Quinoa, Making a Move to Dessert

Quinoa is still all the rage. And it’s no wonder. It’s full of protein, easy to make and extremely versatile. Just how versatile? Well, recently I’ve started eating it for dessert. That’s right, quinoa in the pudding!

Nutty quinoa, simmered with a little bit of almond milk and brown sugar, is just wonderful. The grains become tender and inviting, cozy and creamy. And rich coconut milk takes the whole thing to another level.

Dressed up with a few crunchy extras, like toasted coconut and cocoa nibs, the simple quinoa dish turns into a satisfying dessert. And if you have any leftovers, it makes a pretty great breakfast too. But what are the chances of that?

Coconut Quinoa Pudding

Makes about 3 cups; serves 6

Ingredients:

3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 1/4 cups almond milk

1 3/4 cups low-fat coconut milk, divided

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

Pinch salt

Cocoa nibs, toasted sliced almonds, toasted coconut shavings, for serving

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa, almond milk, 1 1/4 cups coconut milk, brown sugar, and salt over medium heat. Simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and the quinoa is very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, until cold.

To serve, stir in some additional coconut milk for a creamy consistency. Top with cocoa nibs, almonds, and toasted coconut. Enjoy!

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Samantha Seneviratne is a New York-based writer, recipe developer and food stylist. She blogs about dessert at Love, Cake.

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