Brown Rice Pudding with Blueberries

I have an issue with rice pudding. It’s not that I don’t love it. I do. A lot. My issue is that I always seem to convince myself that this is somehow a “healthy” dessert. I mean, it’s rice, right? How can rice be bad for you? This explains why in the past I have ordered rice pudding for breakfast, ignoring the looks of my friends when they realize my early morning meal will be coming from the dessert menu.

So yeah, it’s sort of an issue. Especially when I realize I’ve convinced myself that I’ve made a smart choice even though I’m spooning sugar and milk into my mouth at an unhealthy rate. However, I found a solution to my problem with this recipe. I’m not gonna lie, it still has some sugar, but A LOT LESS than most rice pudding recipes. And, this has brown rice instead of white rice, and soy milk instead of  whole milk. And it has blueberries. Fresh, juicy blueberries. So, with just a little sugar and lots of nutrition, I finally have a rice pudding that I can eat for breakfast. Well…that I can eat for breakfast and not feel bad about.

 

Brown Rice Pudding with Blueberries

Print this recipe!

A huge bonus to this recipe is that it gives you something to do with cooked rice leftover from dinner. If you want to cut down on the cooking time leave out 1/2 cup of milk, although that might affect the creaminess of the final dish. You can also used dried fruit instead of fresh, but I would add it in at the beginning of the cooking process instead of the end.

2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups low fat milk or soy milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh blueberries

In a medium saucepan combine rice, milk, sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon. Cook for 15-20 minutes stirring frequently until the pudding is thick and creamy. Remove from heat and add blueberries, stirring gently to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature. Eat in a big bowl with a spoon and feel happy about the decision you’ve made.

Tagged as: Blueberry, Lemons, Rice