Coconut Milk Rice Pudding with Roasted Berries

vegan, gluten-free // serves ~6

1 cup dry short grain brown rice

1 tablespoon extra virgin unrefined coconut oil

2 cups water

1 cup light coconut milk

4 tablespoons raw honey [or maple syrup]

pinch of salt

2 cups berries

3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Melt the coconut oil over medium heat in a pot.

Once hot, add the brown rice and stir frequently for 3-5 minutes until the rice is lightly toasted.

Add the water, turn the heat to med-high, stir, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to simmer and cover with a tight fitting lid for 50 minutes. Do not stir or remove the lid while cooking. After 50 minutes, turn the heat off, move to a cool burner, and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

About 1/2 way through cooking the rice, preheat your oven to 400*

Spread [in a single layer] your washed + de-stemmed berries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Roast for 25-30 minutes and place in a bowl after they’re done.

Spread the coconut onto a clean baking sheet and bake for about 4-8min, checking on it every 1 minute. Stir once or twice. It will brown very quickly.

After fluffing the rice stir in 3/4 cups of coconut milk, honey, and salt, and turn on med-low heat.

Stir frequently for 15-20min until the mixture starts to thicken.

Serve hot with roasted fruit on top + toasted coconut or chill both and serve cold. You can also mix the fruit into the rice if desired.

If chilling the pudding, you will need to stir in about 1/4 cup more [cold] coconut milk before serving, as it thickens in the refrigerator. Or, if you chill it and then want to reheat and serve warm, add the 1/4 cup coconut milk with the rice and heat over med-low in a pot.

notes: I used a mix of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.

[I feel lost without my tripod for food photos!!]

You are allowed to raise an eyebrow at the idea of fruit + nuts in cornbread.

I definitely would have before today.

But maybe by the end of this post I can convince you to give it a try?

Berries in baked goods are not my favorite thing, but as you know I’m a die-hard cornbread fan. And not that cornbread is a wintery food but it kind of is. However, I found myself craving fresh cornbread today, even in the 90 degree heat. But not just any cornbread. Cornbread that’s a little gussied up for summer.

I must warn you [Kelsey!], if you come over for a slice you won’t find any pecans left. I’ve picked them all off and have already eaten 1/4 of the pan. Sorry!

I used my go-to cornbread recipe that has yet to fail me. I reduced the milk, added a little extra honey, introduced vanilla extract, and mixed in fresh blueberries. The pecans were thrown on top at the last minute, and I can’t tell you how long I contemplated adding them or not.

But seriously, how can you go wrong with pecans?

You just can’t.

This is definitely on tomorrow morning’s breakfast menu.

I imagine raspberries or blackberries could also work. Feel free to leave the nuts off or sub your chopped walnuts instead.

Are you still on the fence or have you been convinced?

I’m not sure when I became such a lover of this dense but airy, slightly crumbly, buttery, corny goodness. I blame “breakfast for dinner” nights when I was a kid. My absolute favorite dinner. Are you surprised my favorite dinner was breakfast? You shouldn’t be!

Topped with honey + butter. There’s just no other way.

Print this!

Blueberry Pecan Cornbread

gluten-free, refined sugar-free

3/4 cup fine-medium ground cornmeal
3/4 cup masa harina [or plain corn flour]
1/2 cup gluten free oat flour
1 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 cup unsweetened milk
5 Tablespoons honey [brown rice syrup or maple syrup]
1 large egg
3 teaspoons baking powder
1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons + 1 Tablespoons butter

Preheat your oven to 400* and take out your 9” square or circular baking dish or cast iron pan.
In a medium sized bowl, mix together the cornmeal, masa harina, oat flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
In a small bowl, vigorously whisk together the milk, honey, egg, vanilla extract and 1T melted butter, until combined.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, until just combined. Make sure the large lumps are mixed up, but the batter will not be completely smooth.
Fold in 3/4 cup of the blueberries
Let sit 5min to thicken, and while that is sitting add 2T of butter to the baking dish or cast iron pan.
Place the pan in the oven for 5min. Remove from the oven, and carefully tilt the pan to grease the edges + bottom with the melted butter.
Pour the batter in and gently spread it around the pan. It should be thick.
Add 1/2 cup of the blueberries to the top and sprinkle the pecans on top as well. Press them into the batter slightly if needed.
Place in the oven and bake for 25-30min, varying slightly with pan size. Toothpick test for doneness. You want a moist, but not gooey toothpick. The edges will be golden brown and the top will be cracked.
Let cool for 10min, then slice with a sharp knife + serve.

notes: High altitude modifications: 2.5 tsp baking powder. Feel free to sub in other flours for the oat flour, like buckwheat, quinoa, millet, amaranth, garbanzo, and even whole wheat. I typically use buckwheat but went with oat since it’s naturally sweeter. Coconut oil can also be used instead of butter if desired.

I could eat cornbread every single day.

For breakfast or breakfast for dinner.

The time of day really makes no difference.

Ashley

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