Do you remember that rice pudding that your Mum used to make when you were a kid?
The kind that had the thick, milky skin on top that you either loved or hated?
That childhood staple was also high in sugar and made with dairy, so not very compliant for your whole foods plant based diet. However, if you miss this old-fashioned treat, you can actually make a very healthy, creamy, and luxurious rice pudding recipe with BROWN RICE.
Yes, you heard that right! When you make your vegan rice pudding with brown rice, it adds a whole new flavour and texture profile that we believe is BETTER than the original version (don’t tell Grandma).
Why Is THIS Rice Pudding Healthier?
This whole foods plant based version of classic rice pudding is better for you than the original recipe version for several reasons, such as those listed below.
We have made this creamy rice pudding with BROWN short grain rice. Brown rice has not had its healthful fibre removed in the refining process, unlike white rice. This means that its fibrous and very nutritious husk has been left on the outer side of the grain.
Benefits of brown rice include:-
Fibre
The fibre in brown rice FILLS YOU UP for longer than white rice (which is considered to have a GI rating even higher than white sugar!). This homemade rice pudding made with brown rice is full of complex carbohydrates that give you a slow burn of energy over time, and not a fast hit that causes your blood sugar to spike.
Fibre also keeps you regular and your digestive tract healthy.
Weight Loss
High fibre foods, such as the brown rice in this ultimate rice pudding recipe, helps boost weight loss in a number of ways.
Firstly, the fibre keeps you fuller for longer, therefore resulting in less snacking for the same calories that you would get in white rice.
Secondly, the fibre in brown helps to keep the digestive tract clean. High fibre foods literally drag impurities and toxins out of the digestive tract, which can ultimately lead to a less sluggish system and weight loss.
Thirdly, high fibre foods such as brown rice help to stabilise your blood sugar. Stable blood sugar is the CORNERSTONE of stable weight and weight loss.
Every time you eat refined and junk foods, you will have a fast and hard blood sugar spike while your body struggles to process all the excess sugars. This process, when repeated over and over, leads to fat being laid down and ultimately weight gain, not to mention increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Heart Healthy
There are a myriad of nutrients in brown rice that help to keep your heart healthy. For starters, the fibre in brown rice helps to reduce the risk of heart disease in itself. Fibre reduces inflammation, due to the breakdown of prebiotic fiber in the gut microbiome, which then creates short-chain fatty acids.
And the magnesium content of brown rice is also a super heart healthy mineral.
High Nutrient Content
Brown rice is high in essential, key vitamins and minerals for the health of the whole body and mind.
These include:-
- Calcium
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Phosphorus
- Selenium
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B6
Brown rice contains zero refined sugars, is very low fat, and has a good amino acid profile, although is not a ‘complete’ protein on its own.
To make a complete protein from brown rice you would need to add some legumes or green peas.
However, this is not an essential thing to do, as it has been proven that the body recycles amino acids throughout the day and does the work of completing them. Therefore, plant based and vegan eaters need not concern themselves too much with protein if they are eating a diet high in ‘whole’ plant foods and minimal refined foods.
Creamy & Luxurious Rice Pudding Recipe Made With Brown Rice
Equipment
- Heavy bottomed, non-stick pan (medium-large sized)
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown short grain rice if you use white rice, cooking times and fluids will differ. I recommend brown to keep this dish healthy and high fibre.
- 8 cups soy rice, hemp, or oat milk (rice and oat are both naturally sweet, but you may wish to consider soy if you want a higher protein version of this rice pudding).
- 4 Tbsp vanilla essence
- Maple syrup date paste, or sweetener of choice is optional.
Instructions
- In a large, non-stick pan, bring to a simmer all your ingredients except the sweeteners (it's best to test your rice at the end of cooking time to check whether you need added sweetener as this will depend on the kind of milk you have used).
- Cover and simmer your rice pudding for between 1-1.5 hours, or until your rice is fully softened. Be sure to stir incrementally to prevent any burning or sticking. When it comes to rice pudding, it's nice to have the finished pudding with some of the milky fluid still in there, rather than cooking it dry.
- Add more milk if you need, to required texture.
- Check flavours and add some kind of sweetener (maple or date paste tastes best as they are caramelly) if you need it.
- Serve alone, or with my delicious, homemade raw berry jam (see raw berry jam recipe on this website).
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We hope you LOVE our old-fashioned desserts as much as we do. We find they taste so much better when you know they are actually good for you too.
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