements. Don’t skip the zest! I thought I wouldn’t taste it much, but I was surprised every time I tasted a little note of it.

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup honey, warmed so it’s runny
2 13.5 oz. cans coconut cream (I used full fat coconut milk)
6 oz. almond milk or coconut milk
1/2 cup arborio or jasmine rice (I used jasmine brown rice)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Demerara cane sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

Preheat oven to 375F. Reserving the nutmeg and honey, pour the remaining ingredients into an ovenproof dish or dutch oven. Stir together, cover with lid or foil, and place in the oven. Bake for about 1 hour, then uncover and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from oven and allow to cool down before refrigerating.

Once cooled, the pudding will thicken and set. It can be eaten now, or you can chill it for at least 30 minutes (or until cold), then spoon into small (4 oz.) ovenproof ramekins and smooth the surface. Cover the pudding with a thin layer of runny honey, sprinkle lightly with nutmeg, and place on a baking sheet.

Preheat broiler to 500F. Place baking sheet of ramekins in the broiler on the top shelf, and broil until the honey bubbles and caramelizes (for about 5 minutes). Let stand for 5 minutes and serve.

Desserts + Sweets, Gluten-Free, Grains

Chocolate Pudding

There is something incredibly comforting about the word pudding. Maybe it’s personal for me, but instantly my thoughts drift to grade school years. On weekends or days home early from school I could pull from the kitchen cupboard a JELL-O pudding box, whisk in 2 cups of cold milk, pour the mixture into 4 equal sized cups, and refrigerate for the 30 or so, very long minutes, until I could finally dive my spoon into the creamy dessert of my choice. Always chocolate or vanilla.

What’s funny to think now is that I was a complete pudding snob. I remember the little snack packs moms would send their kids to school with. I know we always had a few in the fridge too and my little sister would eat them, while I preferred the little applesauce ones. I remember thinking they tasted like plastic. No contest against my making it from scratch (aka instant scratch) version. In fact, I’d probably have the same thoughts if you were to hand one to me now and I’d graciously decline your pudding cup offer.

Real, from scratch pudding however, offers up a little something more. A thicker, creamier texture, with zero after taste of anything you can’t quite put your finger on. Actually, I was quite surprised to discover I hadn’t already posted a pudding recipe yet. This ones a keeper though. It’s also vegan and gluten free, but you’d never know.

Chocolate Pudding / serves 4
If making this for a gluten free friend, please make sure your cornstarch is certified gluten free to prevent any cross contamination.

1/3 cup cane sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 1/3 cups light coconut milk
6 oz. dark chocolate
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Use a sift for the cornstarch to remove any lumps. Turn heat to medium and slowly pour in the coconut milk, whisking constantly so the mixture stays clump free.

Heat the milk mixture over medium heat, whisking every so often, until it starts to softly bubble and thicken, about 8-10 minutes. Once you see little bubbles, stir constantly to prevent from burning. Stir in the chocolate and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. *Optional, at this point you can also choose to pour your pudding through a fine mesh sieve. It’s not necessary, but if you stepped away from the stove a moment too long, or you want to eliminate any chance of clumps, this will do the trick.

Divide pudding into 4 small bowls or remekins. Cover with plastic wrap directly on surface (to prevent skin from forming on top) and place in refrigerator for 1 hour or until chilled.

Desserts + Sweets, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Lemon Almond Coconut Ice Cream Sandwiches

I am so beyond excited to finally share my new blog with you! It’s been so hard keeping it a secret for this long, but when you’re running a small design and handmade business, it’s sometimes hard to get your own personal projects finished. It’s been about a year since I decided I wanted to change from blogger to my own domain, soon finding out that So Good & Tasty was already taken, so I had to come up with a new name, not exactly easy when there’s already so many sites out there.

I thought carefully this time about a name I really felt connected to and that would describe exactly what I want to share here and Good Things Grow was one that just seemed to stick. It resonates with the fact that I enjoy cooking with whole foods that were grown and tended by a farmer and not long listed complicate ingredients that come from a box. I also feel this is a place for me to grow and learn personally and feel that even if things don’t turn out perfectly as planned I’ve still grown from it and that’s ultimately a good thing.

I really want to thank everyone who comes here and reads or even actually makes any of the recipes I share, it means so much to me. There’s always been something about sharing food with others, even if only virtually, that really makes me happy, so I’m truly so glad you’re here. I’d greatly appreciate it if you let me know by email, if you notice any site glitches. I’ve also set up a page on facebook for Good Things Grow and you can also follow me on twitter (sorry if it’s confusing being @slidesideways, that’s our business name), and Pintrest. I’m hoping to add some extra things at a future date, but for now I’m really excited about how everything turned out.

I have one amazing lady to thank for bringing my vision together. Although the logo and design of my site was done by my husband and I, my brain absolutely can not code a website. So a huge thank you to Kristy of Wreckless! She is amazing to work with and I can’t recommend her enough if you want to take your website or blog to the next level. p.s. check out her photography work too, she’s multi-talented!

Now, let’s talk about why you really clicked over here… ice cream sandwich cookies! I know this is a summer time favorite, but I couldn’t help myself and they made it feel like summer was just around the corner, even if it was just for that fleeting moment. Plus these little guys are vegan, gluten free, and processed sugar free, but they’re so tasty you seriously wouldn’t even know it. Several times I kept exclaiming to Scott that come this summer I think our freezer is going to be filled with nothing but these little sandwiches! Heck, I want to make more for this weekend.

Lemon Almond Coconut Ice Cream Sandwiches / makes 10 sandwiches

These cookies do have several steps, but you can do it over the course of a couple days if you want. Bake the cookies and make the ice cream first, then do all the assembling the next day.

coconut ice cream
1 can coconut milk, preferably full fat
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt.

Process according to your ice cream maker manufacture’s instructions. Place in a freezer safe container and allow to freeze for at least 3-4 hours before assembling the sandwich cookies.

lemon almond cookies
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
4 tablespoon honey (maple syrup or agave if making vegan)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 large lemon

Whisk the almond flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, combine the coconut oil, honey, lemon juice, and lemon zest, mixing well. Pour into the dry mixture and stir until everything is well moistened, the dough will be slightly crumbly, but should hold when pressed together with hands.

Lay out a piece of parchment and use your hands to sort of squeeze the dough together and transfer to the parchment. Carefully roll into a large log about 2 1/2-inches in diameter. Works best if you roll with the parchment, tucking in the ends. Place in the freezer for 1 hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking pan with parchment.

The best method I found to cut these was to unwrap the chilled dough and cut into 1/4-inch slices, then lay the parchment back over each slice, one at a time, and flatten it out to an 1/8-inch thick. The reason for doing this is if you try cutting them 1/8-inch they start to sort of crumble apart. If any pieces do break off just re-press together, they’ll bake fine.

Place slices on baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Make sure to check after 8 minutes, then only add a minute at a time, you don’t want them to burn. Allow to cool on baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack, this is an important step! If you transfer before letting them rest they will break. Cool completely before filling with ice cream. You can also place them in the freezer if you’d like to speed up the process.

To assemble, spoon out one scoop of ice cream, place in the center of an upside-down cookie, top with another cookie and carefully smash down, applying even pressure. Place in the freezer for another hour to re-chill before serving. If you’ve let your ice cream chill for longer than 4 hours you may want to set it out to soften a bit before this step. Soft ice cream works best when assembling sandwich cookies.

Desserts + Sweets, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Pumpkin Pie with Hazelnut Crust

As with most years, the holiday season always seems to sneak up on me. We get so busy with day to day tasks, that I always seem to have unaccomplished projects or loose ends to tie up when the new year finally comes around. This year however, instead of rushing through, I want to make the most of every moment. There will never be enough time to do everything or see everyone, so the only thing I can do is be present in all the activities I do find time for. I have so much to be thankful for in my life, that when I sit down to think about it I become overwhelmed with happy thoughts and a very full feeling. Taking it all in, one day at a time, will remind me of all the positive things in my life and to celebrate each of them.

Pumpkin pie was always my favorite dessert on Thanksgiving and still is. Then I realized I don’t even have a recipe for pumpkin pie on my blog yet. I think the reason for this was because I’ve been waiting until inspiration struck. There are already so many great version of pumpkin pie out there, I wanted something different to share. So even though I posted about a pumpkin hazelnut bread recently, I just couldn’t help myself to combine the two together again.

This pie however, is something amazing! And will probably end up being made every year. The best part (besides how tasty it is), it’s vegan, gluten free, and low in sugar. I know how hard it can be to accommodate everyone at the table, so this might be a good option if you’re looking to make only one or two desserts for the table this year, but still have dietary restrictions to maintain. The filling is smooth and creamy and full of pumpkin flavor with slight hints of cinnamon and spice. For those of you who fear pie dough, this is a pat in the pan style crust, which means no rolling or chilling! It’s super easy and stays together nicely.

Pumpkin Pie with Hazelnut Crust / makes one 9-inch pie

The most important part in making this pie is to allow it to cool completely before cutting into it. The filling needs time to rest to hold its shape. You can make it the night before and you’ll already be on top of your Thanksgiving game, just add any garnish right before serving. Also, using fresh spices and grinding them yourself will lead to a better spice flavor. At the very least, make sure the spices you use are fresh and haven’t been sitting on your shelf since last year.

crust
1 3/4 cup + 1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
pinch of salt

pie filling
2 cups pumpkin puree
2/3 cup pure maple syrup or brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
3/4 cup coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350F.

For the crust
Place the 1 3/4 cups hazelnuts into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times, then grind the nuts up to a coarse meal. Should take about 3-4 minutes. You don’t want to blend too far or you’ll end up with hazelnut butter.

Place the hazelnut meal into a medium bowl, add to it the almond flour, coconut butter, and a pinch of salt, blend until everything is well incorporated.

Dump the nut mixture out into a 9-inch pie pan and start pressing, from the center out, with your fingers, until you have an even crust all the way around, set aside.

For the filling
In a large bowl combine the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cornstarch, vanilla, salt, and spices. Stir in the coconut milk until no white streaks are left behind. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pie crust.

Bake the pie in the center of the oven for about 1 hour (check after 50 minutes) or until the sides are completely set and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken lightly. Allow the pie to cool completely before cutting into. Pie can be made the night before and stored in the refrigerator. Right before serving coarsely chop the remaining hazelnuts and use for garnish. You can also top with whipped cream or creme fraiche, unless of coarse you’re vegan.

Desserts + Sweets, Fall, Proteins, Vegan, Vegetables

Mint Chip Ice Cream

Happy solstice! Today is one of my favorite days of the year. The sun comes up before 5am and it doesn’t go down until 10pm. It’s crazy and it’s a day that calls for ice cream. Don’t you agree?

I have many fond memories growing up of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Mostly in the Summer months and always with sticky streaks of light green running down the sides of my cheeks. But I’m an adult now and the green coloring added to my ice cream isn’t as appealing as it once was, nor is a face smeared with the stuff. So once again I pulled out my beloved ice cream maker and set about to make a fresh minty batch of ice cream.

Remember when I made mango sorbet. It was light, refreshing, and there was no refined sugar. I loved the idea of using dates as a sweetener and knew my Summer was going to be filled with all kinds of icy treats made using this technique. I was so excited when I took my first bite of this mint chip ice cream. Just the right amount of sweetness, no weird artificial or chemical after taste, and perfectly minty and chocolaty in every bite.

I used David’schocolate chip making expertise. It worked perfectly. You just chill the container you want to keep your ice cream in, drizzle in a bit of melted dark chocolate, cover with a scoop of fresh churned ice cream and repeat, swirling in the chocolate as you go to make chips. You’ll end up with small bits of chocolate and some that are slightly larger depending on how thick you drizzle.

Mint Chip Ice Cream / makes about 3 cups

A packed cup of mint may seem like a lot, but you will be straining the mint out, not blending it in and it really depends on how long you let the milk and mint mixture sit to achieve your satisfactory mint potency. I let mine site for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours and it was perfect.

1 cup almond milk
1 14oz. can coconut milk
pinch of salt
1 cup packed fresh mint
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 oz. pitted dates, about 1 cup
about 1 cup boiled water
3 oz. dark chocolate

Heat the almond milk, coconut milk, salt, and mint in a small sauce pan over medium high heat. Let it get hot enough to where it is steaming, but not boiling.

Cover and set aside to cool for about 1-2 hours or depending on how minty of a flavor you want.

In the meantime, place the dates into a small bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let sit for at least 15 minutes to soften, then drain.

Strain the mint leaves from the milk mixture, giving them a good squeeze with a spatula to extract more mint flavor if you wish. Place the dates and milk mixture into a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Place everything in the refrigerator until cold, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Freeze the ice cream according to your ice cream machines instructions.

Place your ice cream storage container into the freezer. While the ice cream is churning, melt the chocolate in a double broiler, stirring until smooth.

Pull the container out of the freezer, drizzle some of the chocolate into the bottom. Then scoop out some of the churned ice cream and drizzle on more chocolate and quickly stir it in. Continue layering like this until and stirring in more chocolate until finished.

Place in the freezer until firm. Pull out 15 minutes to serving for easier scooping.

Desserts + Sweets, Gluten-Free, Vegan