As a pastry chef, I create sweet treats, and sugar is my chosen artistic medium. More and more though I have people passing by my table at the farmers market, lamenting that they can only look because they can't have sugar on their current diet. What's a sweet treat peddler to do?
I'll be honest, my husband and I have been trying to cut back and eat a bit healthier, which is hard with recipes to test and an abundant supply of leftovers. While we aren't jumping on any particular diet plan, we are watching our portions and trying to not eat ice cream or cake every evening.
How can we get our sweet treat fix without a ton of sugar?
See also: How to Make Your Own Yogurt
As a pastry chef, it's interesting to approach dessert without using sugar. I love the challenge to create something that tastes delicious, and satiates my sweet tooth using only naturally sweet ingredients.
Challenge accepted. Last week I brought you a low sugar chocolate mousse. This week: banana pudding with a twist.
Banana Coconut Chia Seed Pudding
I am obsessed with banana pudding, rice pudding, tapioca pudding, and this chia seed pudding fills my need for a creamy pudding dessert. One of the best parts about making this pudding is that you can throw it together quickly, leave it in the fridge and spoon out what you want, when you need a little pudding fix.
Ingredients: 6TBSP. Chia Seeds 2 Cups Coconut Milk, Unsweetened 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract 2 Bananas, Frozen, Slightly Thawed Fresh Blueberries
Procedure: In a large mason jar, pour in coconut milk and vanilla extract. Add chia seeds, screw on lid and shake to coat all the chia seeds. Scrape down any chia seeds stuck to the lid or sides, so that all the chia seeds are covered in coconut milk. Peal and puree the frozen bananas until they are smooth. Mix into the coconut milk and chia seeds. Place in the refrigerator and leave overnight.
Spoon up pudding and garnish with blueberries and a bit of basil.
Come back for another low sugar dessert recipe.
See also: Low Sugar Chocolate Mousse
Rachel Miller is a pastry chef and food writer in Phoenix, where she bakes, eats, and single-handedly keeps her local cheese shop in business. You can get more information about her pastry at www.pistolwhippedpastry.com, or on her blog at www.croissantinthecity.com.
