Author Archives: ::sharlyn::

Coconut Tapioca Pudding

We decided that spring break would be the best time for our son to get his braces put on and boy are we thankful for that. I had no idea how uncomfortable the first week of wearing braces would be! Getting them on during spring break gave me some time to plan the lunches and snacks that he would eat once he went back to school. Everything I prepared had to be something he could eat quickly (he only has 25 minutes to eat at school) and nutrient dense with enough healthy fats to keep him satisfied if he couldn’t finish his lunch in time.

This coconut tapioca pudding has always been one of my son’s favorites and I made it as a treat to get him through his first week back at school. The original recipe calls for 3/4 cup of granulated sugar but I substituted with a small amount of honey instead. I find that the natural sweetness of the coconut milk and small amount of honey is enough to satisfy his sweet-tooth (and mine too).

Coconut Tapioca Pudding

adapted from “Thai the essence of Asian cooking”

2/3 cup tapioca (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

2 cups of water

2 T honey (you can certainly add more or less depending on your taste for sweetness)

pinch of salt

1 cup of full-fat, canned coconut milk (lite if you prefer)

Put the tapioca in a bowl and pour warm water over to cover. Leave to soak for 1 hour. Drain using a fine mesh colander. Pour the measured water in a large pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the honey and salt and stir until both are dissolved. Add the tapioca and coconut milk, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the tapioca becomes transparent. Once the tapioca is finished, spoon into a bowl and enjoy warm with fresh fruit. You may also refrigerate the leftovers in a covered container.

 

Spiced Nuts and Seeds

Spiced Nuts and Seeds
adapted from Powerfoods

2 cups of raw cashews
2 cups almonds
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 large egg whites (I used Ener-G egg replacer)
1/4 t.cayenne
1 1/2 t. salt
1/4 cup of brown rice syrup

Preheat oven to 325 F. Mix nuts, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg whites or follow the instructions on the box of Ener-G to make egg whites. To the egg whites, add the salt, cayenne, and brown rice syrup. Pour the egg white/brown rice syrup mixture over the mixture. Spread the nuts on Silpat-lined (parchment or a greased pan will do) baking sheet, and bake until dry and darkened, stirring occasionally, roughly 30 minutes. Once done, give the nuts a good scraping with a spatula to loosen the nuts and let them cool in the pan. Store in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Cauliflower Puree

Never in a million years did I think that I would be replacing mashed potatoes with cauliflower puree at Thanksgiving  but we will be this year. This puree is silky, creamy, and delicious.  Best of all, we made the switch from potatoes to cauliflower a few months ago and my kids still haven’t noticed.

1 head of cauliflower
2 T butter (preferably Kerrygold)
salt and pepper

Cut the cauliflower into florets. If your cauliflower came with leaves, cut them into 1/2 inch pieces. Steam your cauliflower florets and leaves in a pot fitted with a steam rack. I did this in my rice cooker and it took about 20 minutes. Once your cauliflower is fork tender, drain the steaming liquid, and place the cauliflower in a food processor with the butter and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.