Toasted Coconut Rice Pudding with Bananas

For Christmas Eve dinner everyone chose my homemade macaroni and cheese with garlic bread for dinner, but I decided to surprise them with a traditional dessert that the whole family loves, but with a tropical twist!  I found this recipe in "Alive" magazine and it is a definite keeper!!

TOASTED COCONUT RICE PUDDING WITH BANANAS

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut chips (I bought some in the organic section of the grocery store and they were made by "Hippy Snacks")

4 cups unsweetened plain coconut milk beverage (can be found in the refrigerator section at the grocery store - mine is made by "Silk")

1/2 cup arborio rice

1/4 cup short-grain brown rice

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp ground allspice

2 bananas sliced, or any tropical fruit of your choosing (mango, pineapple, etc)

• In a large pot or large high-sided skillet, stirring constantly, bring 3 cups coconut milk, arborio rice, and brown rice to a boil.  Reduce to medium and cook uncovered, stirring often, for 20 minutes.  Reduce to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes longer. 
• Stir in remaining cup of coconut milk, 1/2 cup coconut chips, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and allspice.  Continue to cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 10 to 20 minutes or until mixture is thickened and rice is tender.
• Chill pudding for at least 6 hours.
• Serve garnished with banana slices and remaining coconut.
• ENJOY!

*If you cannot find coconut chips, unsweetened shredded coconut that has been toasted, is a good substitute.

*If you do not like coconut, substitute the coconut milk with almond milk, and replace the coconut chips with slivered blanched almonds.

Fruity Beef Curry

As we have a freezer full of "Cooper's Farm's" hormone and antibiotic free, pasture raised, Angus-grade beef, and I was wishing I was somewhere far warmer than home, I created this sweet and succulent curry which fit the bill perfectly!

FRUITY BEEF CURRY

Ingredients

2 tsp EVOO

1 lb lean ground beef

1 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 tbsp cumin seeds

2 tsp coarsely grated fresh gingerroot (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1 bay leaf

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp dried crushed red chilis

3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped

2 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and chopped

Juice and grated peel of 1 medium lemon

1/2 cup sultana raisins.

2 medium bananas, cut into 1" pieces

1 cup chopped, ripe mango

2 tbsp liquid honey

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add ground beef and salt and saute until beef is no longer pink.  Add next 8 ingredients.  Stir together and cook for approx. 5 mins, stirring often until onion is soft.
• Add next 4 ingredients, stir and cook covered for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until apple just begins to soften.
• Add banana, mango and honey.  Stir, cook covered for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through and fruit is just slightly softened.  Remove and discard bay leaf.
• Serve over basmati rice and ENJOY! 

Double Trouble Chocolate Cookies

In my pursuit of creating yummy lunchbox treats for India that remain true to the restricted diet her Naturopath has her on, I came across "Get It Ripe" written by Jae Steele which features Vegan cooking and baking.  These cookies were enjoyed by all members of the family and remind me in texture, of a dense chocolate shortbread biscuit.  Worth a try even if you aren't looking to bake wheat, gluten, refined sugar, dairy or yeast free like I am!

DOUBLE TROUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups light spelt flour (or 1 of spelt and 1 of brown rice like I did!)

1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 cup less 2 tbsp of coconut oil*

1 1/4 cups sucanat (evaporated cane juice - Bulk Barn sells this!)

1 ripe medium banana, mashed

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1 /4 cups of non-dairy chocolate chips**

• Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare a baking sheet or two with a sheet of parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• Cream together the oil and sucanat in a separate bowl; preferably with an electric mixture for about 1 minute.  Beat in the banana and vanilla until well blended.
• Add wet ingredients to dry and mix just until all flour is incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chips.
• Roll dough into walnut-sized balls with clean hands (so the dough doesn't stick!) and place them, spaced 2" apart, on the baking sheet(s).  Press each ball gently to flatten to 1/2" thick.
• Bake for about 13 minutes, until crisp on top but still soft.
• Remove from oven and enjoy them warm or cooled!!!

*Gently heat the coconut oil in a small pot over a medium low heat prior to using as coconut oil tends to be somewhat solid in the jar, but only requires a little heat to melt to an oil.
**I purchased "Callebaut" vegan chocolate chips in the Bulk Barn and then taste just like regular ones but lack the skim milk powder!

French Toast with Caramelized Bananas & Pecans

Although I am not a huge fan of French toast, my family definitely is and we had our friends Dave, Siobhan, and their kids staying over for Thanksgiving...so I chose this recipe from Canadian Living because it looked delicious and would feed a crowd at breakfast ~ we paired it with bacon and sausages and it was fantastic!!!

FRENCH TOAST WITH CARAMELIZED BANANAS & PECANS

Ingredients:

1/3 cup chopped pecans

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups 5% cream or milk

 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 loaf of egg bread

2 tbsp butter

Bananas:

2 tbsp butter

6 firm peeled bananas, halved crosswise and lengthwise

1 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• On a baking sheet, toast pecans in 325F oven for approx. 6 mins.  Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.  Cut egg bread into 3/4" thick slices; dip into egg mixture until soaked.
• In a large skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat and cook the slices, in batches and adding more butter as needed, until golden, approx. 3 minutes.  Transfer to 2 rimmed cookie sheets.  Bake in the oven at 350F until puffed and heated through, approx. 8 mins. Place in a large 9" x 13" casserole dish, and set aside.
• Caramelized Bananas:  Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt half of the butter over medium high heat.  Fry half of the bananas, turning once, until golden and tender, approx. 3 mins.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining bananas.
• In the same skillet, bring maple syrup and brown sugar to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer for 2 mins.  Stir in bananas; simmer for 1 minute.
• Spoon over the French toast and sprinkle with the pecans.
• ENJOY!!

Kashmiri-Style Curried Turkey

This recipe is one that I have had for a long time and use when I have a couple of bananas that are too ripe to eat. I especially enjoy preparing this recipe when I have turkey on hand that has already been cooked and cut up, as it makes the preparation time that much shorter!

KASHMIRI-STYLE CURRIED TURKEY

Ingredients:

2 tbsp EVOO

3lb cooked turkey, cut into 2" pieces

1 large onion diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 apple, peeled and diced

2 medium-sized ripe bananas, cut into 1" pieces

1 large tomato diced

2 tbsp curry powder

2 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp each of ground cumin and coriander

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock (preferably homemade!)

• In a large skillet, heat the EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and saute the onions and garlic over medium heat. Cook until softened (approx. 5 mins.)
• Sprinkle onions and garlic with the curry powder, turmeric, cumin and coriander. Saute, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add the apples, bananas, tomato and broth. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, and stirring frequently until the liquid is reduced by half (approx. 5 to 10 mins.)
• Add turkey to the pan and stir to ensure all pieces are covered in the sauce. Simmer, covered, for approx. 20 minutes, or until all the pieces are heated through.
• Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
• Serve on a bed of basmati rice and ENJOY!

*For the recipe that is photographed, I added some leftover roasted butternut squash that has been skinned and diced, for some additional sweetness!*