Slightly Indulgent Mondays & Baked Quinoa Pudding with Raisins

September 20, 2009 { }

If you love fabulous food made a little bit healthier, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for stopping by! Amy

Contest is closed.

A reminder – Fall Festival 2009 starts today and will go on all week. Today it’s hosted by Hoosier Homemade – stop by and link up your favorite way to get ready for fall! (I, of course, get ready for fall by cooking.) Make sure to come back here on Wednesday – I’m hosting Fall Traditions and giving away a set of 3 Wilton baking racks – perfect for cooling all of those holiday goodies you’ll be making.

Featured Blogger from Last Week’s Submissions:

Iris from The Daily Dietribe and her Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free Coconut Waffles

I was going thorough last week’s submissions while sitting on the couch with my husband. I came across Iris’s waffles and told Joe we needed to buy a waffle maker. He laughed because I don’t eat waffles. Rest assured, I am going to get one if only to try this recipe. Iris frequently uses fruit juice to sweeten her baked goods, which is a simple & less expensive alternative to agave. If you didn’t already check out her recipe, I suggest you do so. Here’s a little about Iris – and it’s straight from her mouth – she said it much better than I could have!

I’ve been living in NYC for 4 years and I love it. For the first 2 years, I experienced a lot of depression that I couldn’t seem to find a cause for. I tried going gluten-free to see if it would help my IBS and amazingly it cured my depression. I had no idea that a gluten intolerance could cause depression! I started my blog the day after I started eating gluten-free, and it’s been quite a journey since. I can feel the cloud lifting more every day. It feels like a miracle to me. I’m so grateful for having realized what the problem was and knowing there’s a solution.

I’ve always loved to cook, so going gluten-free has been more of a fun challenge than a burden for me. It’s forced me to get creative and learn new ways to cook and bake. My first cookbook when I was little was called Kids Can Cook (I have no idea who the author is), and out of all the desserts I’ve ever tried, my favorite is still the lemon squares from that book. So I’m determined to make a gluten-free version that lives up to the original. I think my cooking inspirations come from so many places: my parents always made everything from scratch when we were kids. My stepdad made the best breaded tofu and mac and cheese! And I always loved to cook for my little sister. She was easy because she liked everything I made. But I guess to be honest, mostly I love to cook because I love to eat! But having a healthy relationship with food has always been a challenge for me, so cooking, for me, means cooking healthy.

Oh, and my favorite foods: sushi, artichokes, and probably garbanzo beans. And my mom’s Christmas cinnamon rolls, which I am determined to duplicate gluten-free!

This Week’s Give-Away

Last week Julie, a reader, won the KitchenAid Funnel Set. I hope she loves them as much as I love mine!

This week’s give-away is one of my favorite dessert cookbooks, Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes. It’s not sugar-free or gluten-free, though she does have a food allergy friendly recipe included. And, so sorry, but it’s not ‘a little bit healthier’ either! I love it, though, because it’s a great source of inspiration for recipes, decorating, and food presentation in general.

To be eligible to win, simply leave a comment or enter a link, or do both for two chances to win. The contest closes tonight at 11 pm CST.

So many great recipes for making food a little healthier have been shared. If you can, please take the time to check them out.

(update 3/12/10 – This is linked to Friday Foodie Fix at The Whole Gang.)

My Slightly Indulgent Submission: Baked Quinoa Pudding with Raisins

This pudding is a revised version of my Grandma Ruth’s rice pudding. She used to make it for my dad every fall. He would sneak into the kitchen and eat it right out of the dish, standing with the refrigerator door wide open. I hope you’ll find this version just as tempting.

It’s Slightly Indulgent because it uses quinoa instead of white rice – quinoa is high in protein and has a balanced amino acid set, which makes it a complete protein, it’s naturally gluten-free, and is easy to digest. I’m just not willing to leave out the 1/2 & 1/2. It makes the pudding so much creamier – which is what I love about this dish.

Print friendly recipe
Baked Quinoa Pudding with Raisins
serves 6 – 8

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups 1% milk
½ cup half & half
1/3 cup light agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
pot of boiling water for bain marie

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.    Set a pot of water to boil for the bain marie, or water bath.

Put water in a medium size, heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to a boil Meanwhile, rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer.   Once water is boiling, add quinoa and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let quinoa cool slightly.

In a medium bowl mix eggs, milk, half & half, agave, vanilla, salt, and raisins. Mix cooled quinoa into egg mixture. Pour entire mix into a 1 ½ – 2 quart casserole dish.   Place dish into a larger 4 quart casserole. Set casseroles on oven rack. Pour boiling water halfway up casserole. Bake for 25 minutes.

While pudding is baking, mix cinnamon and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Stir pudding and sprinkle the top of the pudding with cinnamon and nutmeg (use more or less according to your taste). Bake for another 25 – 35 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle of the pudding comes out clean.

Carefully remove pudding and bain marie from oven, remove pudding from bain marie, and then let cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm or cold as is, with a berry sauce, or with ice cream. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Link up below with your Slightly Indulgent recipe! Please use proper blog carnival etiquette and link back to this post so your readers can share in the fun, too. Let us know who you are and what you’re submitting – in the title field you might enter something like this: Amy Green @Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (Baked Quinoa Pudding w/Rasins)

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Comments

33 Responses to “Slightly Indulgent Mondays & Baked Quinoa Pudding with Raisins”

Dina
September 20th, 2009 @ 9:14 pm

We are SO excited to see and try these scrumdilly’icious SugarFree AND GlutenFree recipes! Thank you Amy for helping us to not feel alone in the SF/GF world!

[Reply]
Sandy Gillett
September 20th, 2009 @ 9:57 pm

Amy, I tried to go to MckLinky and get a link but I don’t think it is working. I’m sorry. I don’t have a cooking blog but I do have a post about your blog and how much it is helping me. http://www.Aunt-Sandy.blogspot.com

Every bite of this salad tastes like a healthful indulgence to me. I love it!

Mixed Greens Green Apple Salad

Organic Herb Garden Spring Mix
Organic Granny Smith Apple, chopped bite-size
Organic Red Onion, sliced thin
Organic Walnuts, chopped, roasted
Organic Dried Cranberries
Organic Raspberry Vinaigrette

Combine Spring Mix, chopped apple and sliced red onion in salad bowl and toss with vinaigrette to cover well. Place on salad plates and top with walnuts and dried cranberries. Serve

[Reply]
Amy Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Your link is up – thanks so much for participating!!

[Reply]
Sandy Gillett Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Thank You, Amy.

[Reply]
BLT Bites | The Finer Things in Life
September 20th, 2009 @ 10:11 pm

[...] Slightly Indulgent Mondays Category: RecipesTags: appetizers > BLT Bites > cherry tomatoes [...]
Lauren
September 20th, 2009 @ 10:27 pm

Yum, love the sound of that pudding! Maybe no raisins for me, but we’ll see =D.

My entry this week are Baking Powder biscuits, which are healthier because they are grain-filled and gluten free, but indulgent because they will disappear very quickly if you don’t watch them!

[Reply]
Liz@HoosierHomemade
September 20th, 2009 @ 10:40 pm

You just amaze me with your baking! Especially sugar and gluten free!
I had a giveaway for Martha’s book in the early summer and never got a copy for myself. Yeah, Cupcake Lady with no Cupcake Cookbook, go figure!
Anyway, I sure hope I win! Thanks for hosting and for the giveaway!
~Liz

[Reply]
Ali @ The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
September 20th, 2009 @ 11:51 pm

Amy – First, I have to say that your baked quinoa pudding sounds amazing! Second, I entered my ice cream – not exactly fallish but it could work, right?

[Reply]
Amy Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 8:31 am
Absolutely. We should all eat ice cream all year long. I do.

[Reply]
e-Mom
September 21st, 2009 @ 12:40 am

What a good idea: substituting quinoa for rice. My husband LOVES rice pudding (I don’t), so I wonder if we would *both* like this version? Raisins… always a winner!

e-Mom @ Susannah’s Aprons
http://susannahsaprons.blogspot.com

[Reply]
Kim, The Food Allergy Coach
September 21st, 2009 @ 7:25 am

When I want a quick slightly indulgent snack, I bake up some mochi. Grainaissance brand is gluten and dairy free, and contains no refined sugar.

[Reply]
Iris
September 21st, 2009 @ 7:59 am

Thanks Amy!

That quinoa pudding looks amazing! I’m a huge fan of rice pudding, and I’ve been contemplating a brown rice version, but quinoa sounds even better!

[Reply]
Amy
September 21st, 2009 @ 8:43 am

Hi! I’m here from the Fall Festival! I have never purposely cooked gf, but have friends who do. Your recipe sounds quite tempting! May just have to give that a try!
Blessings,
Amy

[Reply]
Amy Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 9:09 am
Welcome! So glad you stopped by! You don’t have to cook GF to share in this blog carnival – just anything that’s a little healthier in some way.

[Reply]
Linda
September 21st, 2009 @ 9:33 am

Sounds delicious. Now that I think about it, cinnamon seems like it would be a good flavor to pair with quinoa. We would prefer it without the raisins though.

[Reply]
Crustless Quiche for Friday Foodie Fix | gfe--gluten free easily
September 21st, 2009 @ 9:34 am

[...] Update: I’ve submitted this recipe for Slightly Indulgent Mondays over at Amy’s blog, Simply Sugar Free and Gluten-Free. Check out all the wonderful entries here! [...]
gfe-gluten free easily
September 21st, 2009 @ 9:41 am

I’ve had quinoa pudding like that before and it’s wonderful! I bet yours is even better, Amy, being refined sugar free.

I’ve added the link for my crustless quiches. So easy to make. Regular milk is all that’s needed for these … no heavy cream, etc. With no crust, you save on calories and fat for sure, but especially the work of making a crust. So easy to follow this method for making crustless quiches, pies, etc.

I’ll be bake later to check out all the recipes!

Shirley

[Reply]
Lisa C.
September 21st, 2009 @ 11:09 am

Hi Amy –
I’ve been following your blog for a bit now and really enjoy how you make things more healthy. I have got to start doing that! The Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes book looks delicous! Please consider this my entry to win.
Thanks for the time you put into your blog. It’s enjoyable.
Lisa

[Reply]
Trish
September 21st, 2009 @ 1:33 pm

There’s zucchini coming out my ears around here! I made some healthy zucchini muffins to use up some of the bounty. Your pudding looks delicious!

[Reply]
Kara Haschke
September 21st, 2009 @ 1:48 pm

This sounds great! I have quinoa sitting in my pantry and am going to have to try this.

[Reply]
Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen
September 21st, 2009 @ 3:49 pm

Amy, that pudding looks divine. I have really begun to fall in love with quinoa, and I love this application of it! YUM!

[Reply]
gfe--gluten free easily
September 21st, 2009 @ 5:55 pm

Just wanted to add that I am so glad that Iris shared her story that going gluten free solving her depression. It’s awesome that she has had that success. Gluten issues are often linked to depression and other neurological conditions. Here’s a great article on Dr. Vikki Petersen’s findings in the area of depression.

http://www.celiac.com/articles/21758/1/Gluten-Sensitivity-and-Depression/Page1.html

So many might be helped by reading this info.

Thanks,
Shirley

[Reply]
Amy Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 8:38 am
I am, too. I had the same experience. You brought tears to my eyes, Shirley. My hope was that by featuring a new blogger each week, we’d be able to help each other and learn more about how to live well. We all have our unique stories and experiences with food – regardless of whether we eat GF, SF, DF, or are not intolerant at all – and when we share our experiences we can really give others hope.

[Reply]
Shannon
September 21st, 2009 @ 11:35 pm

What a great way to use quinoa, I’ll have to try it. And thanks for the fun giveaway…I hardly ever make cupcakes, but this book could change that!

[Reply]
Ari- Food Intolerances Cook
September 22nd, 2009 @ 12:11 am

This week I am featuring my super delicious coconut milk. It is slightly indulgent because it is very tasty just like the full fat version but lower calories and fat which also makes it a healthy and daily indulgent dairy-free milk option! Plus, it is indulgent without “indulging” your budget!

[Reply]
Jennifer S
September 22nd, 2009 @ 7:41 am

Stumbbled across your website this weekend. my husband has Crohn’s and we are always looking for SF & GF recipes. can’t wait to look at all your recipes and information.

Thanks!

[Reply]
Just Jennifer
September 23rd, 2009 @ 12:40 am

Just stopping by from WFMW to check out your blog. It’s pretty spiffy. And you have some great articles. I enjoyed reading the couple I looked at. You have officially gotten yourself another daily reader

Thanks for havin’ me and hope to see you over at my bloggy. Have a great week.

[Reply]
Ronnie
December 4th, 2009 @ 11:50 am

Wonderful recipe, Amy! Using black quinoa, the pudding would make a dramatic presentation with vanilla ice cream. My daughter wanted to find a dessert her gluten intolerant friend can enjoy and this fits the bill!

[Reply]
Amy Reply:
December 4th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
@Ronnie, I love the idea of black quinoa. I have some red quinoa in the pantry…no black, though. I don’t think I’ve even seen it in the stores. Where do you get yours?

[Reply]
Ronnie
December 4th, 2009 @ 7:53 pm

I don’t remember where I got it, but it was in the bulk section. 5lb sacks are available at Amazon with free shipping.

Now that I think about it, the black quinoa is a bit firmer when cooked, so it may not be as suitable for the pudding. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

[Reply]
Kimberly
February 26th, 2010 @ 1:22 pm

Thank you for sharing. It is invaluable and so helpful to NOT reinvent the wheel on this gluten free journey.

[Reply]
Elizabeth
March 6th, 2010 @ 5:03 am

I made this last night and it was wonderfully delicious: the perfect comfort food to end a light dinner on a chilly evening. Thanks to you and your Grandma Ruth for the recipe!

[Reply]
Diane-The W.H.O.L.E. Gang
March 13th, 2010 @ 2:45 pm

Love the pudding! Thank you for sharing it on Friday Foodie Fix.

[Reply]

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Slightly Indulgent Mondays & Baked Quinoa Pudding with Raisins

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