Middle Eastern-style Rice Pudding

I call my food HER when it looks pretty.  ‘She pretty!’ And girl, when you add roses to anything it just makes a person happy. 

My mom’s rice pudding is a happy place for this Middle Eastern girl.  I just gave it a little ‘rehab’ and boosted the protein, lowered the sugar and made it healthy enough to have for breakfast. 

I love dessert for breakfast :-) 

Adding these dried rose petals just makes it so much prettier and yes, functional.  Did you know that roses have been eaten in the Middle East for thousands of years? They’re rich in antioxidants and help to prevent cardiovascular disease.  And they add the most beautiful, subtle essence that feels like a hug from my mom.   

Rose petals are also considered an aphrodisiac so just be careful who you share your pudding with, babe. 

Gluten-free, protein-rich, nutrient-dense - and only sweetened with date syrup. 

Now, I'm currently OBSESSED with these containers that look like vintage glass but have a wooden top, and come with adorable golden spoons.  Listen, I didn't grow up with a silver spoon but I don't mind eating from a gold one! :-) You can grab them HERE.  

This comes together easily and only takes about 30 minutes if you have your rice cooked already.  Follow the recipe and let me know if you’d like MORE Middle Eastern love. I have many of them in my book, linked below. 

And remember, life is short.  Eat the pretty food first.   xxChefMareya 

Dry rose petals by allowing them to sit on a paper towel and air dry for a few days

Middle Eastern-Style Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked rice (I used basmati but short grain works, too) 
• 2 cups water 
• 1 cup canned coconut milk 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon  
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (I used Garden of Life.  You can use my code Mareya20 for 20% off at gardenoflife.com
• 1 small banana 
• 2 teaspoons date syrup 
• Crushed walnuts and unsweetened shredded coconut for topping 
• a teaspoon of dried rose petals (I picked some from my garden and let them dry on a paper towel for a few days; you can also use a teaspoon of rose water in the pudding for that rose essence - but the petals are pretty!)

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan, heat cooked rice with water and canned coconut milk.  Stir well and cook over medium low heat until rice has plumped up, about 10 minutes.  
• Add vanilla extract and cinnamon and cook for another 10 minutes over low heat.
• Remove from heat.  Make a slurry with the protein powder (just add a little water and whisk until it becomes a paste) and mix into rice pudding.  Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes while rice kernels continue to absorb mixture and cool.
• In a separate bowl, mash banana with the back of a fork; add date syrup and blend together.  Top each container with a spoon of banana mixture, crushed walnuts and shredded coconut, and a pinch of dried rose petals.