Summer berry season is ON.
These glorious juicy little berries are the #1 (food-related) reason I look forward to summer. Have I said that before… perhaps about tomatoes? peaches? basil? Blasphemy. Berries are my all-time favorite summer food.
And just because it’s fun, here are my top non-food-related reasons to look forward to summer: Dresses (my credit card bill has been insane lately, and Anthro and Banana are to blame), Martha’s Vineyard (headed there in a month!), and just generally the warm weather. If you ask me, there’s no better feeling than walking out of the house without taking the time to stop and bundle up first. I think those that live in a warm climate year-round take that feeling for granted, but I most certainly do not! Well, not usually. I’ll be complaining about the heat before you know it… so just remind me that I always prefer warmth to cold!
I also love how easily those summer dresses pack into a suitcase. Today I’m headed back to Boston to do girly wedding planning stuff with my mom, and I threw all my clothes for the long weekend into a carry-on with plenty of room to spare. If you know me, you know that is quite the feat! Girlfriend does not pack light. I mean, I haven’t gotten to the toiletries yet – and I’m pretty sure those don’t get skimpier in the summer – but I think I’m going to get by with my smallest carry-on. Summer dresses FTW!
So since I mentioned it, can I just derail this pudding parade to talk about wedding stuff for a second? OK good. Because this weekend we get to do the following: Cake tasting. Florist meeting. Hair and makeup trials. Eeek!! Maybe we’ll even have to test out a few signature cocktail recipes. Life is tough, you guys. I cannot wait!
P.S. Am I really flying across the country just to get my hair done? Shhhh. Let’s get this pudding parade back on track.
Forbidden (black) rice makes me happy, and I loved the idea of making it into a pudding with blueberries. Black and blue pudding? Or maybe just purple. Anyway, after thinking about it for years, I finally made it happen… and oh boy, you should too. Rice pudding is so much more satisfying that your garden variety pudding – something you can really sink your teeth into. And if you love classic rice pudding, you’ll get a kick out of this colorful, fruit-filled version.
Blueberries were a no-brainer for the color combo with the black rice, and I added the banana in after enjoying some banana and blueberry oatmeal the other morning. It just seemed so right. I love the flavors together, and as a bonus, the banana decreases the amount of added sweetener necessary. Just 2 tablespoons of maple syrup in this whole recipe!
Does this stuff look appetizing or not? I can’t really decide.
Hopefully the intrigue factor outweighs the, um, lumpy-purple-food factor.
Oh, and it’s vegan! Vegan pudding is not something you come across every day, folks. This version is made with coconut milk (the canned kind) and rice milk (which you can find in the refrigerated section among the other non-dairy milks). I’ve tried it with both full-fat and low-fat coconut milk, and can report it’s delicious with either. So knock yourself out with whichever you prefer! The pudding thickens up, even sans eggs, after a bit of stovetop simmering. It’s like magic!
Speaking of stovetop simmering, a warning: you will burn your tongue “taste testing” this recipe. It is unavoidable, so don’t say I didn’t tell you so.
Have a lovely rest of your week and weekend! I hope to report back on all things wedding-related next week :) Plus a giveaway!
- 1/2 cup forbidden rice
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup coconut milk (low fat or full fat from the can, well stirred)
- 1 cup rice milk such as Rice Dream
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 ripe to overripe banana, mashed
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- sprinkle of cinnamon
- Place rice, water and salt in a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 35 minutes.
- Stir in coconut milk, rice milk, and maple syrup. Return to a simmer uncovered. Continue to simmer, stirring often, until liquid is reduced and the mixture is creamy. For me this consistently takes 25-30 minutes, but I suspect that if you are at sea level it will take as little as 10.
- Stir in the bananas, blueberries, vanilla and cinnamon. Simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pour into a serving dish, cover, and refrigerate at least two hours before scooping into individual bowls to serve. Pudding is best enjoyed on the first day made (but can be made the night beforehand in a pinch.)
As a relative newcomer to your blog I missed the announcement so CONGRATS! Wedding planning is so exciting, my bestie is getting married in October and drove 4 hours for her hair trial this weekend, it’s all good!
This recipe has got me excited, I have a few questions…
all the fruit means it’s okay for breakfast right?
I don’t think we don’t get forbidden rice in the UK but I have a Brown Basmati, Red camargue and Wild Rice mix, do you think that would work? Maybe I should just try it. Hmm just googled it and I think Arborio rice might be a better substitution.
Thanks for another great recipe, can’t wait to make it.
Thanks Stephanie! Fruit, milk, and a grain – spells breakfast to me! :) I think anything other than wild rice would work. Arborio would definitely be the creamiest, but basmati wouldn’t be a bad choice, either. Hope you enjoy!
The second you tell me something is forbidden, I instantly want it! Seriously though, this rice pudding looks amazing. I’ve never even heard of black (forbidden) rice, can you believe it? This thing looks like it’s so full of flavor! Perfecto for breakfast!
Beautiful photos. I love berry season as well. And sundress season. Anthro has the cutest dresses! I used to live where we had winter most of the year (in the mountains in Oregon), and now I live in the tropics. Believe me, seasons are a wonderful thing! I thought I would never get tired of the warm weather (and I’ll admit– I don’t ever get tired of wearing sundresses and flip flops, and how light my suitcases are when I travel), but I get so nostalgic when I see photos of leaves falling, snow… I now dream about WINTER! And plan my holidays to places it will be cold. The grass is ALWAYS greener :)
Thanks for the perspective, Michelle :) The grass is always greener indeed!
I’m 100% sure if I made this recipe it would look like black and purple mush. I don’t know how you do it! Enjoy being back in Boston to get your hair done!! ;)
You are so smart to do a hair and makeup trial. I only did a hair trial (literally two days before) and ended-up stressing out about the makeup the day of. I’m just not used to wearing a lot of it so it freaked me out to see myself with a full face of makeup. But it’s all going to be so much fun! Enjoy every second!! :)
And again- the recipes that come out of your head are always so intriguing and creative. Black rice is supposed to be very healthy and I love the banana-blueberry combo too!
This looks super delicious! I hated rice pudding as a kid but now I love it! can’t wait to try this vegan version :)
Have a great time in Boston. More room in your suitcase means more shopping, right? Happy wedding planning!
I heard you on the dresses! I seem to justify buying (many) in summer :)
This looks like a great breakfast – berries are one of my favorite summer things too!