Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream {Dairy-Free, Vegan}

Pumpkin Pie. Coconut milk. Ice cream. Warm "autumn" spices.

I can't even pick which of those four things is my favorite, I love them all. So, when all four were combined into an incredibly tasty, cool dessert during the heat wave we experienced earlier this month, I was a happy camper.
And it explains why I have not one photo, not even a cell phone pic, of this frozen treat. We devoured each serving in such a happy daze of ice cream bliss, that no one thought to get the camera. We even made a second batch recently - no physical evidence of that either.
Enough said?
Try this ASAP!  :)

Homemade [Dairy Free, Vegan] Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

What you need:

• 2 cups pumpkin puree - I used canned Libby brand. Trader Joe's is another good option
• One can full-fat coconut milk - approximately 2 cups
• 1/3-1/2 cup pure maple syrup (sweeten to your liking)
• 1-2 teaspoons each: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger or 1-2 TB pumpkin pie spice (season to the flavor intensity you prefer)

What you do:

Pour pumpkin puree and coconut milk into blender or large food processor, and mix for 20-30 seconds to combine well. Drizzle in maple syrup through the top while it continues to mix. Stop machine, add in spices and blend another 20 seconds to ensure all the flavors are evenly distributed.
Pour into ice cream maker and process for 25 minutes (or otherwise noted in instruction manual).
Enjoy!

[Coconut Milk] Ice Cream!!!

We did it. We finally made homemade ice cream. My mom and dad got us the ice cream maker attachment for our KitchenAid mixer as a housewarming gift - almost FOUR years ago. Hey, at least we're finally using it right?? :)

Do you know what my #1 favorite thing is about this ice cream? The price. I would go to the grocery store and buy a teeny tiny PINT of Coconut Bliss for $5.49 plus tax. And that was the cheapest price around! This ice cream makes TWO PINTS and it cost me less than $3. Two cans of coconut milk at $1.48 each, plus a few items you probably have in the pantry.

And the taste and texture were absolute perfection! We made our first batch for a Mother's Day dessert - coconut milk ice cream with fresh fruit, yum! The next week we made a peppermint chocolate-chip version - still gluten-, dairy-, egg- and soy-free, and very very tasty!

Coconut ice cream with fresh mango and strawberries

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream


What you need:

2 cans all-natural, full-fat coconut milk (I love Taste Nirvana!)
2 TB tapioca starch
1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla
1/2 cup shredded coconut

For Mint Chocolate Chip version:
(1/2 tsp gluten-free peppermint extract)
(1/4 to 1/2 cup dairy-free, soy-free mini chocolate chips - Enjoy Life Mini Chips)

What you do:

First, freeze the part of your ice cream maker that needs to be frozen ahead of time. Don't miss this step, or you'll be so disappointed that you won't have ice cream until the next day. How do I know that... ;)

Open cans of coconut milk and pour 1/4 cup into a small bowl. Measure out tapioca starch and whisk into small bowl of coconut milk, until blended together.
Pour the remaining coconut milk into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir occasionally, until milk begins to boil. Whisk in the starch/milk mixture and continue stirring until whole pot of milk is thickened and smooth - this will take one to two minutes.
Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in vanilla (Mint Chocolate Chip variation: add peppermint here and mix). Pour into a heat-proof container and cover; put into the refrigerator to cool down and chill for four hours.

After ice cream "base" liquid is chilled (wait at least four hours), remove from refrigerator and get your ice cream maker ready.
According to your ice cream maker's instructions, start making ice cream! As far as I know, all ice cream makers are about the same - freeze the container for 18-24 hours, mix and chill your liquid base for at least 4 hours, then set up the appliance.
Turn it on first, pour your liquid base into the frozen container next, and let it mix and freeze and turn to ice cream - for about twenty minutes.

Ice cream in the making

You'll know it is ready because it will be fluffy and thick and creamy, like the best ice cream you've ever had - not like the smashed, packed ice-crystallized stuff at the store. I was so impressed!

*If you are making the Mint Chocolate Chip version, add the chocolate chips after twenty minutes and let them get mixed in well. It will cause a few "bumps" and "crunches" as the container continues to spin, but if you use the Enjoy Life Mini Chips, it shouldn't cause a problem.

Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream ready to go in the freezer in glass SnapWare

Try making this delicious dessert this summer, and come back here to tell me what flavor you tried. The flavor possibilities are endless! A little prep time, creativity, and you'll have homemade ice cream for just a few dollars and completely free of any chemicals, thickeners, or allergens! You won't regret it :)

[Almost No Effort Required] Paleo Breakfast

Who would've thought? Giving myself a break has resulted in more energy and more Paleo meals and snacks than not, this weekend. I'm here to tell you that relaxing once in a while, and giving yourself more grace, can do wonders helping you feel better :)

Over the weekend I was inspired by some items in my refrigerator and came up with a very flavorful breakfast. Another item I purchased on my little grocery store trip to help me have a vacation from scratch cooking everything, was a package of Al Fresco Sweet Apple chicken sausages. I was informed by someone else with a garlic allergy that they are garlic-free, and you cannot quote me on that; if you are allergic to garlic, please check it out for yourself before trying! But so far I have not had any problems, and I can usually tell very quickly if I've had garlic (not being able to breathe is a good clue).

I know this isn't a great photo, but it gives you the idea:

Sauteed spinach & onion with chicken apple sausage + squash with pumpkin seeds and p.pie spice and maple syrup + Earl Grey tea with coconut milk

It's pretty self-explanatory, but here is a short run-down. I've bolded the key ingredients:

Put the sausage(s) into a skillet to heat. Dice onion and put into same skillet, and cover with two handfuls of organic spinach. I like to use the cast iron skillet with a little bit of leftover bacon grease (uncured bacon if possible). The flavors that you will taste from that combination is amazing!

Let the skillet cook everything for ten to fifteen minutes. Meanwhile, put the frozen squash "cube" in the microwave in a safe bowl with a splash of water and cook for four minutes. Stir well, and cook for two minutes more. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin seeds and drizzle lightly with maple syrup.

One of my favorite morning beverages is Earl Grey tea with all natural, full fut coconut milk added as "cream." It is delicious! It gives a little caffeine boost without being as acidic or hard on the stomach as coffee. 

Don't get me wrong, I love me some coffee! I try not to have it every day though. To learn more about that, read this interesting post from The Paleo Baby. Then, read this recent article from The New England Journal of Medicine. With all the varying opinions and research out there, I think it best to make your own informed decision about coffee, make sure you're in control of your consumption of this "legal addictive stimulant" (Tom Hanks gets credit for that line) and have peace with it.

Make it a great week, friends!  :)

My First Mothers Day

This is how we did my first Mother's Day. Simple and scrumptious!!!

My round one... (I did two rounds of the food!)

Because I can't really eat out at a restaurant 100% safely with all of my food allergies and reactions, we had a lovely Mothers Day BBQ in our backyard. On Saturday I was instructed to get WHATEVER I WANTED by our "family food sponsor," and so off to the Farmers' Market I went! I picked up some locally grown asparagus cut fresh on Friday, two bunches of "BBQ onions" (GIANT white bulb spring onions with long green stalks) and freshly caught and smoked King Salmon. I went to Costco for a three-pack of organic ground beef* and two-pack of bison, which my Hubs mixed together for some incredible burgers. A stop at the produce stand for organic sweet potatoes, mangoes, strawberries and bananas, and we were set. I presented it all to Hubs, and he grilled and baked a tasty feast for us. I didn't sit out completely; I cut up the fruit ;)

Yesterday brought a belated Mother's Day treat, Hubs made coconut milk ice cream. It was a two-day process because we had never done it before and didn't realize that it takes a bit of preparation freezing the bowl, but it was worth the wait! Recipe for coconut ice cream will be coming to the blog soon, you don't want to miss it.

I hope all you Moms out there had a wonderful day and felt honored and appreciated in at least one way. I am grateful to be in the "Mom club," and it was a special day for me, full of my favorite activities, people and foods. The only way to celebrate! :)

*To read about the organic ground beef from Costco, check out the recent article in the latest issue of Costco Connection magazine. It is probably better than you think it is, Costco has evidently worked very hard behind the scenes before they rolled out this product, and they continue to keep their standards the highest in the industry. Awesome!

Coconut Milk Heaven...

When I look at this photo, this chorus runs through my head: "Heaven... I'm in heaven... And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak..."

Half a case of coconut milk from Hubs :)

I am a little bit obsessed with coconut milk. It's a healthy appreciation, really. I am so thankful for coconut milk's existence. It is delicious and satisfying and a wonderful healing fat. This brand (Taste Nirvana) is the best I've found. It has no additives, thickeners or preservatives. Just coconut and water. Awesome! I'm not sure why the manufacturer website does not have it listed as a product yet, but hopefully that doesn't affect it's availability. I discovered it at my local Asian market for $1.48 per can. Can't beat it!

Shrimp Ginataan (Coconut Milk) "Curry"

My beautiful friend Lourdes is Filipina, and shared a photo of her dinner one evening, several years ago. I told her that it looked delicious, and I needed the recipe. She delivered it, and I FINALLY tried my hand at making it this week. It turned out really well (at least Hubs and I thought so). Warm, creamy coconut milk with plump shrimp and vegetables, served over hot rice. I'm going to go down a short rabbit trail here and address this fact: Yes, we had rice! For the first time since January! and so far, so good. It won't be a regular thing, but once in a while you just have to have a dish properly. Certain dishes, particularly of the Asian variety, just need to be served on a bed of hot rice!

We boxed this up hot in our glass Snapware and headed to the park for a lunch picnic!

Ok, back to the dish. I did a little bit of research and found that "Ginataan" mean "coconut" in Filipino culture, but not specific to a certain type of dish. It can refer to this kind of savory meal, or to a coconut dessert. I amcalling this a "curry" even though it is not very spicy. If you are inspired with a more fitting name, please share it with me :)

Shrimp Ginataan Curry

Adapted from this original recipe

What you need:
1/2 pound raw shrimp (can be frozen)*
1 onion, sliced thin
2-3 inch knob ginger, peeled, diced and minced
1 cup water or chicken bone broth
1 bag frozen squash cubes OR about 4 cups raw squash peeled and diced
1/4 of one yellow bell pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 TB "bagoong" shrimp paste** (find at Asian market)
1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk, free of preservatives and binders (I love Taste Nirvana brand)
1/2 cup canned coconut cream
dash of salt


*Peeling shrimp is easy, but deveining (removing the black line of ... um... "shrimp waste" along the back) takes a bit of time and patience. For this reason I suggest buying the kind that is deveined already. I also recommend buying frozen shrimp, especially if you can find a sustainably fished option, because they will keep in your freezer until you're ready to cook with them.

**I could only find bagoong that had corn oil and MSG in the ingredients list. If we plan to make this dish a lot in the future, I plan to try and make my own shrimp/fish paste with more natural ingredients. Here is a link I found to do just that with anchovies: How to Cook Bagoong (Coincidentally, the jar of factory-made bagoong pictured there is the same one I have in my refrigerator!)


What you do:
The way to make Asian cooking easy is to prepare your ingredients first. Then when your pan is hot and you're working on a quick schedule, you can just grab what you need and toss it in, no hiccups in the process.


Prep:
Measure out 1/2 pound of frozen shrimp into a strainer. Set inside a larger bowl and pour cool water over the strainer. Shrimp will start to thaw; while it softens, peel shells and remove tails. By the time you're done, they will probably be ready to use. Leave shrimp in water bowl and set aside.
If using frozen squash cubes, remove bag from freezer. If using raw, I suggest buying the pre-peeled and cubed butternut squash in the store (these are seasonal, but recently Trader Joe's has small bags next to the refrigerated greens and Costco has large containers in the cooler).
Peel and slice onion and mince ginger. Wash bell pepper and dice.

Cook:
Put a shallow, wide saute pan or wok over medium-low to medium heat (depending on your pan metal's conductiveness). Drop in a spoonful of coconut oil and let it melt and spread around.
Saute onions for several minutes, then add ginger. Cook together until onions are starting to turn translucent.
Add squash, water/broth, shrimp paste and coconut milk. Stir
Turn up burner as needed to bring to a simmer, and cook 10 to 15 minutes until liquid is reduced and squash is tender. (If using frozen squash, you may choose to wait to add until liquid has started to reduce, because it will become overly mushy.)
Now add coconut cream and peppers; stir around, then add shrimp, gently placing each piece into pan. Watch the shrimp closely, it will only take a couple minutes for it turn to pink underneath. Flip each shrimp and cook one or two more minutes, until each piece is pink/white and firm. Give the pan a final stir-around, and you're done!

If you eat rice, start a pot of short grain white or Jasmine rice before you begin preparing your ingredients. It will be ready at the same time you finish cooking the Ginataan curry.

Voila! A beautiful Filipino dish full of creamy flavor and fresh ingredients.

Notes:
Lourdes recommends adding any favorite seasonal vegetable in this dish; she loves to include eggplant and string beans. I would have included massive amounts of garlic, but I am allergic. The original recipe also calls for tomato, but if you are avoiding nightshades it is good to leave it out.

"Samoa" Cookies

A few months back I saw a great recipe at beautiful Real Sustenance blog: Gluten Free Samoa Cookies. (Grain/Egg/Corn/Soy/Dairy/Refined Sugar Free). Samoa cookies have always been my favorite, dating back to my year as a Junior Girl Scout. If you've ever read the label though, like me, you know that they are not very good for you. So I was very excited to find Brittany's recipe over at Real Sustenance, and saved it for a later date. Check out the recipe here.

I finally had the chance to make these cookies yesterday with a good friend. They weren't exactly like original Samoa, but they were EXCELLENT cookies, even compared with traditional cookies made with wheat flour and butter. We used spring themed cookie cutters - a flower, a tulip and butterfly. If I get the chance to make these again some day, I will just keep it simple with a circle cutter, because the shapes get covered by the blobs of caramel and you can't tell what they are underneath the delicious toppings. The shapes made it more festive though, so I'm still glad we did that.

The caramel is so delicious, the fact that you can't tell these are tulips, flowers and butterflies doesn't really matter!

First, I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Shortbread mix to make the base cookies. It was one of the last grain items left in my kitchen, so it needed to be used up. This made my cookies gluten free but not grain free. However, they are free of soy, dairy and egg.

I made the shortbread cookies with substitutions for the ingredients called for on the recipe on the bag, which called for butter, water and an egg yolk.

I used the new Spectrum butter flavored palm shortening in place of butter or soybean oil shortening, and instead of egg yolk I mixed a heaping tablespoon of golden flax meal with 1/8 cup warm water, into a yolky-textured gel. I had to add water throughout mixing the dough, to get it to the right texture to roll out flat, but they turned out very well - if a bit hard. The golden flecks of flax meal in the white cookies looks pretty.

Once the shortbread cookies were cooled, I made the caramel. The original recipe had several options for each ingredient - what a blessing when you have dietary restrictions! I made it with the following:

• 3/4 cup organic virgin coconut oil
• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar (another item in the small "gotta get rid of this" section of my cupboard!)
• 1/4 cup agave
• half can of canned, preservative-free coconut milk (I LOVE Taste Nirvana!)

I was surprised at how long it took to get the caramel past 200 degrees; it was a stubborn pot that didn't want to boil! But finally after about 30 minutes, the candy thermometer was creeping up and we had our caramel. It was delicious! I think it's pretty neat that you can make caramel dairy-free, and I want to make it again for a special occasion to top coconut ice cream.

For the chocolate topping, we used Enjoy Life allergen-free mini chocolate chips (those things are AWESOME!) and my unsweetened coconut flakes were organic, small shreds from the bulk section of Whole Foods that we toasted on parchment paper in the oven for about 5 minutes

A tulip

It was definitely worth it to finally try out this recipe. I would love to repeat it every year around Girl Scout Cookie time, so I feel less left out. It's good to treat yourself once in a while :)

Happy Spring! Are you as thrilled as I am that it's finally here?!

[Nutritious] Chocolate Banana Drink

This afternoon I was watching TV and got stuck on the Ninja Kitchen System infomercial. Isn't it true that even if you have NO need for a product, an infomercial can sell you anything if you don't hang on to your self control and head sense? Translation: Even though I own a nice quality Kitchen Aid blender, food processor, mixer, and Jack Lalanne Juicer, a few minutes watching the wonders of the Ninja KS, and I thought I needed it. What can I say? Anything cooking-related is my weakness. Thankfully I came to my senses, and realized I could make a delicious afternoon treat (like they were making on TV) without spending any money, using what I already own.

So I hopped into the kitchen and got to it. This was my inspiration today:

When we were kids, occasionally my mom made us this super yummy afternoon snack that we called "Chocolate Banana Drink." It consisted of ice, bananas, and chocolate pudding mix. Simple, sugary, and delicious. This afternoon I wanted something that tasted like that, but chocolate pudding mix is full of junk and not something I keep around my pantry (anymore). So I adapted my own [gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, sugar-free, Paleoish] recipe, and in under ten minutes we were all enjoying a delicious, chocolate frappe-style dessert drink. Here's the recipe:

[Nutritious] Chocolate Banana Drink!

What you need:

2 frozen bananas, broken into smaller pieces

handful (about 1 cup) frozen, torn spinach and kale leaves

1/2 cup coconut milk (I used Silk PureCoconut original)

1-2 TB cocoa powder (add more/less to taste)

1 TB golden flax meal

Optional:

3 chunks frozen pear

4 ice cubes

1/2 cup water

What you do:

Put bananas, greens, coconut milk and cocoa powder into blend and puree until it reaches the right consistency. I had to add 1/2 cup water to help it along, then it was too runny, so I added the frozen pear and ice cubes, and more cocoa powder and it became the perfect chocolately frappe consistency. 

I enjoyed my treat so fast, only afterward did I realize I should share this on the blog, and there was nothing left to photograph! My hubs had a tiny bit left:

Make this drink and this is what you'll be seeing -or rather NOT seeing- in a matter of minutes  :)

Slow Cooking: Spicy Coconut Chicken

Slow cookers, a.k.a. Crock Pots. Do you have one? If so, do you actually use it? Confession: I have three slow cookers. Actually, four if you count our GIGANTIC Nesco roaster. They were all gifts-I'm not an addict. However, now five years into my "homemaking career," if you will, I use all of them. It just took me a while to get into slow cooking.

Truth: Slow cookers are not the most glamorous kitchen tool, and the food they produce isn't always beautiful for photos. However, it is always delicious, and so simple and easy to get it that way. I think slow cookers are making a comeback with savvy cooks. In some cases, you can have a delicious hot dinner ready in the evening after just five minutes of prep work in the morning. Slow cookers save money because they can make just about any cut of meat moist, and it's hard to overcook something. And they are rumored to be one of the best ways to cook with a low energy cost - as low as two cents per day!

This recipe evolved from a recipe for Tandoori Chicken over at Crock Pot 365. I only made that dish once, with Greek yogurt. After a few weeks post-partum, all my food allergies came back in full force, and I couldn't have dairy at all. I wanted to make it again sans yogurt, so I did a little thinking and came up with a new twist to the dish: canned coconut milk as a yogurt sub. I also modified the spices (I'm allergic to garlic, so that went away with the yogurt). After cooking this on four separate, but all delicious, occasions, and playing around with the spices each time, I've landed upon what I think is the perfect combination of flavors. I also think my creation is unique and tasty enough to deserve it's own name. I'm calling it...

Spicy Coconut Chicken

What you need:

3-4 quart slow cooker (If you have a larger one, simply double the recipe. Leftovers of this dish are WONDERFUL!)
Fresh/thawed boneless, skinless chicken pieces. Try this combo: 4 small chicken thighs and 2 medium chicken breasts (I like Trader Joe's fresh organic, free range)
One can of coconut milk (Go for a brand without preservative chemicals, such as Taste Nirvana or Trader Joe's)
Bag of frozen broccoli or cauliflower pieces

1/2 to 1 tsp* of the following ground spices:
turmeric
curry
smoked paprika
cumin
coriander
ginger
crushed red pepper flake

*Use your taste as a guide. We love spicy around here, so for the real heat I recommend 1 full teaspoon of each spice.

What you do:

Put chicken pieces into the slow cooker (I used my 3 quart Hamilton Beach). Gently -to prevent splashing- pour half a can of coconut milk on top. Scoop each teaspoon of spice right on top of the chicken and coconut milk. Once everything is in the slow cooker, take a fork and start turning the chicken pieces, working from the bottom to the top. Get both sides of each piece coated. The spices will mix together on their own while you do this. When everything looks good and well coated, put the lid on, set the heat at Low, and cook for three to four hours, depending on thickness of chicken and power of your slow cooker.

At this point, add your frozen veg and keep the heat on Low. If the veg pieces are small, it won't take long to finish - less than twenty minutes. Dish up a plate: a piece of chicken, a few scoops of veg, and some extra sauce as there will be plenty. You can serve this on a bed of "riced" cauliflower for something extra. This is a great, convenient Paleo meal, it is super easy using the Crock Pot, and it has plenty of the three components we need: 1) lean protein (chicken), 2) healthy fats (coconut milk) and 3) vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower)!

Like I said, the slow cooker doesn't always produce aesthetically pleasing dishes, but this really tastes wonderful. Give it a try tonight!

TJ's Picks, including a Delicious Dairy-Free Dessert!

We got a fun little surprise in the mail on Monday - my mom surprised us with a gift card to Trader Joe's, so we could buy some "goodies" while we are remodeling! So earlier this week Hubs and I headed over there. It was fun! We did a quick but not rushed go-round of the store and filled a basket with an assortment of things, and I got some things to stash away on my new "treat shelf" - it's on the top shelf of the farthest kitchen cupboard, so I have to stretch and reach to get anything down. That's my justification for having treats at all - I have to work a little to get to 'em.

We came home with a full bag of items, including Trader Joe's Gluten Free Ginger Snaps

Black Licorice Scottie Dog gummies

Freeze Dried Strawberries, to snack on or add to cereal

and very tasty Gluten Free (Maple Cranberry) Granola!

(By the way, Trader Joe's has some handy lists available on their website that list their products that fit specific dietary needs, including a five page list of all their gluten free foods. Pretty handy to prevent aimless wandering around the store reading labels for hours!)

Before we went to the checkout, we went through the freezer section quickly (not typically too many options for me there) and I saw something wonderful: Dairy-Free Mochi Ice Cream!

If you've ever had the "regular" Mochi Ice Cream that comes in flavors like green tea, strawberry and chocolate, you know it's good. Chewy rice cake outside with cool, sweet ice cream inside. Well, God Bless them, they have created a dairy-free version made with coconut milk! For less than $4, you get a box of six mochi cakes: two mango, two chocolate, and two coconut flavor. I just had a chocolate one, and it was delightful! If you are allergic to dairy or making the wise choice to cut back on it, try these little numbers. Elegant enough for a couples dinner party dessert, yet simple enough to enjoy while watching TV with your feet up on a Friday night. If you try these, leave a comment letting me know how you like them. I think these are my new favorite special treat :)

GF Vegan Chocolate Pudding!

I feel like I haven't posted in months! I have been sick and living the "treading-water" life day to day, just trying to keep everything above water. It was definitely time to update, so here is a new post with a great recipe...

I have been dealing with some UC flare issues for the past month or so, and craving chocolate pudding all the time. I love pudding. It doesn't require much digestion and it's such a friendly dessert (if there is such a thing?). I love slurping it up when I'm feeling crummy and my guts are angry. Chocolate pudding is my favorite, and I have made both cook 'n' serve and instant versions from the box for years, but I've always wanted to try making pudding from scratch. The ingredients in the box are not always pleasant to read, particularly when you're looking at the most popular pudding brand in America (not to name any names... Bill Cosby used to do commercials for them...). Even the "organic" versions of box pudding can be frightening. So I took it upon myself to find a pudding recipe I can indulge in that is free of all my allergens. I wasn't sure if I'd find anything without eggs, because they are a major ingredient of classic homemade puddings and custards. But this recipe turned up, I gave it a whirl, and I've now made two separate (eight servings each) batches. -Actually, I made the mix, and my Hubby cooked both batches! How could I forget?

A few notes:

• To cook, we used canned coconut milk from our local Asian market. It gives it a nice chocolate coconut flavor, and thickens much better than rice milk (nothing worse than expecting pudding  and ending up with a runny soup!)
• The Dutch cocoa gives the pudding a rich, chocolatey flavor that no box mix ever has. 
• If you are very gluten-sensitive, make sure to use certified GF cocoa powder and powdered sugar.
• I sprinkle my powdered probiotic on top of every bowl of pudding right before eating, and stir it in well. I know it helps my guts!

Give it a try and let me know what you think! Sorry I don't have pictures -- it didn't last long enough to snap any.  :)


GF Vegan Chocolate Pudding
Makes two batches of 8 x 1/2-cup servings (16 total)

My favorite part about this is that I know exactly what is going into the mix:

• 1 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 3/4 - 2 cups powdered sugar (use 2 cups if you like your pudding really sweet)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Place all above ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to thoroughly blend. Set aside until you're ready to make pudding. (Sidenote: I think this would make a great gift for a food-allergic friend. Pour the mix into one or two clean, dry Mason jars, tie on some bows, put them in a basket with the necessary number of cans of coconut milk, the recipe, and a new spoon or spatula - voila! How fun would that be?!)

For cooking (now or later):

•  4 cups canned coconut milk OR your favorite dairy-free milk substitute
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

To prepare pudding:
In a medium saucepan, add 1 3/4 cups dry chocolate pudding mix and 4 cups milk. Whisk to dissolve the pudding mix. Heat on medium until the mixture bubbles and begins to boil, whisking constantly to prevent burning. Contine to cook for about 2 minutes until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and cool before serving (or enjoy warm - sometimes it really hits the spot!). Makes eight 1/2 cup servings.

** Mix makes two recipes of pudding, or sixteen 1/2 cup servings. **